looking forward in 2026

on the pressing table

this is the ultimate wip wednesday post! i’m going to take a look at all my wips and make some plans. warning - it’s going to take a while. there are a lot of them. which just means I have a whole lot of fun ahead of me and there's a long read ahead for you if you choose to stay.

i ended up just doing a recap post and not really setting my quilting intentions for the year as i intended on january 1st. so now i'm going to look at my extensive wip list and talk about what i'll be working on. this is a deep dive as i have about 25 projects currently in the works, or at least that many that i'm counting/claiming at the moment. there are a few more piles of fabric that haven't been cut into that i have plans for. i'm not counting these fabric pulls with intentions as wips yet.

my handwork project - just around the corner from completing this one

but let me say first what my year is anticipated to look like as of now. in 2022 we bought a home on a street where we had been house-hunting for five years. three of my 7 siblings live on that street and i really wanted my kids to spend the latter half of their at-home years on the same street as their cousins. it didn't work out that way. and even though we finally found a property to purchase, it has been nothing but changing plans ever since we bought it. our family dynamics are continually in flux right now and our housing "needs" are evolving constantly. this has kept us from nailing down a remodel design and plan to this point. however, we feel ready to proceed now. so my number one job until construction begins is to get our design plans finalized and in motion. one upside is that the parts remodeled by the previous owners have some super cool quilt-like tiles. i just need to get the add-ons and extensions planned out. it's going to be a full-time project for me and has to take priority over everything else in my life, quilting included. i may not have any quilting time at all for the foreseeable future. or if i do, i may not have time to post about it. but everything i do to move the project forward benefits my quilt life in the end because the new build portion of this house will have a beautiful new quilt studio for me, full of natural daylight, storage, design wall space galore, and increased circulation room. so i really need to get it done! working on the house will only enhance my future quilting even if it delays it for a while.

my design wall at the moment - several projects and some orphan blocks

right now, i am trying to spend my mornings working on house design and giving myself quilt time in the afternoon for one hour when d5 is at her math tutoring service. once she gets home, i start making dinner. so far this year - all 7 days of it - this is working. we'll see if it continues.

assuming i do get to quilt, what am i going to do? my main interest and intention at the moment is to finish up many of the wips i have in various stages. to take stock, i cut-and-paste from my wip page and will add notes below. projects are grouped in categories according to what phase of construction they're in.

piecing queue

robin nests

pattern: quarter log cabin blocks

fabrics: solids scraps, mostly kona cotton solids

collaborator:  my grandson r

companion quilt: 

started: nov 2025

this recent start is a project with my grandson. we have 6 of 16 blocks made. this will be worked on randomly when he's visiting and feels like sewing. that will determine the pace of its piecing. i need to find a light blue sashing for it. not a high-priority finish.

wensleydale

fpp pattern by jen kingwell

started: september 2025

oh, i love this one. i was on a roll with it in the fall doing a block a day until i joined the single girl sewalong. i think i can still stomach the color palette right now. the last few years, i really like working with in-season colors. but this one is so fun i might be able to keep at it for a while. there are a couple other projects above it on the list, so it might end up waiting until fall rolls around again.

yellow hst star quilt

started: july 2025

pattern from "scrap quilt diary" book by jolene klasen

this was an experiment; i just wanted a taste of making these blocks. i intend to add in more deep golds and some browns, too. not a high priority at the moment, basically at the bottom of the list.

"pinky stinky edna" 

started: may 2025

pattern: edna by jennifer jones of penelope handmade

collaborator: d5 (she's doing the 16 patch blocks)

this one is mainly waiting on d5 getting the 16 patches done. she has very little time to sew these days, so progress is sporadic. we have one full column of 6 pieced and she has about 10 of 30 16 patches done. i have no control over her availability but would call it high priority if i wasn't waiting on her.

lemonade at sixes

started: may 2025

pattern - petite crossroads, my variation of the treehouse crossroads pattern

fabrics - ruby + bee “lemonade” and “pink petal” with green denyse schmidt prints

high priority! top 5. i've been working on sets of three or four fabric combos at a time because that's what i can cut together. when i get one set pieced, i cut the next. i'm maybe a 1/4 done with piecing.

most of my stats for how far i've gotten with a project mentioned here are my best guesses. if i were to stop and actually count each one, i'd be doing this forever! 

liberty courthouse steps #2 (twin quilts)

started: march 2024

liberty + chambray church lap quilt

i have a lot of church lap quilts completed and in use. this one is not high on my priority list - middling. i do love it and look forward to finishing, but i need to complete some of my other handquilting projects first.

liberty christmas stars 

liberty + crossweave “star hollow” blocks by jolene klassen of blue elephant stitches

started: Dec 2024

this one will wait until christmas comes again. low priority.

cute liberty betsy hearts

inspired by mary warren

started: feburary 10, 2024

fabrics: liberty tana lawn "betsy" print in pink and blue colorways with low-volume from stash

very cute but low priority right now. come february i might want to make a few more. 

spinning elizabeths

started: january 2023

pattern: modified "spinning around" from quilt lovely book by jen kingwell

fabrics: anna maria horner and other from stash

i'm either going to pull this one out soon or leave it til fall. once i get my highest priority makes done, i'll see what this still needs and think about when to do it.

bright forest

pattern: patchwork forest by amy smart of diary of a quilter

started: dec 2022

fabrics: kona cottons, leftovers from shelter in place quilt

argh! i got pretty far on this one this holiday season. two rows are joined of seven. this might be my next priority after the one i'm piecing at the moment just so i can remember what i'm doing with it. but i might not like it now that christmas is over.

heather ross log cabin

started 4.27.2021

fabrics: orange, green, and low-volume heather ross from various collections

this one is sitting on my cutting table at the moment. it could be a quick finish. i think it's priority no. 3 (behind "bright forest"). if i remember correctly, there are 10 blocks done. i need to finish the other 2 and complete the top with sashing.

shelter in place

pattern: stay home by allison harris of cluck cluck sew

started: march 2021

instagram: #shelterinplacequilt

fabrics: kona solids from my last fabric order placed before the pandemic shutdowns began

i just want this one done already. kind of like how we felt about the pandemic and lockdown. but i'm not excited about it. middling priority.

olmstead’s geese

flying geese, own layout

origins collection by basic grey for moda and coordinating stash

companion quilt: grellow garden geese

started jan 2020

top 5 priority? pretty high, but just below items on my design wall and cutting table. i like this one better than it's recently finished companion. i think at least half the geese are done. i looked in the box recently but don't remember for sure. would want to be doing this one in march maybe if not sooner. and the there are all the leftover hsts from both quilts that will be worked up together, but let's not think too hard about that right now.

giant swoon

pattern: upsized single "swoon" block by camille roskelly

meadowdot by sandi henderson, picnic bouquet by heather bailey, and essex linen

started: january 2017

this has been decorating my design wall for far too long. as much as I like looking at it up there, I also want it done. it should be quite an easy finish so it’s pretty high priority. 

"gypsy child"

3" hst patchwork quilt

started march 2016

ah, this one is nearly a flimsy! i've been working on it this week. if i hadn't spent so long blogging tonight i could have put it all together. i'm very excited about this one. and i have some loose plans for the 290+ remaining hsts that didn't go into it! but i'm not sure i'll use those up until after some older projects are completed first.

gypsy wife

started jan 2014

participating in quilt along schedule

pattern: "gypsy wife" by jen kingwell

recipient: self

this is either my no. 2 priority project or i'm saving it til next year. my reasoning?  i have two other gypsy wife quilts i want to make. this one hase 3 or 4 sections of 10 complete. i could just keep going at it OR i could plan to work on it along with the other two versions starting next january. i would do a quilt along if i decide to do it that way. i'm undecided!

sugar block club 2014

started jan 2014

pattern by by amy gibson of stitchery dickory dock

recipient: self

this one is problematic. it's part of block-a-month club from 12 (!!!) years ago. i checked my email a few hours ago and i still have all the emails. but . . . none of the photos or graphics are loading in the emails. amy gibson's website and blog are gone. i guess she doesn't really quilt anymore? i found her IG page, which is active, but it's all just family now. i was able to locate a photo of 9 of the 12 blocks on her older IG posts. but as some of them are fpp, i don't think i can wing them without the printout i can no longer access from the emails. i think i might use the fabric pull i have for the project and just make up my own sampler of traditional blocks from some of the books i have.

 hst diamond quilt

started: may 2013

own design

fabrics: spring house by stephanie ryan for moda

recipient: play room

this is a charm pack hst project. i was going to make radiating diamonds from and offset lower right point. it's an idea i dreamed up in my early quilt days. it never got off the ground. i still have all the charm packs and several hsts made up. it's been a long time since i used just one fabric line in a quilt. these days i prefer to mix in stash with precuts. that's an option here. middling priority. i would definitely like it off my wip page and out of stash.

class projects

sometimes i take a class to learn a new skill or technique. it's more about the class experience than actually finishing a project, although i do come out of the class with projects in mind and a few starter pieces complete. these are not high priority finishes for me at this time.

string star

from a class by tara faughnan

started february 2023

i made one small sample star and will likely make a giant star block as a quilt top. undecided.

scrappy dotty dresden plates

from a class with louise hailey

started may 2015

alternating dresden points of red polka dot and scrappy points set on pink swiss dot fabric. one set of points formed but not joined. planning for maybe 12 total with sashing and cornerstones.

leaders and enders

bonnie lass

started dec 2022

pattern: bonnie lass from "quilt lovely" by jen kingwell, upsized

fabrics: all from scrap

bonnie lass

started 2024

pattern: bonnie lass from "quilt lovely" by jen kingwell

fabrics: all from scrap

these are leaders-and-enders, so they aren't meant to be finished until they accumulate enough blocks. i'm pretty far on the larger one but need to revisit my math again before i know how far i am. middling priority for the larger one, no time scale for the small one.

epp

"london wardrobe"

an english paper piecing (epp) project, all done by hand

traditional ferris wheel pattern inspired by Katy at i'm a ginger monkey (here)

started: july 2013

i took this one out early december to have a look. it needs to be done! my original idea is not going to happen, but i have a few ideas how to make use of what i've got. however, there are no quick and easy fixes. this is middling priority, behind top 5.

frosted forest star

started: may 2021

pattern: stella grande, own design

i got backing fabrics i like (finally!) for this one in december. next batching party i have, this one is getting basted and quilted.

handquilting queue

groovy liberty

started may 2025

pattern - half square rectangle pinwheels

this one is middling priority. it's backed and has been stabilized with some basic machine quilting. but it still needs handquilting and there are other handquilting priorities.

quilting queue

twelve south

pattern: single large improv log cabin

started: march 2021

i got held up on quilting this one because i was trying to branch out in my fmq, be a little adventurous and try new things. bad idea. or at least not a sustainable one for me. if i can figure out how to simplify that idea and get it done, i will be doing this in the next batch party.

improv in an afternoon

started january 2023

pattern: improv

taking the quick and easy route here, too. i'll do some straightline quilting or some such basic design and just get it done at the next batch party.

trimming queue

binding and handquilting more queue

 binding queue

sunny crossroads quilt

started february 2023

pattern: treehouse crossroads

fabrics: various yellow and low-volume from stash

next time i'm batch making binding, this one will get it's turn. and i might add some handquilting someday. but probably not.

bound, but still handquilting queue

cheery (easter) quilt

improv frames, own design

started: feb 2019

still a lot of handquilting to add to this one. the eternal spring break project. but it's going to take priority in the handquilting department soon. like, at spring break and thereafter til done.

free-wheeling single girl

pattern by denyse schmidt

fabrics: liberty tana lawn prints in autumn colors and a brown crossweave background

started october 2025

bound and in use this fall, this one is getting put in the handquilting pile but it's not priority until fall again.

liberty christmas cabin

liberty + crossweave log cabin quilt

started dec 2024

i got the initial handquilting complete and it's now bound, so useable (although out of season). to me, it feels like it needs more handquilting. this is one of those psuedo-finishes, half-done things. i still want to add more handquilting to it after all. it's middle priority for handquilting.

that's THIRTY-ONE projects. (three are bound and in use but not fully finished with handquilting.) i have work to do, don't i! which would you do first or like to see finished most?