2025 Annual Goal Recap and Goal Setting for 2026

Since this is my last post for 2025, I have interspersed the quilts that I completed during the year with commentary of how the year went and what I plan to accomplish in 2026! The links to more information about each finish can be found on my Finishes 2025 tab.

Rita's Temperature Quilt --Finished in January

This was the first time in quite a few years that I set annual goals. I stopped setting annual goals because I wasn't successful. Regarding this year, I didn't meet either of my goals. I did, however, make enough progress to try again in 2026! 

2021 Temperature Quilt--Finished in April

My 2025 Annual Goals were:

✒1. Have a net loss of 100 yards of fabric from my stash.

✒2. Finish six UFOs

✔ a. Temperature 2021--pin basted and ditched quilted started in January;  progress made in February. Almost finished the quilting in March. Completed the project in April. Hooray!!!! 

✒b. Temperature 2022-2023--pin basted in September, started quilting in October, continued quilting in November and December.

✔c. Martha's House blocks--purchased backing in May; determined a quilting design in August; backing pieced and project to the longarmer in November; bound in December, to be gifted in January.

✔d. Positively Grows--pin basted in February; started ditch quilting in July, finished in August, documented in September.

✔e. Maze top--purchased backing in May; longarmer quilted it and I added the binding, sleeve and label in June!

✖f. Butterfly number four--made no progress 

Old Town--Finished in May

Regarding goal number one: 

Fabric Summary:

    Fabric in: 64.75 yards

    Fabric used from stash year to date: -127.75 yards

    Net loss: -63 yards 

As Noted (Group project)--Finished in May

This was also the first year that I documented how many yards of fabric I purchased. Had I not purchased 64 and three quarter yards of fabric, I would have smashed my goal of having a net loss of 100 yards from my stash. No wonder I wasn't seeing a reduction of space of stash in the studio, I'm replacing as I go! I also realized that I need to do more garment sewing. I have a stack of wool like and wool fabrics as well as some polyesters that could work for a dress or shirt or skirt.

Love Makes A Family--Finished in May

While I fell short of goal number one, I plan to try again next year! I will continue to purchase when I need a fabric for a project. I will try to avoid buying the "pretties" when I'm in a shop! Also, I'm pleased that I did use more than 100 yards from my stash. . .I just didn't net a loss of 100 yards. Gertie, my inner squirrel is telling me that it's all about semantics and that I am a winner! LOL She is such a cheerleader!

Ring of Santas #6--Finished in June

Regarding goal number two:

It took me much longer to quilt the projects than I thought it would. Even with having a longarmer quilting two of the projects, I still wasn't able to quilt all six. Am I disappointed? I am a little disappointed! BUT. . . .had I not put these projects on the list, they likely would still be languishing in the studio. . .abandoned! I'm counting progress as a win! The other projects will be finished in 2026! Isn't it nice that there is always another year to meet goals?

Rita's Rhododendron Trail --Top Finished in June

My 2026 Annual Goals are:

1. Have a net loss of 100 yards of fabric from my stash.

History has proven IF I can purchase less fabric during the year, I will be able to meet this goal. 

aMAZEd--Finished in June

2. Finish at least five UFOs from the list below. 

Six finishes were too many last year. Perhaps, five is an achievable number! If I'm able to finish more than five, that will be a wonderful bonus. I have many more UFOs in my studio than I noted below. Listing them all and ACTUALLY knowing how many projects I have is not a number I want to know!

Grow--Finished in September

I made a list of projects that are a mix of older and newer.  Whatever I do finish will be awesome and writing the list means I have options!

    a. Temperature 2022-2023 quilt. I worked on this project the last quarter of 2025 so this is the year for         the finish!

    b. Butterfly number four. It also was on the list from last year. (Butterfly number three did not make it         on the list!)

    c. Grassy Creek-Bonnie Hunter's 2020 mystery. (Will be longarm quilted.)   

    d. Good Fortune--Bonnie Hunter's 2018 mystery. (Will be longarm quilted.)

    e. Color Wheel--A book club quilt started in 2022.

    f. Martha's BOM. (Will be longarm quilted.)

    g. Rita's Heart quilt.

    h. Rita's rust quilt.

    i. Rita's panel quilt.

    j. Sashiko project.

    k. Sweet Tooth Sweet Additions scrap project. (Will be longarm quilted.)

    l. Beyond the Surface.

    m. Temperature quilt 2024. (Will be longarm quilted.)

    n. Temperature quilt 2025. (Will be longarm quilted.)

    o. RSC 2023. (Likely will be longarm quilted.)

    p. Rita's Christmas table runner.

    q. Make a modern mini quilt with Nancy T's aqua and teal scraps.

    r. Small group challenge using three Kaffe prints.

    s. Bonus blocks made while constructing Grow.

    t. Lupine and Laughter--Bonnie Hunter's 2025 Mystery. (Will be longarm quilted).

Sweet Tooth--Finished in September

3. If I start a project, finish it in the same year that I started it or within three months for those projects started late in the year! 

Last year, I didn't finish Sweet Additions, Beyond the Surface or Temperature quilt 2024. Although, I did get Beyond the Surface ready for quilting. My 2024 Temperature quilt is waiting for a legend and borders. Sweet Additions is at the block stage. I did start and finish Old Town Mystery, Love Makes A Family--original design, Santa Tree skirt, Sweet Tooth Mystery and Stitch By Stitch--original design.

Stitch by Stitch--Finished in October

I finished 11 quilts and one flimsy this year which is four more quilt projects than I finished the previous year. I donated Rita's Rhododendron Trail top to the Gresham Senior Center. It was quilted through that organization and will be used to raise money for quilting related activities. Rita would have appreciated the gesture.

The Village of Artists--Finished in December

My favorite read of the year was "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Jean Giono. It was amazing to read how one man positively impacted his environment. My favorite listen of the year was, "Things You Save in a Fire" by Katherine Center.

I'm looking forward to a creative 2026. May there be many finishes ahead! Linking to Best of 2025,