Happy 2026!

I've started my list. The quilts I want to make this year as well as the WIP quilts. The first one I must get done is the quilt for a nephew and niece about to have a baby. Kind of important to get that one done promptly! My list doesn't necessarily mean I'm doing the projects in the order listed. One of the quilts is a years-old quilt for my own bed. I, unfortunately, have some holes in seams. I had to put the embellishments on first because it would have been overwhelming to do after it was pieced.

The problem is the 3d embellishments get in the way of the presser foot making the proper seam. If I have to, I will actually hand piece them. UGH! I only have a few places where that may be necessary. Then comes the problem of how to do the longarm quilting around all these embellishments. If this quilt takes anything less than a month to get completed, I'll be shocked.

Below is what the finished quilt will look like on my bed. I'm really looking forward to it being completed. Hopefully this year!

I do have fun projects to intersperse with my bed quilt to keep my spirits up. I've started doing a Kimberbell BOM, dealer exclusive, embroidery quilt project through the Fig Leaf in Fort Collins. This is the first time I've used an embroidery-only machine. There has been a small learning curve to get the tension correct, but I think it's doing well now. I've gotten the first two sets of blocks done. They're not perfect, but I'm happy with them. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will have improved. The biggest reason I wanted to make this quilt was because of all the help I'd get as I learn my machine and how to use the different materials.

Also, on my list are numerous quilt tops that need to be longarmed. It seems my own always get pushed to the back burner. What use are unfinished quilt tops? Then I can either send them to the people I intended them for or, if they those finished quilts were made just for my own pleasure, donate them.

That's how my 2026 is starting. Do you make lists of projects to complete? Will you?

Have a great quilting year!