Welcome 2026!

The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a wonderful time to reflect on goals accomplished and to set new ones for the upcoming year.  I recently shared my Best of 2025 post and now I'll be linking up to Yvonne's #2025QuiltingCheckin.  I've filled this post with some eye candy of favorite finishes for the year because it is always fun to share them one more time. (The quilt above is my favorite finish of the year - something I use most days - read more here.)

(For reference, see my 2025 goal post and the mid-year check-in.)

I had 5 intentions for 2025.

• Enter at least one new quilt into QuiltCon 2026 (Raleigh!) -  Done!  I proudly entered 4 quilts into the show. Two were accepted (need to blog about those) and two were not - Happy Dance and 1-1-2-3-5-8.

Happy Dance - a favorite finish!

• Finish at least one scrap quilt to be donated to my guild's community giving project. - Done! I donated the Square Up quilt and have two others in progress! The first is ready for basting and quilting - (Read more.) and the second is at the block stage. Enjoying making these pineapple blocks at this point using blue scraps.
• Make time to play and always have at least 2 different kinds of handwork WIPs -  Done!  I did well with this one. I finished one crochet project and started another plus I've got a hand quilting WIP, a embroidery project and a cross stitch underway.

My Granny Square Blanket

• Continue blogging at least once weekly and post finishes on IG - I want my grid to be filled with all the good stuff! I blogged a lot less this year than I had in the past and I really didn't do much with IG. Some of this was because I was working on quilts that took a long time to make and quilts for QuiltCon entries that I wasn't yet ready to share.

1-1-2-3-5-8

• Focus on my personal well being by making time to exercise, to read, to rest, to relax with friends, and - most importantly - recognize joy in every day. In progress! This continues to be an important intention. I do fine with daily exercise and rest but not as good as I would like on the recognizing joy part. I did make several things that were just for me - not a gift, not a quilt show entry - and those were definitely all about fun! There was some concentrated good time with friends - quilting retreats (two of them!), guild meetings, multiple coffee dates - plus picnics with neighbors and pickleball!

Love the Llamas!

Favorite Bag Make of the Year

Moving into 2026, I have similar intentions for the year:

• Enter at least one new quilt into QuiltCon 2027 (Phoenix)
• Finish at one of my two WIP scrap quilts to be donated to my guild's community giving project.
• Make time to play and always have several kinds of handwork WIPs
• Get more consistent about blogging - posts on finishes and a monthly WIP update - and then IG each finish
• Continue to focus on my personal well being by making time to exercise, to read, to rest, to relax with friends, and - most importantly - recognize joy in every day.

Thanks for taking the time to read through my post. I wish you a happy and creative 2026!

Have a wonderful day! Patty