Hi Quilting Friends,
Here we are at the end of February, the shortest month. For whatever reason, it seems to go on and on and on. . .
This has been a very busy month. My brother, Richard, came from Montana to Houston for surgery on January 29, and then he stayed with us until February 14 while recuperating. We took care of medical stuff, went on lots of short easy walks, had some naps, and played many games of cribbage. It was nice having Richard here, but we’re both happy to be back to our “normal” routines now that he’s on the mend.
I traveled to Montana with Richard, to help him as needed during our journey, and then I spent almost a week with our parents, who live in the same area. Mom broke her hip on December 3 and had a partial hip replacement on December 4. Mom’s recovery journey has been longer than we had anticipated, but she’s doing well and hopes to be back to “normal” before summer arrives. Dad has stayed busy caring for Mom and dealing with the things that she’s not able to do yet. It was really good to see them, to lend a hand, and take their little dog (Rusty) out for walks! 😊
We toured the McFaddin-Ward house in Beaumont, TX, with our Seniors group earlier this week, and then enjoyed a delicious lunch with new friends. The historic home was built in 1906, and is fully furnished with amazing antiques. There were gorgeous hand-stitched quilts displayed on all of the beds on the second floor. If you’re in the area, check it out!
“Where do I even begin?”
One reason that our projects stall out is because we feel overwhelmed. If you’re feeling overwhelmed as you look at your list of PHD projects, it can be hard to make a decision about what comes first. Maybe this will help.
- Go for the quick finish! Choose something from the list that lacks just one or two steps to completion, or maybe a small project that can be finished quickly. The first time that I looked really hard at my own UFO stack, back in 2020, I realized that quite a few of my projects needed only a binding. (I guess that I had an aversion to hand-stitching at that time!) Just a binding, which is a quick thing to accomplish once you get started, and before you know it “Ta-done!” Do you see a similar pattern in your UFO collection?
- Share your finish and enjoy your success! With that quick finish under your belt, you’ll feel accomplished and have some momentum as you choose the next project from your PHD list. I can’t wait to read about your finish!
Here’s my PHD update for February.
I have no finishes again this month but I’ve made some significant progress, despite my care-giving and travel schedule. I could easily become discouraged by my lack of finishes, but I’m not going to allow it. March looks very good for wrapping up a project, or two or three!
Project #2: “Each Dawn A New Day”
This photo is from January 30.
This photo is from February 26. I made lots of progress while watching the Winter Olympics. Most of the little sections in this design require 3 or 4 different colors of embroidery floss, making the stitching more complex than meets the eye. I like how the different shades provide an almost 3-D look.
Project #3: Pinwheel Stars Quilt
I decided to stitch up the final five Pinwheel Star blocks for my quilt, since I had a little time to sew before the trip to Montana. I chose “warm” scraps to round out this collection. The blocks are all the same size, despite appearances.
I intend to wrap up several of my other projects before I continue with this, so you may not see it again for a while. I have decisions to make about the layout, with several ideas that I’m considering at this time. I’m hitting “Pause” for now.
Project #8: A Quilt for Anna
Remember Anna’s quilt, pieced in January?
I finally had some “me” time this past week, so I pin-basted the quilt layers together, and did a little in-the-ditch stitching to stabilize the quilt top before I began quilting. I’ve decided to quilt this project myself, with lots of help from Princess Nina (my Bernina 770 QE+). The quilting plan is in the works, and I’ve actually finished quilting the large “light” pieces.
My “One Monthly Goal” for March is to finish Anna’s quilt in time for her birthday on March 28. (Good thing I work well under pressure. . .) Ready? Set. SEW!
Stories from the Sewing Room One Monthly Goal March Link Up
Project #11: Scrappy Zipper Bags X 12
The February RSC color is GREEN. You can read more about my large GREEN bag HERE.
This makes a total of three large scrappy zipper bags for the year.
Project #14: SAHRR 2026
My “One Monthly Goal” for February (which I neglected to link up in a timely manner) was to complete Rounds 2-4 for the SAHRR, and post about them. Failure to link didn’t stop me from completing my goal. Read more HERE.
This is my project so far, with five rounds out of the six completed. Round 6 is “Quilter’s Choice”, and I’m working on it at the moment.
New Projects
Nothing yet, although I visited the local quilt shop to buy the fabric that I will use for Caroline and Nick’s baby quilt. I’ll share a picture when I start playing with it.
Ongoing Projects
Coffee Mug Blocks
Read more about my GREEN coffee mug HERE!
“Signature” Blocks
Read more about my GREEN signature blocks HERE.
PHD Progress Update
This is my updated PHD task list, shaded to show the finished tasks.
This is my updated PHD tracker, nearly unchanged since the start of 2026. Oh well!
Party Time!
Now its your turn! Share your link and visit the others to support and encourage.
We would appreciate a link back from your post to this post. Here’s a link to copy and paste.
Have a great March! I can’t wait to read about your PHD journey.
Happy quilting,
Sharon
Ms P Designs USA 
I’m glad your brother is doing better and able to travel back home, Sharon. It’s great to help family when needed. Glad your mom is on the mend too. Normal…well, that’s just a setting on a dryer, they say! LOL Though you didn’t have a finish you did make progress. And here comes March. It’s a LLOOONNNGGG month, and for us expecting above average temps. Hopefully tornado season won’t be so bad this year, as it begins in March here, but there was a small one touched down about an hour from us this past week, so who knows? Have a great month.
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Thank you! Now that the weather is fine, I’m starting to reset my flower beds. Such a lot of work, but worth it. I anticipate at least two finishes for March, and that makes me happy.
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Even without any finishes, you get so much done! Thanks for the continued motivation.
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You’re very welcome! Have an amazing March!
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Considering how much you had going on in February and it being a short month, you got lots done. I’ve not had a finish yet either, but I’m getting there on at least one project. The big hold up on my UFO list is finishes. I’ve gotten some confidence from my quilt as you go project, I’m hoping that translates into some finishes on some of my smaller quilt tops. Hope you have a very productive March.
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Thank you! I’m sure to get at least 2 finishes this month, now that my schedule keeps my mostly at home. Keep practicing the quilting, as it gets easier and more fun as you gain experience. 😊
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I’m glad you were able to help out your family. I’m sure they were very appreciative. You made so much progress regardless. Thanks for hosting PHD and keeping us all motivated to finish things up.
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Thank you!
Ms P Designs USA
http://www.mspdesignsusa.com
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