Festive Cushions - My First Sewing Lesson for 25 years

Forgive my model's dirty face...he had just finished a mug of Hot Chocolate.  (That is my mug of tea in shot!)  He is enjoying a cosy winter evening under his Granny Square Blanket on the sofa, watching TV.  He loves the weekends.  Euan is almost as proud of these 'Festive Cushions' as I am.  He was fascinated by sewing machine shenanigans!  I think he is going down with a lurgy as he is sneezing a snuffly, so curling up on the sofa is a great remedy.
The cushions are a result of reading too many ideas from Dottie Angel.  They are hot off the sewing machine in this picture and need pressing and buttons added.  Euan did want them immediately though and they are in use as I type!  I have never used my sewing machine before and I took it to my Mom's today, where we fathomed it out together.  I have not touched a sewing machine for 25 years.  I some how broke a needle at school and remember it hurting, so I am very wary of sewing machines...I spent more time in the queue for the teacher than actually sewing and never completed a single item.  My heart nearly leaped out of my chest today as soon as I started the foot pedal!  I was pretty scared.  I spent a lot of time breaking thread and threading the machine....is that normal?  I did it over twenty times!  I am delighted though that I have sewn semi straight lines and turned two 'Christmas Tea Towels' into cushions.  I did not think I would be able to do that!  I won't be making a wedding dress any time soon, but I can sew two tea towels together, whhooo hooo!

I would not give you a close up at this stage in my sewing career though!  I have been looking at craft with 'Tea Towels' on the net and can feel an obsession coming on.  18 Clever Dish Towel Ideas - Is my favourite so far :)  You can get some lovely tea towels and they are very durable and inexpensive.  I am thinking in the new year to make matching chair cushions for the dining chairs.  I am going to look for 'Cup Cake' Tea Towels.