Planning Ahead for 2026

It's the last day of 2025, so hard to believe we are there again!  I've been thinking through what I'm going to focus on in the sewing room in 2026, and I realized I usually have three categories of projects to sort through. 

1. Works in Progress:  (when do these become UFOs?  I don't know!)

I ended 2024 with two quilts waiting to be quilted - one was finished up (Masala Box) and an older one is still hanging in the closet!  Plus I added another quilt top to that to-be-quilted list.  The Blueberry Taffy blocks were sewn into a top in August, and have been waiting for quilting ever since!

I've been ignoring this quilt top because 

I got frustrated with how much the blue sashing/border fabric was fraying!

Maybe I will be brave and get it ready for quilting sometime in the new year.

But first...

A WiP that's really been nagging at me is Patchwork Hearts.  Here's its current status - partially quilted!  The first two rows are quilted, third is in progress, fourth and fifth haven't been touched except to cut the backing.  I have plenty of batting now, so there's no excuse to not get back to it!

2.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects for 2026:  

I'm working on two to start the year.  Jacob's Ladder blocks - 

Blue is the January color for the RSC, 

so I'm pulling out the blue stash this week!

And the house quilt project.  I'm going to call this "A Year in the Neighborhood," with each house going with a season or holiday.  The first one is in progress - there are snowflakes in it for January!

3.  The "To-be-Determined" category!  These are usually projects that involve participating in a quilt-along like the Stay at Home Round Robin (hosted by Quilting Gail) which starts in a couple weeks.  I have my center block ready to go - it's a fall embroidery which will turn into a wall-hanging to go with the other seasons that I've made the last three years.

Another QAL I have enjoyed participating in for several years in a row is Sandra's Spring QAL at mmmquilts.  I've participated in this one for 5 or 6 years now, and I always love the process and the finished quilt!

I'm sure other quilt-alongs will present themselves as the year goes on, and I'll keep them in mind, too.  I enjoy the feeling of community that comes from connecting with other quilters who are working on a similar project.

4.  I said there were three categories of quilt projects on my mind for the coming year, but I just realized there's actually a fourth, and that is charity/donation quilts or block drives.  Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework runs a quilt charity called Many Hands and Many Hearts and I have sent her both finished quilts and quilt blocks in previous years, and I plan to do so again this coming year.  I've been using the current blocks she is asking for as leader/enders this week.  

I will never run out of projects to work on - 

and I'm really glad about that!

Sharing at The Inquiring Quilter for Wednesday Wait Loss.