PHD in 2026: April Update

Hi Quilting Friends,

And April is a wrap! It has been another busy, productive month.

Our older son, Ian, celebrated his birthday (38 years, can you believe it!) on April 3, so we partied (pizza, carrot cake, and games) with the family.   Mr. Fix It and I traveled to San Antonio to celebrate Easter with Gaby’s family, complete with BBQ brisket, an Easter egg hunt for the kiddos, and cascarones (confetti eggs) for all. It’s always fun to spend time with my Co-Madre, ComPadre, and their extended family.

Other adventures included a day trip with friends to Huntsville, TX, to eat lunch, see the Texas Prison Museum and drive through Huntsville State park. I attended some art classes for Seniors at the local college, and enjoyed the discussion at our monthly book club meeting. I was so busy having fun that I didn’t take a lot of pictures during our adventures.

I’ve also spent more time in the backyard garden. Our neighbor Jim kindly gifted me with cuttings from his plumeria, so I’m clearly in my “Plumeria Era”. One of the cuttings had a seed pod, so I have seedlings in addition to the larger plants. I’ve always enjoyed watching things grow, so this is going to be a fun experiment. Here are a few .pictures of plumeria in various stages of growth and development.

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Last month we looked at preparation for continuing our PHD projects, including acquiring the supplies and skills needed to cross the finish line. If you are like me (and I have a feeling that this may be the case) there are a number of projects awaiting your attention. How do you organize those projects to maximize stitching time?

In the years before I had a dedicated sewing studio, I sewed at the kitchen table. It was roomy and the lighting was great, I had easy access to snacks and drinks, and I could stay in the loop with the family, but I had to stop sewing and put everything away whenever it was time for a meal. This was inconvenient, but it forced me to keep my projects organized. If I wasn’t well organized, then I’d end up spending almost as much time finding my supplies as I spent sewing.

My organization system has evolved over the years as my needs have changed, and I am satisfied with how it works for me. Here’s what I currently do to organize my PHD (and other) projects.

I’ve learned that I work most efficiently in a neat, organized space. I have five wicker baskets that fit nicely on the shelves in my studio. Each basket holds everything that I need for a small- to medium-sized project. I also have a 4-tier metal cart for larger projects. These areas provide storage for up to nine works-in-progress, which has always been more than enough space.

Here’s an example of basket contents, this one for my “FPP Coffee Mugs” blocks:

• copies of the piecing diagrams
• background fabric, both pre-cut pieces and yardage
• heart applique template
• applique fabric pieces and yardage
• fusible web
• finished blocks
• sketches of ideas for the quilt

I usually add my backing and binding fabric to the project basket too, once I’ve made a decision about what I’ll use. I don’t include tools or thread in the basket unless they are specific for that project. When I am ready to make another block, I simply grab the basket and sew! When I finish, everything is returned to the basket and my work area is cleared for the next sewing session.

What is your organization system for works-in-progress? Is it functioning well for your needs at this time? Do tell! And feel free to “steal” ideas if you see something of interest to you. We would love to know how you organize your projects, so please add a comment.

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Here’s my PHD update for April, with finishes for one PHD project and one new project, as well as progress on several more. I’ve had an awesome April.

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Project #1: Stash-Bustin’ Scrappy Sampler

Ta-done!  I’ve finished “Stash-Bustin’ Scrappy Sampler”, my version of our 2021 quilt along project.  You can purchase the block patterns HERE. (Take advantage of our sale, May 1 through 31!)

I had to wash the quilt to remove the cat hair before taking pictures. 🙄 Katniss believes that every quilt is a bed for her, and her beautiful creamy hair really stands out on my black solid fabric. She’s lucky that I love her; this behavior wouldn’t be tolerated from other critters who live here. Note to self: fold and cover works in progress to discourage cat naps.

I’m working on a blog post to share pictures of the individual blocks and their quilting, so look for that early next week.

Project #2: “Each Dawn A New Day”

Here’s a picture from March 29-

Here’s a picture from April 28-

As you can see, I have started adding the outline stitches in the top section.  I like how outlining makes the design come to life. I still need to find the “blending fiber” for additional outlining, according to the pattern, but I’m not sure where to begin looking. Any suggestions?

Project #3: Pinwheel Stars Quilt

I’ve finished assembling this quilt top. After requesting input from my son the graphic artist, I opted for “random” placement of the colors for both blocks and sash pieces. I still arranged everything on the “design floor”, and made sure that the colors and values were distributed somewhat evenly. (That’s how I do “random”.) It’s looking good so far!

My next task is to purchase batting, and then Princess Nina and I will quilt this project. I have a nice piece of green 108″ wide fabric in my stash, so I’ll use it for the backing. I’m leaning toward using a black print binding to match the stars and pinwheels.

Project #10: “Play with Toys”

I’ve selected the toy for this year, so now I can get excited about it. I purchased the “Spot On” ruler from Phillips Fiber Art several years ago, and made this “Diamond Star” quilt for my great-niece Madi as her high school graduation gift in 2024-

I also purchased this pattern at the same time, with the intention of using it with my ruler, but I haven’t made anything with it yet. Looks like fun!

I will peruse my fabric stash to see whether I need to visit the local quilt shop. I’ve learned of a shop that isn’t too far away, and I’d like to pay them a visit soon. Perhaps I’ll be ready to share a fabric pull in May.

Project #11: Scrappy Zipper Bags X 12

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for April was PINK, so this month’s scrappy zipper bag features a significant amount of PINK scrap fabrics. My current total is 7 (large) zipper bags for the year. Read more HERE.

Project #13: Lupine & Laughter Mystery Quilt

I’m ready to continue with this project, now that life has settled down a bit and other deadlines have passed. I’ll need to purchase fabric for backing, order batting, and create the scrappy purple binding, and then I’m ready for quilting.

My “One Monthly Goal” for May is to start quilting this beauty. Ready? Set. SEW!

Note to self: Don’t forget the link up!

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New Projects

My “One Monthly Goal” for April was to finish the Pooh quilt for Caroline and Nick’s baby (due to arrive in June!).  Ta-done! You can read more about the project HERE.

The baby shower is on Saturday, and I’m pretty sure that Caroline and Nick will love their quilt! I promise to update with a photo later on.

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Ongoing Projects

Coffee Mug Block

I made this brilliant PINK coffee mug block for RSC 2026.

“Signature” Blocks

Pink scraps and black solid worked out well for 20 PINK blocks for RSC 2026.

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PHD Progress Update

This is my updated PHD task list, shaded to show the finished tasks.

This is my updated PHD tracker.

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Party Time!

Now it’s your turn! Share your link and visit the others to support and encourage.

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We would appreciate a link back from your post to this post. Here’s a link to copy and paste.

April Update: PHD in 2026

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Please remember to comment with your favorite tips for organizing those works in progress!

We hope that you’ll have a magnificent May, filled with time for quilting as well as fun with friends & loved ones, and everything else that makes you smile.

Happy quilting,

Sharon