Completed projects, Woo-Hoo :-)

Dear Friends, we're in the last few hours of preparation for Christmas . . . I chose to take a "less-is-more" philosophy this Christmas:  minimal decorating and baking, reduced shopping.  So, here I am calmly (for the most part) sitting and writing.  I have managed to finish a few gifts for Christmas and am thrilled about that!

Table runner ready to sew

Working on the table runner

     Last year I made a table runner for my SIL in Christmas fabrics.  But, it was only a "top" without backing or quilting . . . so I took it back that day (bad Kimmie!) and brought it home to finish.  It took me a year, but I did finish it.  I actually made a second table runner in the same pattern with different fabric as the "back" so my SIL could use the runner more than just at Christmas time. I layered it right sides together with batting, sewed the edges together with an opening to turn it right side out.  I hand quilted it to secure the layers and wrapped it up!  Yeah :-) one more project done! I will post a picture of both sides once my SIL has unwrapped it.

     I joined a scarf-of-the-month club at the yarn shop in Rutland, Green Mountain Fibers.  I signed up for the 6 month club (one every other month) knowing that a 12 month club would just be WAY too many UFO's for me!  I  finish two of the scarves (I gave the yarn and pattern to a friend one month; it was lace yarn and that's not one of my favorite yarns to work with).  One I gave away to a friend without taking a picture of it, but here is a link on Ravelry to show you what it was like.  The pattern is called "Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks" and it is a beautiful star stitch perfect for the variegated yarn in blues and greens.  My friend Cindy loved it and it looked wonderful with her coat!  She promised to send me a photo someday!

Patty's scarf

     I finished the second scarf earlier in the year as a gift for another friend here in VT.  The pattern is entrelac using Noro Silk Garden, a variegated yarn that looks like I changed colors every few rows or so.  It was fun to do and I look forward to making another one at some point.  I washed it in lavender Eucalan and then added some hair condition as suggested by my LYS helper . . . the scarf looks beautiful, is now soft and smells fabulous!
     A few weeks ago I decided I should count my UFO's . . . that probably wasn't the brightest idea I've ever had!  I stopped counting after 45 projects (some actual UFO's and some only wanna-be UFO'S).  When I stopped counting I had only counted my quilting UFO's and I hadn't even begun counting my knitting UFO's or my mending pile or things I should be making for the Inn.  It is all just better left uncounted!  I'll just get to it when I get to it!  So here's to having three projects off my list . . . Woo, Hoo!  
     Hope all of your stitches are happy ones!  Have a wonderful Christmas and New Years.
     All the best,
     Kim