2026 Unfinished Quilt Project Challenge
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share a commission.This year I decided to challenge myself to finish some of the quilt projects that I have. How about you, would you like to join me? I have a video that shows all of my quilt projects and then at the end I pick my 2026 unfished quilt project challenge for January.
You can also read this post to the end and find out which one I’ll be working on.
2026 Unfinished Quilt Project Challenge
My video
2026 Unfinished Quilt Project Challenge
I went through my quilt projects and picked 12 that I want to finish this year. Some are fairly easy and others will take more work but I look forward to the challenge. Here are the ones that I picked to work on.
Quilt Project #1
Evening Star Table Topper is a kit by Melissa Gilbert from Little House on the Prairie who is a quilter. The kit was in one of the 2025 Quilt Advent Boxes that I purchased.
Quilt Project #2
Have you ever made a spool quilt block? These were fun to make with narrow strips as the thread. I have a wall hanging that just needs to be quilted, I have no idea why I never finished it. I also have large spool blocks that were made with very narrow strips, I’m not sure what I’ll make with them.
Quilt Project #3
You may noticed this cute little bundle of fabrics behind me on my shelf. I have had it for several years and I think it is time to use them. I think these are 1/8 yard pieces. Each fabric has little starts on it and the collection is called Twinkles.
Quilt Project #4
This is a group of coordinating fabrics that are 6-inch by the width of the fabric. I believe this was in one of my 2025 Advent boxes.
Quilt Project #5
When I went through my stash of unfinished quilt projects, I found this one that is half square triangle that are a little under 5-inches. I also have a piece of the tan fabric that I can use for a border or binding. This is another oldie.
Quilt Project #6
These are leftover string blocks with appliqued flowers. I made my Summer Flowers quilt with blocks like this.
Quilt Project #7
I have 4 different boxes of projects from Sewer’s Club that I purchased last year and haven’t made. When this number gets picked I’ll make one or maybe all of them.
Quilt Project #8
Last year I took part in the Vintage Christmas QAL with Fat Quarter Shop and each month I made 4 quilt blocks. I made it through July and have over 30 6-inch blocks done. I hope to finish this quilt by Lori Holt this year.
Quilt Project #9
This is a small quilt that would be perfect for a baby, again I’m not sure why I never quilted it. This is the River Squares quilt.
Quilt Project #10
This is a Uneven 9 patch quilt top that has been hanging in my closet for a couple of years. It is time to get it quilted.
Quilt Project #11
This is a sampler quilt that I made using batiks a long time ago before I became a Island Batik ambassador. I think this is when I fell in love with batiks.
Quilt Project #12
Do you remember when Craftsy sold fabric, thread and crafts? That is when I bought these fabrics which are a mixture of regular quilt fabric and batiks. I often mix them.
Craftsy is also where I first started selling quilt patterns.
Join me in this challenge!
I would love to have you join me in this challenge! Take a photo of the unfinished quilt projects you hope to finish in 2026. If you have a blog post you can link that.
At the end of January I will have another Linky Party where you can share your January quilt project and I’ll have a giveaway.
January Winner
Congratulations to Teresa the winner for this month. There will be a giveaway each month. Go to the February UFO Challenge.
My UFO for January 2026
If you watched my video then you already know what I’ll be working on this month. The number I drew was #10. What will you be working on?
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About Connie
Hi, I’m Connie Kresin Campbell, the quilter, writer, and photographer behind Freemotion By the River. I enjoy inspiring others with my quilt tutorials and patterns. You’ll also see my sweet adopted dogs from time to time.
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Wow! This is quite ambitious! Some of those would take me months to finish just one! I can’t wait to see yours!
Where do we post pictures of January’s finished?
https://www.photo-pick.com/online/0KZCbZYk.link
Number 10 is the 4th of July Gnomes fabric and will be an oven mitt. I will be happy to get this project off my WIP table.
I’ve got my 12 plus 2 more and I thought I didn’t have enough for 12! I have pictures with the number. Since I’m known to fudge when picking numbers, whatever number Connie picks, that’s my number too!
How do I post pictures?
I like that Julie! Look above the comments to the section where there are photos of other peoples projects. Follow the directions there to add your link.
I don’t have 12 ufo’s, but I’d love to join along and finish the half dozen or so that I have. I also have quite a few Sewers Club. I hope I’ve put this comment in the correct place 😉
I would love for you to join Julie with whatever things you want to work on. If you could take a photo of them and post it that would be great.
Connie, I’m excited to see how you are planning to quilt your #10 nine patch quilt. I have a very similar UFO and plan to quilt it on my domestic machine. Straight line stitching, anyone???
I have never participated in something like this, but it sounds like fun, so I hope I am ready.
I have enjoyed following your story for a while now. You do beautiful work.
Thanks Peggy
Hi Connie, I was also thinking of hosting a UFO challenge but I might just encourage people to follow along with yours instead. I featured yours in my last newsletter and I’ll have a blog post up soon with information and a link to this one. I love the idea of listing 12 UFO’s and picking a number each month to work on. Here’s to some finishes in 2026!
Thanks Julie, I always love seeing what you are working on!
I teach quilting to seniors and our class project was the “Vintage Christmas” quilt just before Christmas this year. I ran across the pattern and fell in love with it. I showed it to my ladies and they wanted to make it. They all got the quilt top down before Christmas, they just need to have them quilted. I was out for 6 weeks recovering from knee re-replacement surgery, so I missed watching them make a lot of their squares. I took mine in quilted, on the last day of class before we went on break for the holidays. I love my quilt and theirs all turned out beautifully also!!!! Most of my ladies used scraps to make theirs, another lady and I used the fabric it called for. They are all unique and beautiful!!!
I’m with you as for finishing quilts! I have plenty of. Can I send a picture,of one I want to finish each month?
Please let me know, this could be fun!
Robin
Hi Robin, yes that would be great! Looking forward to seeing what you want to work on. Post a photo.
Where do I leave a picture Connie?
I am ashamed to admit how much I love this challenge and hope I have the gumption to stick with it through the entire year (heaven knows I have more than enough UFOs!) Thank you for encouraging good habits and for continuing to inspire us.
Thanks Noel and I know you’ll have fun doing this!
Best idea for a quilter for the new year Connie. Once I get my sewing room sorted out and organized in the next 2 days, I will have my UFOs ready to go. I will then get the photos to send you and consider me in for this fun challenge!
I will attempt to finish my son’s quilt of trees and bears and all the fabrics of his growing up years (legos, scouts, candy corn, etc.). It’s been an ongoing project for years. I guess since I didn’t use a pattern but grafted together what I wanted to give him. I hope to share a picture sometime this year.
Connie, Thanks for sharing your UFOs . I too, have unfinished quilt tops need to be quilted. Most of the time I take them to the local Senior Center to have tghem quilted by a gal in our craft group. Lately however, I’ve been doing some straight line quilting on my vintage Singer. It’s a challenge, but I am determined to continue.
Again, Thanks for sharing. You help[ me realize I am not the only one with UFOs to finish.
I love your idea of getting the UFO’s on the “TO DO” list. I had already decided I wanted to do that too. I have 5 quilt tops to get quilted. My goal is to get those done this year. I want to quilt one each month, then start working on some quilt tops I started but put aside and did not finish. One a month is my goal. Wish me luck! Have to work at night when my Mom goes to bed. I am caring for her since she has dementia. Thank you for the encouragement.
I’m fairly new to quilting, so I only have two UFOs, but I’m accepting your challenge! Five years ago I started a t-shirt quilt for my son. I sewed 24 t-shirt squares with sashing into a 4×6 Extra Long Twin top. I stopped short of adding the border. I’m going remove the sixth row of four and remake it into a new (fifth) column with the addition of one square, for a Double/Queen top instead. Then I’ll add the border and it will be ready for quilting (by someone with a long-arm machine) and binding (by me). My other UFO is a wall hanging. A friend gave me the pattern and all the material as a gift when I retired over 10 years ago, and I was kind of afraid to start it. Now that I have tried my hand at actual piecing and free-motion stipple quilting using your Christmas Tree table runner tutorial (I made three of them!), I am confident enough to tackle the wall hanging.
Hi Elizabeth, I am so glad you feel confident to work on the wall hanging kit and also your t-shirt quilt. You’ll do great and I’m so glad you liked my Christmas Tree table runner tutorial.
Happy New Year, thank you for your UFO challenge you’re so encouraging, whi h I will try to do. After church bazzar sewing, am testing machines for correct needle tension , cleaninv & oiling ,& putting matching bobbins with them, before making my list. Thank you for much, good sewing & staying well to all
I hope you join Mary, I still have to work on my longarm and get the tension right on it. Ugh
I love the quilt you are going to begin your challenge with! I missed Rusty!
Rusty will be in a post soon!
I have many UFO’s and hope to attack a large number of them this year. In fact, I had a sew day with a friend yesterday and started in on my list. I am interested in participating in this, but I am unclear about posting and linking to the link party. Hope to find some clarity on this so that I can participate.
Hi Barbara, you can post a image of your UFO’s on this page.
https://conniekresin.com/2026-unfinished-quilt-project-challenge/
In a couple of weeks I’ll do a post and linky party to share the UFO you have worked on in January. Hope that explains it.
Connie – I really love the Uneven 9-patch quilt top that you chose for the January UFO project. Count me in the group that would love for you to make the pattern available. I’d buy it in a heartbeat! Can’t wait to see all your *finished* UFO’s at the end of the year!
Thanks Paula, hopefully I get it quilted and a pattern this month!
Well since I had already planned to work on UFO’s again this year I might as well join the fun linky party. Do I need to pick 12 or can I just pick one of the 30+ UFO’s kinda willy nilly. I normally just pick whatever suits me at the moment.
Hi Lea, you can do whatever you want, just have fun!
Connie, I really like your #12. Is there a pattern name I can look for.
No pattern yet but it is on my list, I may have made the block in a smaller size. I’ll have to look for it.
Dear Connie, aren’t you one for a big challenge for 2026? I love the idea, I would make this to just include the tops finished on the door hanger! Ha, I cut that down from 12 to 5, I think. I have a friend, new to quilting, who wanted to learn to quilt on her domestic machine. She has used my long arm but wanted to work in the evenings and on spare time; therefore, a finished top is the perfect project. I let her choose the ones she liked, which made my guilt problem much lighter!
Thank you for always providing creative energy and ideas. Happy New Year to you and yours and dear Rusty as well!
Sounds like fun, my daughter has said she would like to learn to quilt this year too.
I have a list of more than 12 UFOs for this year, but decided to begin with the #1 item. It’s a quilt (Jackrabbit Stars) for my husband’s birthday in April. The fabrics are gathered with the pattern, but I haven’t started it yet. My goal is get it cut out and started in January, sewn by end of February, and quilted in March.
That sounds like a fun project to work on for your husband Sara. I am sure some of mine won’t get finished in the month they get picked but I’m hoping.
I love this idea of the list and working through them this year. When you get to #5 you might want to turn them into quarter square triangle blocks. That’s the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw your pretty half square triangles. Just thought I’d share that with you. You have such lovely projects to finish! I hope to join in with your fun this year.
I like that idea Sharon! I hope you’ll join in also.
I love you are doing UFO’S, one a month. I am going to try doing that also. Maybe I can get some things done!
Thanks Kathy and I’m sure you will!
I love your idea of drawing a number for the month! That way it is pretty much a surprise each month! I am going to try to do something similar for me although I have 3 quilts to finish/make for graduating grandkids. But I have found it always helps to have some quick projects to finish to keep the quilting juices flowing!
Thanks for sharing — you have some beautiful projects to work on. My favorite fabrics are also batiks as there is just something about them that speak to me!
Happy New Year.
Thanks Kathleen, it is so easy to have quilt projects that haven’t gotten finished. Actually the last year or two I’ve done pretty good. Now to finish old ones! You know I love batiks!
Great challenge, and you have lovely projects. I won’t be able to join you for the entire year due to my travel schedule, but I will try to join you on the months I’m in town, when I have access to a sewing machine.