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!