Welcome to the Quiltblox 12 Days of Christmas! Each day through December 9th, I’ll share a word of the day that has meaning for me during this holiday season. Today’s word is: Practice
“It’s not about perfect. It’s about the effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs.” – Jillian Michaels
I chose this word because:
In order to master anything, it takes practice. Thoughtful, focused practice is the only way to build the “muscle memory” that allows us to move through the task and achieve the results we are striving for. It’s not about “do it successfully once,” and we’ve got it. Practice is repeating the successful motions over and over again until we can do them with our eyes closed (as the saying goes).
“Practice” begins with persistence. It’s born the moment we decide to try again — to stitch a little straighter seam, to master a tricky block, to trust the process. The origin of practice is patience, fueled by the quiet joy of progress.
Practice doesn’t just make perfect—it makes progress. Every time you pick up your rotary cutter or thread your needle, you’re growing as a maker. The holidays can be a time to pause and notice how far you’ve come. Each practice session, each small project, adds up to something meaningful. So keep practicing—with patience, playfulness, and pride in your progress.
Do you have a quilty skill that needs more practice to achieve the level of quality you are looking for? If so, have you planned out how you are going to work on those skills?
I need to work on my free-motion quilting. Can I continue to quilt my projects by credit card? Of course, but I really want to be able to complete the entire project all on my own (at least the smaller ones), and it’s going to take a lot of practice for me to get there. My goal for 2026 is to block out 2 – 3 hours each week to practice this particular skill.
Ideas for practicing some quilty skills:
I thought it would be fun to share some quilty goodies that help us be a little more efficient (and effective) in our practicing.
Follow Along
Each day, I’ll be sharing a new word of the day in the newsletter and here on the blog. I’m also sharing some other fun goodies in the Holiday Edition of the Quiltblox Newsletter – each day through December 9th. Be sure to subscribe today so you see it first.