Back in January I posted my quilt making strategies for 2026. My goal for 2026 is to move projects to finished quilts or as close as I can get to finished for as many projects as possible. I've learned over the years it's a good idea to review where you are at with your goals a few times during the year. It's easy to forget at the end of the year what you decided at the first of the year if you don't. The end of first quarter seemed like a good time to see if my goals still make sense and I'm on track.
First Quarter Strategy
1. Guild BOM
On track so far. May's block needs to be done for the April meeting next week. I have instructions written for May, June and July and I've started the instructions for August.
2. Wild and Goosey leaders
The plan for last three years is to keep two Wild and Goosey blocks in progress while I'm working on other projects. It's been slow going, but there's been steady progress over those three years. The red, yellow and orange blocks were completed in previous years. The green blocks were completed this year. Just a few more blue blocks to make and those will be finished.
3. 2025/2026 Quilt Alongs and Mysteries
Most of the quilt alongs and mystery quilts I enjoy start either at the first of the year or at the end of the year. So first quarter I always have lots of new stuff in the works. The strategy in first quarter was to get all of those to finished quilt tops.
Magnificent Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs): Full blocks finished, partial blocks in progress. So progress was just a bit short of the goal.
Lupine and Laughter (Bonnie Hunter): Started block A. With deadlines on the other three new projects, this one didn't get much attention.
2026 SAHRR (Quilting Gail): Kept up with all the prompts, assembled the quilt center, but didn't get the last 2 borders added.
Scenic Waypoint (Meadow Mist Designs): Wasn't part of my quilt plan for 2026, but it was a fun quilt along that used up some of my older stash. It was the one project that made it to finished quilt top during first quarter. At least one got that far.
4. Walking foot quilting: The strategy was to quilt both Kate's Choice and Betty. The walking foot quilting isn't hard, but I'd so much rather piece that it was easy to just not do the quilting. I finally settled on Wednesday and Thursday as my quilting days. Once I did that, there was steady progress on Kate's Choice and it was finished by the end of March. Betty wasn't touched. But I'm OK with that, one finish is better than none. I'll take the finish of a 14 year old UFO.
5. External quilting: The strategy for first quarter was to get Chocolate Marshmallow quilted commercially. That didn't happen, so this strategy was pretty much a fail for first quarter.
First quarter wasn't a complete success, nor was it a total fail. As usual, I was overly optimistic about what one can accomplish with 4 WIPs with deadlines in progress. Back in January, I outlined a strategy for 2nd quarter. I'm going to review that and do some course corrections. I'll share that strategy later.
8 comments:
You did quite well in my eyes! I look forward to reading your strategy for 2nd quarter. I'm still in disbelief that we are at mid-April - this year is racing by.
I think you made a lot of good progress in Q1, and I look forward to seeing these projects continue to move forward in Q2. :)
I think you've done well, given the number of new projects you've started. It's hard to believe it's the middle of April already. I know they say time seems to move faster as you get older and I have to agree with that premise. Now it's garden season and I have so much to do outside that quilting will fade in the background for a while.
Pat
You do such a great job of keeping track of your projects and following up on your goals each quarter! You're definitely making good steady progress. Finishing Kate's Choice and learning so much about doing your own quilting has got to feel really good!
love the black background for this one
Oh my you are the planner--but you are moving things forward--and that is the point--move' em on out--and that is just were they well be one day soon with your plan!! I think we all 'plan' a bit more to do that what we can really do--but we never get bored that way!!
hugs, di
Wow - on all of these. But Scenic Waypoint is absolutely stunning!!
I think you are doing great, Kate. I like the idea of dedicating at least 2 days as "quilting days" . It is amazing how just doing a little at a time adds up before you know it. Do you have a favorite project that is capturing your heart right now? They are all so lovely. Have a beautiful day. Hugs.
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