Every year I look forward to choosing prompts for Make Nine that can guide my creative time throughout the year. For 2026—my 8th year—Make Nine has a mix of long-loved prompts, a brand new prompt, and two open doors [wild cards] for unexpected creative opportunities.
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| Make Nine 2026 tracker. |
The prompts in my Make Nine 2026 tracker grid are:
- UFO: Let’s be honest—those UnFinished Objects aren’t going to finish themselves. Last year, I completed two UFOs, and this year I plan to attack another lingering project and bring it across the finish line. No guilt, just progress.
- New Tricks in 2026: This prompt is back from Make Nine in 2024. It encompasses learning a new technique or process, using a new tool, art supply, substrate, or textile. Exploring something new is always fun for me, it expands my creative skills and provides potential for growth in my practice.
- Yarn: The Yarn prompt over the past three years has been very rewarding. It’s included again for 2026.
- Fun and Functional: This prompt is all about making something that brings a smile while also serving a purpose in everyday life. It’s akin to previous “Simple and Stress-free” and “Fun and Easy” prompts.
- Bookmaking: After responding to five prompts in 2025 with some type of book, I decided to officially give “Bookmaking” a place on my 2026 Make Nine creative road map. I find creating a book by hand—whether it’s a journal, sketchbook, or a fabric stitch book—very satisfying. It also brings me back to my educational roots in paper and printing technologies, a field I truly love.
- Online Challenge: I’ve come across so many opportunities for fulfilling this prompt and I can’t wait! Making alongside others in the online community provides camaraderie, inspiration, and accountability.
- Slow Stitching/Mending: This is my reminder to slow down, be present, and have awareness of sustainability. Slow stitching is about mindful, intentional work—quiet moments spent with thread, fabric, and stitch—where the process matters as much as the finished piece.
- Wild Cards x2: Because creativity doesn’t always follow a plan, I’ve again included two Wild Card prompts for the upcoming year. Wild Cards are open invitations for spontaneous ideas, unexpected inspirations, and projects that can seemingly come out of nowhere.
Documenting Make Nine
In addition to posting my individual makes on this blog, I document Make Nine with a tracker and do a photo recap at the end of the year. I have a sketchbook with Make Nine and other trackers that has spanned seven years. Make Nine photo recaps from previous years are:
- Make Nine 2019 recap—first year
- Make Nine 2020 recap—second year
- Make Nine 2021 recap—third year
- Make Nine 2022 recap—fourth year
- Make Nine 2023 recap—fifth year
- Make Nine 2024 recap—sixth year
- Make Nine 2025 recap—seventh year
Looking Ahead
My 2026 Make Nine isn’t about pressure or perfection—it’s about staying curious, finishing thoughtfully, and enjoying the process. I’m excited to see how these prompts evolve over the year and what they’ll teach me along the way.
Here’s to a creative, playful, and intentional 2026!
