Shining Stars Banner & Mug Rug

I must be getting better at embroidering and appliquéing because I finished my latest "Party with Patrick" project in two days.  

It's a cute small Christmas banner called "Shining Stars". 

But... I almost ruined the banner. 

I can't believe I did this!

I had finished everything except the binding and grabbed my rotary cutter to even up the edges.   

You can imagine how sick I felt when I saw that I had accidentally sliced through the border fabrics and batting about 1/4 inch in on one side. 

What to do!  

I sure as heck didn't want to start over and I didn't want to rip the cut side border out and replace it.  

Turning a mistake into an enhancement!

I finally decided to take the same border Santa Claus fabric and cut a flange for each edge and layer it over the existing border covering the cut area completely.  

I added a decorative quilting stitch in gold thread over the flange folded edge to tack it down on top.  

I figured the binding would fold over to cover the cut backing fabric underneath.  

Last step is to hand sew the binding down.

My flange solution added interest to the border and turned my error from a potential disaster to a positive enhancement.

Project saved!  

I like using the Santa Claus fabric as the background fabric for the mug rug.

This design was so easy to do I whipped up another one to use as a mug rug.  

I was ready to sew on the binding when I realize I didn't cut the binding on the bias as I should have because the mug rug is a round shape.

Errrrr….. 

So I set it aside and will cut another binding on the bias.

   

This will be a round mug rug when I am finished.

These little mug rugs are so cute.  

This one I'm keeping for myself.

Everyday I take down more Christmas decorations.

The trees will be the last thing I put away.

Sorry I'm still showing Christmas stuff.

I know most of you are sick of it and have moved on.

So you will be pleased to know that today I embroidered a Valentine Heart that I will frame.   

Still Christmas Here...

I must make one of these for next Christmas!

Oh, yes...it's still Christmas here. 

However, I did start taking down some of the Christmas decorations today. 

Most of you probably will agree after a while it looks more like clutter than decoration and then I'm ready for a cleaner look.

In the meantime we're enjoying the cold weather by staying indoors - it's too cold to tackle the outside Christmas lights yet. 

Isn't this Mickey & Minnie Mouse bedding cute!

I've never seen it for sale though at any Disney store.

Yesterday I went to my monthly Embroidery Club. 

We downloaded this beautiful snowflake design to machine embroider and then ironed on crystals to enhance the design.

I may take this piece of fabric and make it into a  cute little bed pillow!

  I picked up my "Party with Patrick" project pattern for December.

My sewing store hosts these monthly events but it appears you can also join the fun on-line too (for a fee).   

The project is a Christmas Banner called "Shining Stars".

Luckily I already bought the digital pattern for the ornament.

I won't be able to use the banner this Christmas but I should have it made for Christmas 2014. 

I picked out my fabric fat quarters yesterday and I'm anxious to start the project.

As far as crocheting... 

I decided to try my hand at crocheting an "Elf on a Shelf" soft toy.  

So far the legs and main body are done. 

Pattern and information (here).

All the little kids are crazy about the "Elf on a Shelf"!

Have a wonderful day and stay WARM!

We are having single digits here in SE PA!  

Burrr…...