I am off to a good start this first week of 2026. Inclement weather has helped keep me indoors, and I am making the most of my time by ignoring household duties. Although I am caught up on laundry – only because I can watch the longarm and fold clothes.

I finished and bound the last Christmas quilt and took a few pictures of it with the tree in the background. I got the placemats (the ones I added on to the extra backing) cut, still have to bind them though. The second Peter rabbit quilt is quilted and I was able to fit the mini rings quilt on the end of that backing. Those two need trimming and binding. I got the Quandary quilt loaded and started yesterday, its huge 102 x 102. My favorite finish is the Blooming beauties BOM top. I persevered and over two days sewed it all together, actually completing it in 10 months – it was a 9 month block(s) of the month. I didn’t get a picture of it after I ironed it, but it looks the same as the cover photo. I also got the Winter Visitor quilt top done, I would like to get it quilted soon, I found a really cute cardinal panto to use.

One Thomas the Tank quilt top is done, I got the train block done for the second. I want to make two of these quilts. The kit had enough of the prints, I just had to get a few yards of the white and red print, and the grays for the track blocks. The tracks are a bit of a pita to piece, mine came out ½” too short, you really have to use a scant quarter inch seam for all those skinny strips.

I am picking away at the Decluttering 2026 project. Got the first 6 days done, although I skipped the magazine culling. I did get all my Quiltmaker issues together, I might sell them, or donate them. The Knitting magazines are more numerous, and then there are the cross stitch Mary Hickman series. I made good progress in the patterns, now they are organized and I can open and close the drawer. If I can’t, or don’t want to do one of the days prompts, I try to do a hot-spot instead. I took “before” photos, which I may post here with the “after” photos.

New this year is the PHD badge on my page sidebar. It only took a few hours to figure out how to put it there, but I am learning. I also downloaded two charts from Maker Valley, called the 2026 Quilting Organizer PDF pack . They will help me keep my projects organized a bit more. I’ll be keeping a hard copy on my design wall, in plain sight. Once I finish the Declutterring I’ll get that list going. Right now, the UFOs are scattered and mixed in with WIPs and it’s turning into alphabet chaos.

Consider the Lilies got stitched on a bit too. I finished all the bricks, just need the grout lines, and I “wrote” a few more words in the verse. I am feeling the down slope of this project, YAY!

Finally, I finished the hat baby sweater. It started out as a hat, but I was using worsted weight, I thought it was going to be okay for an adult sized hat, ha, more like a tea pot cozy. 120 stitches is too many in that yarn size for a hat. However, I was able to find a bottom up knitted raglan sleeve kids sweater pattern. I think it turned out pretty well, the yarn isn’t the best, but for an everyday washable sweater it’ll do.

Be Kind.