Mug Rugs

One item I learned to make about 14 years ago is Mug Rugs. It was an impromptu learning lesson in a quilting shop. I think I made a few for Christmas presents that year and put a sample away for future reference.

Fast forward to 3 years ago. I made 6 Christmas tree napkins, matching placemats and mug rugs. I showed them at "Count Down to Christmas" in Beaverlodge and they were an immediate hit. All you need is some fabric and about an hour to make 4 of these.

Step One
Cut out 5 squares of fabric 5" square. Three are to be in one fabric and 2 in another. Use higher contrast fabrics for best results. My fabrics have the brown in common with one being a suede look and the other cowboy ropes.



Step Two
Lay one of the three squares right side up on your work surface. There will be 4 squares left - two of each fabric.


Step 3
Fold and press the 4 remaining fabrics into triangles wrong sides together. Everything is now ready to assemble.


Step 4
Lay the first triangle onto the square as shown. I used the contrast fabric to show how it lays. Triangle corner to a corner in the square and bias part going diagonally across the base fabric. Pin in place.


Step 5
Lay the second piece of fabric on as follows. I always move clockwise to the next corner. Pin in place moving any pins underneather to the top. I pin the points and the corner.

Step 6
Repeat with contrast colour. Pin in place bringing hidden pins to the top.


Step 7
Put on last triangle. When you lay it on, it will look like this. I pinned it down to make sure all the points were in place. I rotated my item 1/4 turn.



Remove the pins from the left hand side of the first triangle. Lift that end up and place it over top of the 4th fabric like so:


It should now look like this


Step 8
Stitch 1/4" around the outside edge. When I come to each corner, I make sure the needle is down between the two points before I turn the fabric.


Step 9
Cut the corners on the diagonal


Step 10
Turn your mug rug right side out through the the center X of the triangles. Using a pointer, push out the corners


Step 11
Crisp up your sewn edges (I roll to do this) and press well.


And it is ready to use.


I hope this helps you making your own mug rugs. I know I turn my fabric to work on it easily so you may have to turn yours also to line it up to look like mine.

Christmas Tree Napkins

Every year people showcase the items they make for Christmas gifts or for themselves. It is so exciting to look at what is made. Most of the time, the items are new to me but, on occasion, they are items I have made.

My memory was jarred when a person showed her gorgeous Christmas tree napkins. Here is where you can see them:

http://imadethis-asewingblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-tree-napkin-this-is-very.html

The instructions can be obtained here:

http://lynbrown.com/?p=512

I thought where are mine (they have been moved around a couple of times) and I dug them out. I had made 6 napkins, 6 placemats, and 6 mug rugs. And they have never been used. I saw the pattern at Around the Block and the owners challenged me to make some for the Count Down to Christmas sewing day (12 hours long). I did and made the placemats and mug rugs.

Here are some pictures:



The complete set of 6.


The napkins.


The mug rugs.
I ended up doing a demonstration of the mug rugs at Count Down to Christmas and by the time Christmas arrived, Around the Block had sold most of its fat quarters. There were literally hundreds of mug rugs given as gifts that year.


One napkin folded into threes. Love this way much better.

Here is a video on another way to make Christmas Tree Napkins. Cute idea.