PHD in 2021

Hi Quilting Friends,

I felt so productive as I worked on my PHD in 2020 with Gail at Quilting Gail, so I’ve opted in again this year.

My PHD list for 2021 has a lot of variety! A couple of the projects on the list are UFO projects that have been around for YEARS. Some are more recent UFOs, left unfinished due to time constraints or lack of access to appropriate supplies (thanks to Covid-19). Mostly I have UFO projects for which I’ve been gathering supplies but haven’t started stitching, yet. I’ve decided to put twenty projects on this year’s list and I’ll aim to finish up at least twelve of them. Here goes – my PHD List for 2021!

Project #1: Make the “Southwest Critters” Quilt

I have the fabrics purchased, and the animal applique pieces are all traced onto my fusible. This will be a fun project to make, and I’m excited to get started.

Project #2: “Perfect Pineapples” foundations wall hanging

I’ve been sorting scraps recently, and decided that I want to make a bright scrappy wall quilt with my remaining 16 “Perfect Pineapples” foundation squares.

Project #3: Make something with this great coffee print fabric

What can I say? This fabric was on sale, and it called to me that it wanted to come to my house and live in the stash closet. Now it needs some “friends” to help it become the table runner that it was always meant to be. Or maybe it would prefer to be a set of place mats. I don’t know yet, but I’ll listen to the fabric and do as it bids me.

Project #4: Quilt “Scrappy Christmas Quilt #3”, pieced in 2020

I’ve finished and gifted the quilts on the left and right, but the one in the center isn’t finished, yet. I’ve added borders since this photo was taken, and I will chose fabrics from my extensive Christmas fabric stash to make the backing.

Project #5: Stitch four foundation pieced vehicles

No picture for this, yet. I have four or five brand-new foundation pieced vehicle designs that are ready to release for sale when I get the models for cover photos stitched up. I just haven’t had the time or mental energy to tackle the foundation piecing.

Project #6: Finish the “Scrappy Goose Foot” full-sized quilt

This quilt has been hiding out in the closet since we moved to our current home in 1994. Many of the fabrics appear to be from the ’80’s. I believe that it has aged enough now to finish it up.

Project #7: Make a throw with my “Diamond Star” blocks

This UFO carried over from 2020. I now have 22 of the 63 blocks that I’ll need to finish the quilt, if I stick with my current plan.

Project #8: “Thangles” HST foundation papers

Another purchase that was never used, stored for “later”, and then re-discovered when I re-organized my storage in 2019. I can definitely make something nice with HST squares!

Projects #9 through #12: Colorful fabric baskets from scraps

I’ve made several pretty scrappy storage baskets recently, but there seem to be some colors missing from my set. I plan to create GREEN, AQUA, BLUE, and VIOLET baskets this year!

Project #13: Mariner’s Star table runner and place mats

The blocks are pieced, and I am searching for more of the background fabric to complete my project. Almost there!

Projects #14 and #15: Christmas stockings for the Grand-doggers

We are blessed with two beautiful Grand-doggers, Naomi and Ruth. They don’t have Christmas stockings, even though they are both very good girls. I’m going to make them each a pretty Christmas stocking to hang when Santa is on his way. . .

I have the materials on hand for these projects, but I need to select the designs (with input from our son and his girlfriend). No photo, yet.

Project #16: Finish the teal, purple, and gray quilt

Another lovely, waiting in the wings for me to get busy and just quilt it. I don’t recall the name of the pattern. Or why I had started hand quilting, in the ditch, through the extra-lofty batting that I chose to use. (I’m remembering why I didn’t finish the project. . .) I don’t see a good reason to continue that way since nobody can see my pretty hand-stitching anyway. I’ll tell the rest of the story when the quilt is finally done, with machine quilting.

Project #17: 9^o circle wedge ruler and Christmas fabric stash

I like buying tools! Here’s yet another tool that I haven’t used, so far. I keep seeing beautiful Christmas tree skirts and table toppers that other quilters have made with the 9^o circle wedge ruler. And I happen to know someone who doesn’t have a tree skirt. . .

Project #18: Finish the “Monster Mashup” quilt, pieced in 2020

I had such fun making the blocks for this pattern by Sindy Rodenmeyer at Fat Cat Patterns! And I was creative with the sashing strips to complete the quilt top. But when I went searching for a spooky Halloween print for the backing, I couldn’t find anything in the local fabric shops. Perhaps I’ll have better luck this year. . .

Project #19: Finish the Autumn table runner

I know. As if I don’t have enough of my own UFO projects! I “adopted” this one because I happened to mention that my son wanted a table runner to use during the Autumn months. Susan had this unfinished runner that wasn’t going to work on her table, because of its large size. It was meant to be! It is gorgeous, and I think he’ll love it! Susan has the runner all pieced and ready to be quilted; a gift to my son from both of us.

Project #20: Well, maybe I don’t have twenty projects to list. . .

But I have a feeling that there’s another little hand-quilting project that I’ve overlooked, lurking in my storage area. This spot is reserved for it! I enjoy the slower pace and rhythm of hand-quilting, so I’m going to find something that needs to be quilted.

Here’s my task list spreadsheet for 2021:

If you like the task list, I’ve made a downloadable template for you!

And my UFO list for 2021:

Happy quilting,

Sharon

If you want to work on your PHD this year, visit Quilting Gail for more information.