Square Mug Rugs

My fun project was mug mats. Instead of round, I made these square and put a lady bug into the square.

Rather than move on, I decided to do a small tutorial on this. As I am using free designs and a tweaked pattern, all is well.
The ladybug is a free design found at Sew Forum You need to register and log in to see and get the design (I bookmarked the page prior to registering so it was easy to find it again). When you have downloaded the design, bring it up in your software and center it the 100x100 hoop. Do any colour changes (which I did). Rather than have grey, I used black twice. Then I added the square part, which can be found at Sew Forum. Remember you need to be logged in to get the design. Center it on top of the ladybug and save the design.
You will need the following supplies
9” square of plain fabric (cotton or linen/cotton blend)
9” square of fusible interfacing
2 – 9” squares of organza (I used white but have used pink when the fabric was pink)
5” square of backing
5” square of batting
embroidery thread and bobbins. When I use light coloured fabric, I use a light coloured thread on the bobbin until the last stitch out and then I will use the same colour as the top thread.
Steps:

1. Fuse the interfacing onto the fabric. Lay fabric on top of the 2 pieces of organza and pin together so they don’t slip.
   
   
2. Bring up the design on your sewing machine.
   
   
3. Hoop the fabric into the 100 x 100 hoop and put into the machine. Begin to stitch out the design.
   
   
4. When the ladybug is fully stitched, stitch the next colour (colour 4), which is the first round of the square. Cut your thread and remove hoop from the machine. Do not unhoop the fabric.
   
   
5. The back of the fabric.
   
   
6. Spray baste the backing fabric to the batting and then spray baste the batting to the back of the hoop covering the stitching.
   
   
7. Stitch out the next colour (2nd colour of square) and cut the threads. Remove the hoop from the machine but do not un hoop the fabric. Turn over so you see the backing fabric.
   
   
8. Using small scissors, cut the backing close to the stitching line.
   
   
9. Cut the top fabric and interfacing a good one-quarter inch from the stitching line. Do not cut the organza.
   
   
10. Then cut close to the stitching line being careful not to cut the organza.
    
    
11. Change the bobbin colour to match the colour of the top thread. Put the hoop back onto the sewing machine and stitch the last colour. Remove the hoop from the machine.
    
    
12. Remove the fabric from the hoop. There will be a piece of fabric that will be loose and you discard that.
    
    
13. You are left with a coaster that has only the organza left attached to the design.
    
    
14. Cut around the mug mat close to the stitching. Discard the left over organza.
    
    
15. The finished mug mat front.
    
    
16. The back.
    
    

Make 3 more for a set of 4. Enjoy making these for yourself or for gifts.