Hi Quilting Friends,
December has been a good month. We had our usual preparations, celebrations, and festivities for the Christmas season. Here are some of the highlights-
My favorite activity (so far) was attending the Nutcracker Ballet (my birthday gift from the “kids”). The costumes! The dancing! The music! It was wonderful, and I enjoyed it SO much!
We’ll attend a Mannheim Steamroller concert this evening, and I’m really looking forward to it.
We’re here today to wrap up “PHD in 2025”. I hope that you have enjoyed sharing your progress toward the 2025 goals that we set in January, and seeing how others are faring with their own goals.
Whether you’ve taken all twelve PHD projects across the finish line or not, we have enjoyed seeing your projects, cheering your progress, and celebrating your finishes. Thank you SEW much for joining in!
I opted to make a wrap up post for December, recapping my year of PHD fun, so here goes!
Project #1 – Star Party Sampler
Ta-done! I had lots of fun with free-motion quilting to finish up this stellar quilt. (See this post for photos of the individual blocks.)
“Star Party” is available to purchase as individual block patterns HERE.
Project #2 – Lone Star Quilt
After only 30 years of waiting, Lone Star is done! I used a combination of hand- and machine-quilting for this finish. Read more HERE.
Project #3 – “Old Town” Mystery Quilt
I used loads of my aqua, blue, orange, and white scraps to create this complex scrappy beauty, designed by Bonnie Hunter. This was my first time to participate in a mystery quilt project, and it was fun.
Project #4 – Autumn Throw Quilt
Finished and fabulous, using my pretty autumn print, hand-dyed fabric collection, and assorted batiks! Read more and find the pattern HERE.
Project #5 – Christmas Place Mats
All done, and already put to good use for our Christmas celebrations.
The pattern is available HERE.
Project #6 – New FPP Designs
All wrapped up! The patterns are available in Ms P’s Pattern Shop.
Project #7 – Spring Table Topper
This cute Spring table topper was such fun to make! The pattern is available HERE.
Project #8 – Scrappy Pinwheel Star Quilt
I made 20 Pinwheel Star blocks this year for RSC 2025. I plan to stitch 5 more blocks, probably in “warm” colors, for this quilt. I’m considering a layout that would include another type of block, so we’ll see what I can come up with for that idea. I’m rolling this project forward into 2026.
Project #9 – Bento Box Table Runner
I rescued blocks from the orphan block bin and added fabric from my stash to make this pretty runner, modeled by Astrid –
Astrid is considering a career change, from lapdog to supermodel. I believe that she’d be a natural, with her spicy attitude and stunning good looks. What do you think?
Project #10 – Christmas Tree Table Runner
Ta-done! I used more of my Christmas fabric scraps to create this colorful runner for the holiday table. Look what happens when you turn it upside down!
The pattern is available HERE.
Project #11 – Scrappy Rolling Stone Quilt
Ta-done! My “One Monthly Goal” for December was to finish quilting and binding the “Satisfaction” (Rolling Stone) throw quilt. Read more or purchase the pattern HERE.
Project #12 – Clothing Item from Stash
I used this pattern and fabric from my stash to make my clothing item, a sleeveless button-front top with a collar.
Here I am in Aruba with Mr. Fix It, brother Jeff, and wife Joy, wearing the top that I sewed-
Projects #13 – Neutral Rectangular Bag
I used scraps to make a cute rectangular zipper bag for Christmas giving. Here’s “Neutral Bag #2”-
Project #14 – Play with “Toys”
I ran out of time for playing, so the toys will wait until 2026.
Project #15 – SAHRR 2025
This project began with an orphan block and some scraps and fabrics from my stash. The weekly prompts determined the design elements that I included in the quilt, and I enjoyed the creative challenge of putting it all together. Read more HERE.
New Projects
This slideshow includes the new projects that I started (and finished!) during 2025-
Ongoing Projects
I have two ongoing projects, which I will continue (and attempt to finish!) during 2026-
Coffee Mug Blocks
Ten FPP coffee mug blocks isn’t enough to make a quilt. This project will continue for RSC 2026, and then we’ll see if twenty blocks is enough.
“Lupine & Laughter” Mystery Quilt
The 2025 Quiltville Winter Mystery began in November and continues into 2026. I have been making the units for the weekly clues, as time permits. No pictures today, since you can’t really tell what I am making yet. (It is a mystery!) The mystery continues into the new year, so you’ll see this project on my PHD 2026 list.
PHD Progress Update
Here’s my final PHD list for 2025, with completed tasks shaded in. I finished 13 projects from my initial list of 15. I’ve worked hard, and I’m pleased with that result.
Here’s my PHD tracker, updated for December-
It seems that I have earned my PHD in 2025, with at least 12 projects checked off my list and all of the new starts completed! Now let’s see how you did.
Linky Party
Your turn! Write a post, add your link, and then visit the others to comment and encourage.
We’d appreciate a link back to this post. Here’s one to copy and paste into your post-
Thanks for visiting! We hope that you’ve enjoyed PHD in 2025, and that you’ll join us to work on your PHD in 2026. (One can never have too many PHD’s, right?) Stay tuned for the details, coming on January 1!
Happy quilting,
Sharon
Ms P Designs USA 