I am feeling okay with what I what I want to sew 2026 but I need to have a better plan. I need know what I am going to make throughout the year. I inventoried my yarn and made a plan for it. I feel very motivated about it as I can see what I want to accomplish, plan what I want to make each quarter, and track how much I have used.
With sewing, I do my monthly to-do list and track how much I sew and buy. I do not have a long range plan which allows me to deviate from what I really need to do. Most of my deviations include buying fabric that I don't need.
I have decided to work on my sewing goals and a plan for this year. The goals allow me to stay on track and, hopefully, keep me from buying fabrics I don't need.
On thing I do know is that I have the fabrics for 5-6 quilts. Most of those quilts need fabric to finish. Others have all the fabrics for the tops but will need backing fabric. I also have a lot of fat quarters that I need to deal with.
I also need to realize that I won't be sewing 100 meters of fabric. My goal is to sew what I have in the stash and use it up. Some projects will use large amounts of fabric, others will use a small amount of fabric. But each time I use up a fabric, I know I will have less in the stash.
2026 Goals
Sew from the stash only buying fabrics I need to finish a projects. I know I will need to buy interfacing and thread.
Take part in Sewing With Cinnamon (Design Academy) monthly.
Sew an Edwardian doll's wardrobe
Quilt for donation to auction at a dog trial
Quilts using up fabric in stash
Small zippered bags using fat quarters
Piping
Unique bags
I am working on what I want to make for the first 3 months of 2026. I am struggling with it and will probably come back and do more as I get better at longer range planning.
January (goals completed 2.75 meters sewn)
Doll coat and hat - Edwardian and proportion
Doll's purse - Edwardian and Proportion
Doll's dress - Edwardian. Started with a new collar pattern
Zippered Bags - learning to put in zippers with tabs that lay flat - Research. I made 4 and am happy with the way the zipper tabs look.
February (goals completed 3.4 meters sewn)
Finish doll's dress - Edwardian wardrobe and focus
Sewing item - focus (detail). Purse flap and a doll's item.
Doll's skirt - Edwardian wardrobe
Zippered Bags - use 2 fat quarters in stash = 2 bags
Piping - 2 pieces
Doll's blanket - 2 using flannel fat quarters. Fast and easy.
Start cleaning up sewing room - keep that space tidy and clean.
Extra: 4 mug rugs
March
Zippered Bags - use 2 fat quarters in stash = 2 bags
Doll blanket - 2 flannel fat quarters
Doll's blouse - Edwardian wardrobe
Sewing item - rhythm and repetition project - a doll's item.
Piping - 2 pieces - not done
Start a quilt top for me - completed
Extra: Christmas gift -- ornament for the new puppy using my Cricut
Finish up toppers for my bedroom
Look at making something from the fabric on the bottom shelf of the fabric stash - not done
Start making reindeer candy holders
April
Piping - 2 pieces
Doll's shirt - Edwardian wardrobe
Sewing With Cinnamon
Anika's Nova Scotia plaid cape
table runner and mug rugs in winter fabric
Placemats
Extra: Work on reindeer candy holders for a friend
Start quilt top for daughter
May
Work on quilt for daughter
Sewing With Cinnamon
Doll's bicycle skirt - Edwardian wardrobe
Piping - 2 pieces?
Blouse for Gotz dolls
Extra: Reindeer candy holders for friend
Binding on my quilt
Update
It is 5 months since I started this and I have hit a road block. I looked at what I want to make each month and I see that my focus is on sewing down the stash vs sewing for enjoyment. The projects that I sew for enjoyment are the ones I like the most. The others remain neutral; not loved but not hated. More like an obligation to sew to use up the fabric on the shelving unit.
My goal at the moment is to list what it is I want to make. Items that will bring joy.
Teal quilt for daughter
Quilt for auction in October. This raises funds to help people vs going into a pot for the dog club.
Tree skirt for daughter. I have want to make this for her for a few years and it is going together done. Pattern chosen and I need some fabric for it.
Bag for a fund raiser
Sheep quilt which I may give away.
Finish my quilt that I made in March. I need to get it to the long arm quilter.
Items I will work on but doing what I want to do with it.
Sewing With Cinnamon - Design Academy projects. I am not doing the purse flaps. I will do the projects but will do it my way. I am not doing two or three projects in a month when I can combine it all together and do one project.
Doll's quilts as I want to have a quilt for each of my dolls. I also want to make each a flannel blanket.
Sew some doll clothes to make outfits of which I have orphan pieces.
Why the change in my thinking?
I have put unnecessary stress on myself to sew up the fabric I have when I am under no obligation to do that. I can make choices on what I want to do with it. I have made progress in this area as I have moved from having projects attached to fabric, to sewing it however I wanted to, to donating it. But there is still fabric on the shelving unit that I need to deal with.
I have put sewing down the stash first rather than sewing for enjoyment. I have projects that have languished on the shelving unit that I want to sew. Instead, I have set it aside to sew the fabric that I should have gotten rid of. Hence the list of what I want to do vs sewing down the stash.
I sewed as I dealt with my grief of loosing the Spousal Unit. It was something I needed to do as I worked through the stages of grief. I still miss him a lot but I am ready to move forward with my life. I have a different outlook on what I want to do and what I don't want to do.
I am looking at this review as progress.
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