The Big List of 2025 Quilt To-Do's and Other Goals

Happy 2025!

Ah, beginnings.

This morning we're enjoying a winter storm.  Settled in with a

toasty fire, a deck loaded up with wood, and the Christmas trees and

garlands alight, it's a perfect time to dream about the year ahead.

And tomorrow, with the temps in the low singles, will be the first 

Snow Day Sew Day of the year.  Yeehaw!  I'll worry about putting

 the Christmas decor away when it warms up; for now,

it's greatly enhancing my snow enjoyment, as is the soft

Christmas music a la Spotify.

(Beautiful Christmas Guitar Carol Instrumentals; 

"Holiday Home" Open Road Folk Music)

I always enjoy celebrating a new year--in the comfort of my

own home of course.  Never been into the countdown parties

and all.  I much prefer to count goals for the year ahead.

I know yearly goals aren't for everyone but I'm a firm believer in

planning, keeping myself motivated and accountable.  Without

all of that, the chance of great success can't be good.  And I'll

take all the help and support I can get for my quilty team.

My quilty team of one.

Unless you count my cat.

As always, I allow for changing my quilt plans at any time but the

point is to have plans keeping me motivated and sewing away

so that next December the end result is lots of finishes.  How many?

Let's just go for 25 in 25.

And now pull up a chair and a cuppa and let's get to those goals.

PRIORITY PROJECTS

To finish immediately

1) Jelly Roll Rugs

I ended '24 with my first go at one of these but not having any

heavy duty needles, I didn't get far.   But no worries, it was time to

focus on the holidays anyway but it will be my first finish of '25.

Just fyi, after going through a few tutorials, I feel this one

by I See Stars Quilting has the most practical help.

2) Finish Petite Antique Lace

This one is on the longarm.  Quilting began but then the design,

for the second time, shifted about 1/2" so I stopped.  Adjustments

have since been made but I'm avoiding it because my quilter's

heart has been working to steel itself for finding out it's not fixed.

It really might be....but I need to be ready for the not.

Not counting a few things I've designated as side-projects,

this is easily the longest I've dragged a project out.
I started it in August.  Ugh.  I don't deal well with UFOs.

3) West Point

I have a request for one of these.  After making six or seven,

they're not really a favorite to make any more but I do love

to connect with other West Pointers, staying part of the family.

For years I made sure there was at least one in my shop

but I fell off in '24.

UFO SIDE PROJECTS

4) "Kelley" by Edyta Sitar,  A Season In Blue 

January seems a great time to bring this back out,

especially if I finish up some of those priority projects first.

5) "Farmer's Wife" 

This one is starting to really drag out.  I never intended it to be

an all-at-once finish but it got pushed aside when I started

selling quilts.  I'm over halfway--more than in pic--but I'm

quickly losing my love for it.  I remember really enjoying

making just two blocks a week, though, so maybe I can

find a little time for that? 

6) Charity quilts

I set aside every other Monday evening for charity sewing while

the hubs is at men's group but when the days get short, I tend

to shut down early so I fell off of this one.  Maybe I can start

up again, and just start a little earlier in the day.  I would love

to move all of the donated fabric!

GENERAL PROJECTS

This is everything else, and most, or all, are for the shop.

7) Polaroid I-Spy(ies)

The first one I made turned out great.  I'd like to get

two made by next fall before the holiday season.

 

8) 3-in-One quilts (2)

Above is from a 3-from-1 layer cake pattern; the other 2 are cut

out but with no imminent need for baby quilts, I set it them aside.

I now know someone who's having a baby girl very soon and this

just might fit her color scheme of soft ivories and pinks.  I'll need

to give it a look to make sure but either way, I want them made.

9)  "Aspen" by Edyta Sitar,  A Season In Blue 

Stick with the blues?  Probably--but hmm, what about reds?

10)  Wild and Goosey by Bonnie Hunter

This one is iffy because I have other pretty intricate quilts

to make as well.  Hoping by summer I can get started but

what colors?   Probably fall-ish, or maybe just Halloween.

Or Christmas...

FALL QUILTS

11) "Halloween-ish" by Susan Ache

 Big Book of Favorite Scrap Quilts

This one just strikes me as pure quilt therapy.

I have lots of neutral scraps that I must use up.  I like the

Halloween theme here but you could spin off to others:

Christmas, Americana, autumn, winter...

12) Harvest Pumpkins

 By Julie Hendricksen & Vickie Gerike County Seat Quilts  

The first two I made sold immediately.  When making the

second, I cut out a third so I'm a step ahead here.

13) Autumn Sky by Lisa Bongean, Rustic Gatherings

Can I make a variation of this from some of my trimmings/HST's?

14) "Tracking Tradition" by Debbie Robbers

Red & White Quilts (Martingale)

This has been a to-do for umpteen years!
Just make it already!!

15) A Dash of Plaid

The Big Book of Quick To Finish Quilts by Kim Diehl.

Saw this made up at a LQS and it is beautiful.  I think it

would make a great break from complicated quilts.

CHRISTMAS QUILTS
Most of these are from last year's goals.

Last year's  travel and technical difficulties threw a big kink in

those plans but now I have 10 - 11 months to give 'em another go.

16) "Christmas Vacation" by Susan Ache

The Big Book of Favorite Scrap Quilts

In reds or greens.  Gotta love Irish Chains!

17) "Nestled in the Trees," Coach House Designs

18) "Peppermint Pines" by Erica Arndt

Made the above two, now planning a third for a gift

19) "Holiday Forest" by Edyta Sitar

As if I hadn't made enough of these already, I want to get a

5th done in blues/ivories.  The above was for a friend but

loved it so much I immediately made another one for me.

It continues to be my all-time favorite quilt and

my constant evening companion throughout the winter.

I should share many of these for others out there, right?

20) Flannel

Haven't chosen the quilts yet but I'll need my Woolies fix!

Now for a few other goals...

Knitting Goal(s)

Source: Baby Cardi

The needles are back out!  First, to finish some UFO's--socks

& gloves--but I want to try my first sweater, probably a child's.

Garden Goal

Finish last phase of Garden Re-Do

Golf Goal

Break 80.

My best is 83; it's a tough goal but why not go for it?

Reading

Last year's goal was 30, 25 of which had to be worthwhile reads

(worthwhile = edifying, instructive, educational, etc.)

 and I easily hit it.  Actually, I read 50--it was a good year!

This year I'm going for 40.  Breaking it down, at least 30 need

to fit the worthwhile criteria, incl. 12 Faith and 5 classic lit.

Weight/Health Goal

After losing 45 lbs+ several years ago, a good portion

has slowly sneaked back on so it's time to fix this.

However, I've kicked this year off well: already down 8lbs!

Seeing that has been great motivation to keep going.

And there it is, my list for the year ahead.

We've had a wonderful holiday break with lots of R&R.

I barely stepped into my sewing room and that has been

a good re-set for me.  I'm so ready to go now!

Starting tomorrow, the 2025 achievements begin!

Happy quilting!

Linking up to To-Do Tuesday