You know that feeling when you finish a project in one day and it just immediately makes your sewing space happier? That’s exactly what happened with my Pretty Pockets Sewing Machine Caddy.

Let me introduce you to my newest sewing room addition. This cheerful, scrappy sewing machine caddy has been sitting on my machine for a couple of weeks now and I am absolutely in love with how it brightens up my whole sewing space. It came together so quickly!  I made the whole thing in a single day — and that kind of quick win is exactly what I needed!

My finished Pretty Pockets Sewing Machine Caddy sitting pretty on my Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8200QC. Those “good vibes always” pockets are making me so happy!

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I’ve Always Known Creativity Gives Me Energy

For as long as I can remember, creating has always made me feel more alive. And ever since I have started this blog and quilt, I have always been inspired and super excited when I think about what I get to do. About the time I get to quilt. 

Even during busy seasons, creativity brought me back to myself. What changed recently wasn’t the realization that quilting gives me energy. I’ve always known that. What changed is that somewhere along the way, I stopped prioritizing it.

Let’s chat about this…continue to read below.

There’s something about this time of year that makes me crave a fresh start. A year seems to be flowing so fast, and you wonder whether you’ve taken the time to really enjoy the year yet. Is it also time to look back a little and adjust a little. 

Not in a big, overwhelming, “let’s redo everything” kind of way…
but in a quiet, gentle shift.
A little softness.
A little lightness.

And for me, that often begins in the sewing room.

Lately, I’ve been feeling the pull toward spring…even if it doesn’t quite look like spring outside where I am. It’s more of a feeling than a season, isn’t it? That sense of hope. Of something new beginning. Of wanting to surround yourself with things that feel a little brighter, a little lighter.

So I decided to start small.

A Simple Wall Hanging to Welcome Spring

I picked up the Simply Sweet pattern by Lori Holt for It’s Sew Emma, and right away… I knew it was exactly what I needed.

If you’re like me, you’ve got fat quarter bundles stacked everywhere with very little plan for actually using them.

That fabric guilt is real. You see gorgeous bundles, buy them with the best intentions, and then they sit in your stash while you scroll Pinterest looking for the perfect pattern. Meanwhile, the pile grows and the finishing rate stays very low, but the beautiful collections keeps coming out and you simply love the idea of working with them!

Well, today, I am sharing you one way that I’ll be trying to stick to this year and possibly till the next year. I am following along with the book Fat Quarters by the Dozen from Its Sew Emma. There are twelve quilts designed specifically for those bundles you’ve been hoarding, with instructions so clear even beginner-friendly patterns feel like wins instead of stressful experiments. 

Let’s Talk About UFOs (and the Quiet Guilt We Don’t Say Out Loud)

You walk into your sewing room with a plan.

Today, so today… you will finish something.

You open a drawer…
then another…
then a basket…

…and suddenly you’re staring at a stack of unfinished projects. The photo below shows my UFOs from long time ago. And yet, I still have some of them in my UFO pile. Today, we are going to unpack the guilt around UFO and learn how to make a gentle move around them. Read more below — and tell me, do you have a UFO that’s been quietly judging you too?

A Great Start to 2026: Cleaning Up, Finishing Up & Just Getting It Done

One of the best ways I’ve learned to start a new year is not by starting something new, but by finishing what’s already been started.

As I eased into 2026, I decided to look through my basket of nearly-there projects. You know the ones like sampler pieces, practice blocks, things that were made with intention but never quite crossed the finish line. This time, I made a simple decision: they deserved to be finished.

I grabbed a handful of leftover bindings from my scrap basket and used them to finish my free-motion quilting border sampler pieces. No overthinking. No matching stress. Just choosing what was already there and moving forward.

And honestly?
It was so much fun.

Check out what I made below!!

My Abloom Quilt Finish (Sew Sampler – May 2025)

I’m so happy to finally be sharing this finish — my Abloom quilt, made from the May 2025 Sew Sampler Box. This is one of those projects that quietly stayed with me throughout the year, and seeing it fully quilted and finished feels especially satisfying.

The fabric collection, Abloom by Corey Yoder for Moda Fabrics, is just beautiful. Soft, cheerful florals with a timeless feel — the kind of prints that instantly lift your mood. I especially loved working with the panel that came in the box; it really anchors the quilt and makes it feel special.

I followed the pattern exactly as written, and honestly, it was such an enjoyable make. Even though I did experience a little stall along the way (which I shared in my previous blog post HERE> , the construction itself was smooth and fun. This is something I’ve come to really appreciate about Sew Sampler projects — they’re thoughtfully designed and a pleasure to sew.

Quilt Details at a Glance

(This is where I personally love to glance back later too!)

• Fabric: Abloom by Corey Yoder for Moda Fabrics
  👉 FABRIC COLLECTION HERE>
• Pattern: From the May 2025 Sew Sampler Box by Fat Quarter Shop – (pattern is exclusively for box subscribers only)
  👉 Subscribe to SEW SAMPLER HERE>
• Finished Size: 53″ × 70.5″
• Machine: Janome Horizon (domestic machine)
  👉 Check out the SEWING MACHINE HERE>
• Quilting Design: Large-scale meandering

Check out more photos of the quilt and the process below: