2026 Quilt Making Strategies: Fourth Quarter Plan

Just one quarter left in 2026 to complete what ever plans one had for getting quilty things done this year.  When the year starts in January, it's so easy to think you've got the whole year ahead, so much time to get projects moved along and finished.  By October, it's where did the year go and why don't I have more done?  The last two months of the year have big holidays in them, so it's hard to make up time for what you didn't get done earlier in the year.  Considering all that, how do I put together a strategy for this quarter?

1. 2026 and 2027 Guild BOMs

All the blocks are made for the 2026 Guild BOM. This needs to be a finished quilt top before the November Guild Meeting, so this project will move up in priority this quarter.  I've finalized the layout for the 2027 Guild BOM and have my fabrics selected.  The yardage handout for 2027 has to be ready by the November meeting and the first block needs to be ready for the December meeting.  So lots to do on this front.  Definitely my #1 priorities for October and November.  

2. Wild and Goosey

All the teal blocks are sashed. That just leaves piecing and sashing the purple blocks.  There has been good progress this year on getting the blocks made and sashed. I should come close to finishing up the purple blocks before the end of the year.  I may have to spend some dedicated time to them so the quilt is ready to assemble in 2027.  

3. UFOs to move to quilt tops

Progress on Celtic Solstice started in third quarter.  It should be a finished quilt top before the end of October.  Marigold Mystery was a new planned project from last quarter. The clues run into next year, so that project won't be complete at the end of the year. The goal is to keep up with monthly clues this year.  The Simply Sensational Summer Scrap quilt hasn't seen any progress this year. It should see some progress this quarter. If I can get that far, the year will end with at least some progress on all the UFOs that were on my list for this year.  

4. Walking foot quilting

It's pretty much the same projects for 4th quarter as it was for 3rd quarter.  Glowing Hearts is more than halfway quilted. It should be finished this quarter. I'm hoping to make a start on Betty before the end of the year.  At this point all I'm hoping for is progress. I don't quilt very fast, so I'm going to need to scale back my walking foot quilting list for next year.  It's OK, I got more finishes this year than last, so I'm happy with the progress this year.  

5. Externally Quilted

At the beginning of the year, Lupine and Laughter was on the to be quilting via the walking foot list.  But one of My Girl's friends selected this as her graduation quilt, so it's going out for quilting now. I have the backing fabric.  I'm hoping it goes out for quilting before the end of the year, but with the Christmas rush to get quilts done by long armers, I doubt it will come back before next year. That's Ok, just getting it ready to go is good progress and will get 2027 off to a good start.  

6. Planned New Projects

The last planned new project for 2026 is the Bonnie Hunter Mystery.  She normally posts the fabric requirements in late October.  Is one clue a week from Black Friday on. I never keep up with the clues and I doubt this year will be any different.  It's a fun challenge, so I'll play along again this year.  

The guild BOMs will be the highest priority this quarter.  I'm starting all over on a new set of blocks.  And those projects have deadlines. So those will get done if nothing else does this quarter.  

Third Quarter Progress on the Quilting Strategy

Since September felt like August, it's surprising to realize it's October.  Third quarter is over and we've started fourth quarter.  Just three months left in the year!  I'm always amazed at how fast the last half of the year goes. It's definitely time to take a look at what my strategic plan for the sewing room was for 2026 and see how I'm doing on the execution part.  

1. Guild BOM 2026

All the blocks are finished and all the sashing/border strips are cut, now it's just assembly time. 

2. Wild and Goosey: 

Continued to use two blocks as my leaders for the quarter, plus I've been sashing blocks as I finish a color. I've got quite a pile of blocks finished at this point. Just the purple blocks to finish now. 

3. UFOs to move to finished quilt tops

Three projects progressed this quarter. Lupine and Laughter, plus Good Fortune are quilt tops.  All the quilt blocks for Celtic Solstice were finished before the end of the quarter.  There wasn't any progress on the Simply Sensational Summer Scarp Quilt.  Both Good Fortune and Celtic Solstice needed a lot of blocks constructed. I'm not unhappy with the progress on these UFOs that needed borders or blocks finished.   

4. Quilts to Quilted with my Walking Foot

There was good progress on quilting Glowing Hearts, but it's only about half finished. So there was no progress on Betty during the quarter. I am getting a better feel on how much quilting I can actually get done in a quarter. That will help me set my strategy for 4th quarter and next year.  

5. Quilts to send Out for Quilting

Squared Away is back from the quilter, but it's not trimmed or bound yet.  At least it's quilted. Magnificent Mystery didn't see any progress.  My Girl has now given me the complete list of quilts to be given to the grad school friends for graduation and an expected graduation date for each. That will set the order for for which quilts go out next.   

6. Planned New Starts

The Meadow Mist Designs 2026 mystery, Marigold, kicked off back in July.  The block clues started in August. This is my 12th Meadow Mist mystery, it's one of the few new projects I've allowed myself over the last few years.   

Looking at the progress for third quarter, I've been pretty successful at moving UFOs from sets of blocks to finished quilt tops. Less successful on moving projects to being quilted. Things to consider when I decide what's the plan for 4th quarter and next year. Even though my strategy for 3rd quarter wasn't fully implemented, there was still really good progress.  I've done better this year than last, so I'm feeling pretty positive about how 2026 has gone in the sewing room. Now to figure out what's the strategy for 4th quarter.  

To Do List for the Week of 10/6/2026

Not quite a full week into October and it feels like the month is rushing by.  Probably because we've got stuff on the calendar for this month. Not fun stuff, necessary stuff. 

I took a lazy approach to last week, but I still didn't do too badly with my to do list. 

To Do List for 9/29/2026

1. Squared Away: Make binding, sew to front - no progress

2. Glowing Hearts: Continue walking foot quilting ✔

3. Celtic Solstice: Continue quilt top assembly ✔

4. Marigold Mystery: Finish September blocks - progress

5. 2026 Guild BOM: Start quilt assembly - no progress

6. Wild and Goosey: Continue teal/purple blocks  ✔

Not a bad week considering how unmotivated I was on the sewing front after my trip to see My Girl.  I probably jumped the gun by putting both Squared Away and the 2026 Guild BOM on the to do list for last week.  They will show up on this week's list because both need to get moved along. 

To Do List for 1/6/2026

1. Squared Away (Soscrappy): Make binding, make label, trim 

Putting this project on last week's list was probably jumping the gun.  This project is a gift for one of My Girl's college buddies, so I need her input on the quilt name and a message for the label.  She's been busy so hadn't really put much thought into it.  We now have a name, so I can start on the label. Hopefully this will be ready for binding next week.  

2. Glowing Hearts (Sandra Walker): Continue quilting

I'm half way finished quilting the top row of the quilt.  I should finish that row this week and maybe get started on the last row next week.  I'm getting to the point I need to figure out how I'm quilting the sashing and the borders.  

3. Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter): Finish quilt top assembly, decide on borders

All the row are sewn together.  Just two long seams and the center of the top will be assembled.  I need to finalize what the borders are going to look like and get the fabrics cut for those.  

4. Marigold Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs): Finish September blocks, start October blocks

The chain blocks from last month's clue are finished and the Ohio Star blocks have been started.  Hopefully I'll at least get the fabrics cut for the October blocks this week. 

5. 2026 Guild BOM: Start assembly

This has been on the list for the last two weeks with no progress.  Once all the rows are sewn together for Celtic Solstice, I'll get started on getting this top assembled. It needs to be done by the guild meeting in November, so I best get started.  

6. Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter): Continue working on teal/purple blocks

Just a couple more teal blocks to sash and then I can concentrate on finishing up the purple 3.5" blocks.  When the paper pieces run out, it will be necessary to see how many more are needed so I can do one last printer run.  It's strange to know just one more batch of papers need to be printed to finish these blocks. 

I'll need to be motivated this week to get to everything. Linking up with the Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday. 

Sewing from Home Again

It's been a week since I got back from Houston.  So last Monday wasn't a great stitching day.  Most of Tuesday was spent in recovery, but I did make it to late night sew and got a lot done. My focus has been to get Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter) assembled.  

  

Five of the seven rows are stitched and four rows are sewn together. I'll finish the last two rows, sew those together and add the 3 row piece to the 4 row piece. I'm pretty happy with how it's coming together.  

I still need to figure out what I'm doing for the borders.  I have 20 border blocks that were made before the project was put away. 

   

Bonnie used these all around the quilt as the third border. I don't want to make a bunch more.  The plan is to mock up the border in EQ and see what I can do with the 20 that are made.  If I have to make a few more to get something that works I will.  But the plan is to try to come up something that uses what I've already got.  

Linking up with Patchwork & Quilts, plus Sew & Tell Monday. 

Stitching Stuff: Week 40 of 2026

 

It was a good week on the stitching front.  I only managed 15 minutes on Monday, but I got it in before I had to make that drive home.  I've not done that much time in the sewing room, but I've made it to open sew at the quilt shop a couple of times this week. I feel more in the groove after that.  

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/Sept = 28/30 days
• 15 minute days/2026 = 270/276
• Success rate = 97.83%

September wasn't a perfect month on the stitching time front, but I'm OK with that.  I'm still in the high 90's in terms of stitching time percentage.  When you think about it, just 6 days with no stitching time is really good when you realize it is October! 

It's nice to be sewing at home, but I do miss my sewing observer. 

My daughter's cat, Queenie, decided my pressing mat was prime napping territory. Thankfully she only napped on it when I wasn't sewing. It wouldn't have been fun to ask her to move.  

Did you get your stitching time in this week? 

1. Gretchen 2. maggief 3. Melissa G 4. Julie in GA

5. Frédérique 6. Karen 7. Melisa- Pinker n' Punkin Quilting 8. Patricia in New Mexico

9. Bonnie in Va 10. Andrée at Quilting & Learning 11. Quilting Gail

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