Turning Quilting Sampler Blocks into Finished Small Projects

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!!

For these sampler blocks, I used the collection from Connecting Threads HERE>. I love their colours and textures!

Using What You Already Have Is Surprisingly Joyful

There’s something deeply satisfying about using leftovers — bindings that didn’t quite match anything else, strips that were too good to throw away, sampler blocks that taught us something but then got forgotten.

Instead of letting those pieces sit in a pile of “someday,” I turned them into finished, usable things:

• placemats
• wall hangings
• mug rugs

They don’t need to be perfect.
They just need to be done.

I didn’t worry too much about whether the binding colours matched perfectly. That wasn’t the goal. The goal was to finish, to use up scraps, and to close those open loops.

One Thread, No Fuss

Another intentional choice I made: I used white thread for binding all three sampler blocks. Could I have changed thread colours to suit each piece better? Sure. Did I want to? Not really. And that’s okay.

Sometimes, finishing matters more than finessing. The white thread worked just fine, and more importantly, it kept me moving. No thread changes. No interruptions. No excuses to procrastinate.

Why Finishing Small Projects Feels So Good

Finishing quick projects does something powerful:

• It clears mental clutter
• It builds momentum
• It reminds you that you do finish things

Those small finishes add up. They give you a sense of lightness — like you’ve made space, both physically and mentally, for what’s next.

And there’s something especially refreshing about starting the year this way. Instead of pressure, there’s progress. Instead of overwhelm, there’s relief.

Tips for Finishing Projects Quickly (and Happily)

If you’re feeling stuck with piles of unfinished pieces, here are a few gentle tips that helped me:

• Lower the bar on perfection
  Finished is better than perfect.
• Use what’s already prepared
  Leftover bindings, neutral threads, pre-cut scraps — they’re all there to help you move faster.
• Batch similar tasks
  Bind several small projects in one go. Same thread, same setup.
• Reframe sampler pieces
  They’re not “just practice.” They’re future mini projects waiting to happen.
• Decide, then act
  Don’t keep revisiting the same choices. Pick and sew.

A Gentle Reminder for the Year Ahead

Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do creatively and emotionally is to finish.

Not everything needs to be optimized.
Not everything needs to be Instagram-perfect.
Some things just need to be completed so you can move forward lighter.

And honestly?
That feels like a pretty great way to begin 2026. ✨

If you’ve got sampler blocks or practice pieces tucked away somewhere, maybe this is your sign to pull them out, bind them up, and let them finally live their finished life.

If you have many blocks, read about finishing up sampler blocks into a sampler quilt using quilt-as-you go method here>