February Christmas Thru the Year Done!

My February Christmas Through the Year projects are done!  I made three scissors holders, with matching thread catchers.  These were patterns from Primitive Gatherings.  The thread catchers were a free pattern that may still be available on their website.  They were quick to make.  The scissors holders were a little more challenging, since you have to apply bias binding all around.

It's nice to get Christmas projects done already!

January UFO Done!

After seeing some of the beautiful quilts on the February UFO link, my project seems pretty wimpy.  But this one was a challenge on so many levels - I'm really glad it's done!

This table mat was a kit.  The snowflakes were die-cut, thank goodness, or this really would never have been completed.  The only problem is that they're so small, I had to handle them really carefully or the edges would shred.  I like to put Steam-A-Seam on all my wool before I cut it out, so that it has a nice edge and never ravels.  I think that would have helped these snowflakes a lot.  The snowflakes were Challenge #1.

Challenge #2 was that these were supposed to be sewn down (by hand) with metallic thread.  Ugh.  Does anyone have a good relationship with metallic thread?  I sure don't - after many knots, shredding, cursing, etc., I gave up and used floss on the rest of the snowflakes.  So only the blue ones have the metallic thread.  I do like the look it gives, but what a pain to work with!

Challenge #3 was beads.  My relationship with beads is only slightly better than my relationship with metallic thread!  But they're on there, by golly!

So, now that it's done, I really love it, and I'm also glad I don't have to make any more!  I've had this kit in a partially-finished state for probably four years.  I would pick it up and after about a half hour with that metallic thread, put it away again for another six months. 

I'm looking forward to tackling #1 for February.  It's a fall theme, so we'll see if I can channel some energy to work on a fall project in the winter!