February PhD Update

Hi Quilting Friends,

February has come and gone, and this month has seemed very long indeed for various reasons. We’ve enjoyed some nice weather in Houston, which encouraged the magnolia in our back yard to make magnificent blossoms!

I’m looking forward to having a whole week off for Spring Break this month, as my stitching time was limited during February. Here’s my update-

PHD in 2023 Projects

Project #3 – “Bonus” HST Squares from RSC2021 and RSC2022

I’ve added a narrow white border around the quilt top, but I’m still undecided about how it will be quilted. I’ll let it sit around for a while, and allow it to speak to me. (Quilts will do that, you know!)

Project #4 – Sawtooth Star Quilt

My “One Monthly Goal” for March is to get this quilt ready for quilting, and to decide how I’m going to quilt it. I need to go shopping for both backing and batting, and then maybe I’ll start quilting, since I will have a glorious week off from work for Spring Break! Ready, Set, SEW!

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal March Link-up

Project #6 – Sweet on You Challenge

Ta-done! You can read about my project HERE. Finishing this project was my “One Monthly Goal” for February.

Project #8 – Dust Off a Quilt Book

I’ve chosen my book and a project for the blog hop, and the project is in progress. (No photos yet; stop by on March 9 to see!) One section of my project will have a feather border, so I’m learning how to use Princess Nina to help me make pretty feathers. I need to practice before I stitch them on my quilt, but my feathers are improving with each try.

Project #12 – Christmas Place Mats

Susan drew up the piecing diagrams for me, but I haven’t started stitching yet. This will be fun, and I’m not in a rush at all!

New Projects

I’ve decided to try playing along with Joy at “Days Filled With Joy” and the One Gift a Month Challenge. The idea is to make the featured project each month to create a stash of quick & easy gifts. Sounds good to me, since I always seem to put off making gifts until the very last minute.

February’s project was a cute little heart-shaped zipper pouch, meant for storing earbuds. SEW adorable! Here’s mine, made with scraps from my stash and a zipper that was hanging around the studio-

February Project Linkup

I had already missed January’s project, a scrappy fabric basket, when I learned about the “One Gift a Month” challenge. I decided to play catch up. I ended up using the basket pattern from my scrappy storage bin collection instead of the pattern from Joy’s post, since I know it by heart after making thirteen of them. I used up a bunch of 2″ by 3.5″ blue scraps, and Princess Nina and I practiced meandering a bit more. (FUN!) This project didn’t make much of an impact on my blue scrap supply but the basket is done and I am pleased with it. Time for the “photo finish”-

January Project Linkup

Ongoing Projects

The “Rainbow Scrap Challenge” color for February was PINK. Here’s what I did-

Rolling Stones

Carolina Chains

Don’t be too impressed. These Carolina Chain blocks were made in 2022; I’m just starting to join the light & dark units into sets of four to make the blocks, which will be set on point when it becomes a quilt top. I did this in lieu of making pink Carolina Chain blocks this month.

Progress Update

Here’s my updated task list for February –

And here’s my updated PHD tally for February-

Happy quilting,

Sharon

Linking to PHD in 2023

P.S. We’d LOVE to have you join us for our 2023 “Star Party” sampler sew along! Click the image below for more information.