Yvonne with Quilting Jetgirl has hosted quarterly/yearly quilting goal-related linky parties for many years, and I have participated in many of them. It’s been so useful to me to reflect back on the quarter/year and see what I had hoped to accomplish. I don’t think I have ever checked every single goal off my list (certainly this is true of my 2025 Goals). I have often switched priorities midway through especially if some new project caught my eye. I have also enjoyed the thinking/planning/dreaming about future quilting projects and setting some specific goals for the coming year. This will be the last check-in linky party that Yvonne is planning to host as interest has waned in last few years. I suspect that is primarily due to most quilters posting on Instagram rather than on blog posts. While I do have an Instagram account, it’s never been a good fit for me. I prefer blogging on an occasional basis. So I will probably continue to do monthly or semi-monthly recaps along with a yearly review. My thanks goes out to Yvonne for all the work she has put into hosting numerous linky parties as well as her being a quilting mentor to me since 2015.

On January 1, 2026, Jamie Bright who is the pattern designer for the Luminary Quilt, sent out an email entitled, 5 Questions Every Quilter Should Ask Themselves in the New Year. They are copied and pasted below with my responses:

1. Looking back at last year, what parts of quilting brought you the most joy? 

I absolutely loved being part of Alison Glass’ Color Camp, and I’ve also enjoyed being part of her AG Bee. She is exceptionally talented, and she has been my guru as far as working with full and partial spectrums of the color wheel. I designed this 24” square mini quilt using a favorite analogous color scheme contrasted with a complimentary indigo background fabric. It was so much fun making the scrappy half-rectangles using Leila Gardunia’s Templates. I haven’t quilted it yet but hope to do so in the coming year.

 2. What unfinished projects/works-in-progress no longer bring you joy that you need to leave in the past and release? 

I think I’ve already released the projects that no longer bring me joy. The biggest one in 2025 was the murder mystery block-of-the-month program that ended up not being a good fit for me. But I did make two blocks from this BOM that I hope to turn into mini quilts this year:

 3. What new quilts or fabrics have been speaking to you lately that you want to do this year? 

The top two projects that I want to make are a Luminary quilt to go above my bed oriented like a sunrise and a Cozy quilt. I have plenty other projects on my 2026 list that will be satisfying to make including a high school graduation quilt for my friend, Kristen’s son, Aidan. I’ll be using this Raven, Skull, and Roses FPP pattern for the center of the quilt with more background fabric added to make the quilt approximately 60” square. I also want to appliqué the beautiful Cheetah scarf made for me by my longtime friend, Kelly, (see image at the top of this post) onto a plain grey background and turn it into a wall hanging that I can enjoy looking at every day.

4. How do you want to grow as a quilter this year? 

I want to increase my paper piecing design skills by making more progress with the Quilt All the Things Foundation Paper Piecing Design Class. I also hope to increase my free motion quilting and ruler quilting skills.

5. Imagine you are your wisest, kindest, and truest self and are nearing the end of your life. What would you say to your current self about your quilting and about your current life situation?

I would say, “Continue to enjoy quilting, but remember to also make exercise, healthy cooking/eating, traveling, and spending time with quality people priorities in my life as well.”

Linking up to Quilting Jetgirls’ #2025 Quilting CheckIn Linky Party.