Christmas mug rug tutorial

Pin It Does this look like the same mug rug as yesterday? It is, just in different fabrics. I'll share a fast and easy tutorial with you. What I really like about mug rugs is that they are a great way to try out a new block, play around with your quilting and have something cute to show for it.......or give it as a gift!

We are going to make a mug rug that is 6 1/2 inches by 8 inches. There isn't a set size for mug rugs....I make some smaller and some larger. This one starts out with a 6 inch block.

• Cut 4 - 2 1/2 inch square green fabric
• Cut 1 - 2 1/2 inch square white fabric
• Cut 4 - 2 1/2 inch half square triangles using the Easy Angle of red fabric
• Cut 4 - 2 1/2 inch half square triangles using the Easy Angle of white fabric
• Cut 2 - 1 1/2 inch by 6 1/2 inch strips of red fabric

If you don't have the Easy Angle ruler just use any method to end up with half square triangles that are 2 1/2 inches. This is the neatest little ruler and everyone should have one. Use a 50% off coupon at Jo-Ann Fabrics for one.

Piece your block together.

Now add the 1 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch strips to two sides.  I don't know if you noticed but in the last photo the strips were actually 1 1/4 inch.....oops...then when I sewed them on I realized they were too narrow.

Now we have our mug rug ready to add some applique to it. I used a Sizzix die but you could use any type of applique or skip that part.

Normally I would have added a circle to the center but I had this cut piece of Christmas fabric with a neat flower so I added Heat n Bond Lite to it.

Here you can see that I fussy cut the flower to use as the center.

I'm now ready to quilt, I don't know if you can see or not but my mug rugs are usually made with my batting scraps that have been butted together and put together with a zig zag stitch. 

I'm not sure if this will actually be used as a mug rug or a mini wall hanging so I decided to put corners on the back so it can be hung. I used 4 - 1/2 inch squares of fabric that matched my backing (I'm showing the muslin just so you can see it better).

Fold each piece diagonally.

Pin in corner, I used one in each corner in case I wanted to hang it vertically or horizontally. The photo shows a 1/4 inch dowel which is too big for a mug rug, I prefer a much smaller one as there really isn't any weight.  I like to baste the corners down before I put on my binding.

I strip of  2 1/4 inch by the width of fabric was enough for the binding on this little mug rug.

I did a little free motion applique around the flower and here it is as a mini wall hanging. I sure wish I could make full size quilts this fast!