2025 Year in Review and My 2026 Quilting Plans

Bring on a new year of making!

I don’t know about you, but I always find it fun to take a moment to look back on the previous year to see what was accomplished before taking some time to think about the goals I want to focus on in the New Year.

Now, I should probably start by saying I’m not really into making resolutions; I much prefer to approach it with an intention on accomplishing things. That said, I am a big believer in understanding where your time is going and having some structure to encourage you to achieve the things you want to achieve. Time is usually a big component in helping you make that happen 😉

One of my biggest struggles is overcommitting on my to-do list. And I don’t know about you, but ending the day with lots of items not crossed off my to-do list can leave me feeling unaccomplished even though I’ve actually made progress on lots of things.

So, with that in mind, I’m being kinder to myself and building in more wiggle room and space in my day to just be. Novel concept – ha! I’m gravitating towards the work smarter not harder philosophy, and it has me excited.

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2025 Year in Review

Why We Create

2025 was an interesting year. I worked on several projects that really fired me up and reminded me of the importance of staying connected to our creative why.

• Why do I dedicate so much time to my craft?
• Why am I committing to this creative project over another?
• Why am I slowing down and forgoing fast finishes?
• Why am I sharing my creative insights and tips?

It all comes back to finding, creating, and maintaining joy in my life.

The reason quilting and creating captivated my attention is because a creative lightbulb went off when I started working with fabric and stitching it together. There was both a mental and physical challenge to create new designs and up my technical capabilities. It’s one of the reasons I’m always encouraging you to dive in and give it a go. The worst that can happen is that we learn 😊 and we’ll do better the next time.

Understanding why I need my creative practice was an important re-realization this year, one that I’m keeping front and center as I head into 2026.

Skill Builder Quilt Along

A big part of my year was focused on hosting and sharing the Mouse Trap Block of the Month Quilt Along. These projects require an incredible amount of time to pull together, and that doesn’t even count the actual making of the quilt with you – ha!

You have no idea how much it warmed my heart to see so many of you dive into a structured form of improv play. While the patterns are clearly outlined, you have lots of room to show off your creativity in your composition play, and you’ve been blowing me away with your layouts.  

Teaching

Speaking of stitching together, 2025 was the year that I got to stitch in person with you! It was a total pinch-me moment to have the chance to fly out to Halifax, and then St Pierre et Miquelon to teach. Definitely a highlight! It’s always an honour when you invite me in to share quilty inspiration 😊

Tips and Tutorials

Since I’m self-taught, I always do my best to share tips and tricks that I’ve picked up through my own quilty trials and tribulations – ha! This past year had me sharing some fun ones, including:

• How to needle-turn appliqué – if you’re on the hunt for a slow technique that offers seamless details, this is one to try!
• How to raw edge appliqué – this is such a freeing technique that I encourage you to explore!
• More learnings on working with Frixion markers and pens.
• Why a bigger wool pressing mat was a wise upgrade
• And lots of insights from the Big Iron Debate and the Mini Showdown.

Sew Tidy

I have this thing with organization, and that tends to sneak its way into my creative practice. This led to sharing tips on How to Stay Organized for a BOM (where do you keep all those pieces?!). I even gave you a peek inside my fabric cabinet to share tips on how I store my textiles. Most recently, I updated my quilt storage with a dedicated Quilt Cabinet, which I have zero regrets about and have been encouraging my quilty friends to take the plunge too – ha!

There are a few more organization ideas that I’d like to explore, so more on that topic is sure to make an appearance in 2026. If there’s a topic you’re interested in, be sure to leave a comment, and I’ll do my best to cover it on the blog.

2026 Goals

Understanding My Capabilities and Being Realistic

I don’t talk about this often because, well, what’s the point – ha! I can’t change it; all I can do is manage it and work within my capabilities – realistically. The latter is the challenging bit as I seem to forget how much TLC my hands need.

For example, while I was working on my Quilt Cabinet re-organization, I had to pause the quilting of the Mouse Trap quilt that I was making with you during the Mouse Trap BOM. All that quilt folding left my hands feeling tender and delicate. Which I now know are signs that I need to pull back on working with my hands to give them time to reset.

It’s a process, but one I’ve found that if I listen to my body, it’s telling me what it wants/needs. I’m learning that needs to trump my desire to quilt/clean/create/organize/etc.

So, with that in mind, I’m looking ahead to 2026, and this is what I want to focus on:

Intentional Making

I’ve been struggling with being present on social media as it’s left me feeling overwhelmed, and with this feeling like I’m not creating enough. This would also explain why I’ve pulled back from spending so much time on the platforms. I still want to show up because that’s where I get to connect with so many of you, but I’m learning there needs to be a balance.

With everything I do, the focus is on quality over quantity. And the number of quilts I make in a year is not the point. The point is whether I’m working on pieces that fire me up and keep me progressing on my path of quilty explorations. So, if it’s on my ‘to-make’ list, then it has to scratch a creative itch, have me learning/perfecting a quilting technique, or have me fired up to see the project come to life. Otherwise, it’s getting crossed off.

One of the elements that drew me into quilting was the fact that it was slow. It forced me to slow down, which at the time was a challenge for me, but exactly what I needed. I don’t want to lose sight of that.

So, while I was doing my quilt re-organization, there were lots of WIPs I came across, and I had some hard talks with myself about whether I wanted to see them come to life. There were quite a few that I decided to let go. It was quite liberating 😉

Make a Dent in My Scraps

I’m back to drowning in fabric scraps. Surely, I’m not alone in this predicament – ha!

Thanks to the system I set up during the 7-day Scrap Sorting Challenge, my overflowing scraps are orderly in their excess. It’s got me thinking up some possibilities. Scrappy quilt. Art pieces. Improv play. Time will tell what direction I end up going in.

No Buy/ Low Buy

I have a beautifully organized Fabric Cabinet and lots of gorgeous substrates to stitch with. So, I really don’t need to buy anything. My goal is to have a no-buy year. Well, more realistically a low-buy year, where I only bring in backing or background fabric > if needed <. Have you thought of trying this challenge?

Take the Plunge

There’s been a project that’s been on my mind for a long time, and I keep pushing it. Fear? Workload? Timing? Who knows, but it won’t go away, so I’m taking it as a sign it’s a nonnegotiable – ha!

Have Fun with Colour

Colour is what got me sewing in the first place. I was craving colours and textures, and that hasn’t changed.

Make More Art

I don’t always share my artwork with you; it’s kind of my own creative secret. But it’s still a focus, even if in the background 😉

Connection & Hand Quilting

One of the things I’ve been craving more of in 2026 is connection — the kind that comes from stitching alongside others, even if we’re all working on different projects. I’ve been missing the gentle hum of guild nights, the shared progress, the laughter, the quiet focus, and the simple joy of being in community with fellow makers.

So this year, I’m exploring something new: The Cozy Stitch Collective— a monthly virtual sit‑and‑sew where we gather with our projects, settle into some slow stitching, and enjoy each other’s company. I’ll be using the time to work on my hand quilting, but you’re welcome to bring absolutely anything you’re making. It’s meant to be a warm, low‑pressure space to stitch, chat, and reconnect with the joy of making.

Before I set anything in motion, I’d love to hear whether this is something you’d enjoy. I’ve put together a short survey below — your feedback will help shape what the Cozy Stitch Collective becomes. If you’ve been craving a little creative company, too, I’d be thrilled to stitch alongside you.

And that’s my overall plans for 2026! My initial focus is to clear the decks of the works in progress that I have decided to keep. That in and of itself will keep me busy for a while. I’d love to know what your focus will be this year – share in the comments below!

xo

Shannon

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