Saturday 18 February 2012

Tutorial: Valentine's Mug Rug (Go! Ahead and Show a Little Love blog hop)


Let me start by saying that I love "Flo", my Accuquilt GO! Before I had my Go! I had never ventured much past squares and rectangles in my quilts.. but now I've progressed to curves (LOVE my Drunkard's Path die!), tumbler blocks and even little Sunbonnet Sue!

For my Go! Ahead and Show a Little Love blog hop project I decided to use dies that I'd consider basic essentials - the Value die (which comes with the Go! - and is available for separate purchase with the Go! Baby) and the 2.5" strip die.

If you don't have an Accuquilt cutter, you can still make this project using your acrylic rulers & rotary cutter. :)

You will need:
Main Fabric 
Background Fabric
Border Fabric
Backing Fabric
Binding Fabric (this can be the same as the Main Fabric)
Batting

(Fabric estimates will depend on how many mug rugs you are planning to make... a fat quarter of each fabric should be enough to make 3-4 mug rugs.)

Step 1: Using the Value die cut-
  • 8x 2.5" HSTs (Half Square Triangles) of the Main fabric
  • 8x 2.5" HSTs of the Background fabric
  • 2x 2.5" Squares of the Main fabric
  • 2x 2.5" Squares of the Background fabric

Lay out your pieces, making sure directional prints are going the right way!


 Step 2: Pair the HSTs so that you have one Main Fabric and one Background Fabric per pair. Open out and press seams according to personal preference.


 Step 3: Join "square" blocks as shown below. You should end up with 6x rectangular blocks. Press seams.


 Step 4: Sew rectangle blocks together to form two columns, pressing seams as you go (quick, we need to mend that broken heart!)


Step 5: Join the two halves of your heart together!


 Step 6: Using the 2.5" Strip Die cut a WOF (Width of Fabric) strip of your Border Fabric. I have marked my die so that I can then place my 2.5" strip down the centre of my die and turn it into a 1.25" strip, but you can also do this using your WOF acrylic ruler and rotary cutter. Sew a strip to each end of the heart panel (approx 6.5" long, but I prefer to cut a little longer and then trim back). Press and then sew a strip to the top and the bottom of the heart panel (approx 10"). Press.



 Step 7: Cut your Backing Fabric and Batting slightly larger than your mug rug flimsy. Baste, and then quilt as desired. I decided to ditch stitch around the heart shape and then have a stab at some FMQ using SewCalGal's January FMQ Challenge design.

My attempt at FMQ!
 Step 8: Using the 2.5" Strip Die cut a WOF strip of your Binding Fabric. If you are using fat quarters you will need 2-3 strips. Join your strips using a 45 degree angle and press the seams open to reduce bulk. Press in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.


The bulk of the seam is spread between the two points.


 Step 9: Sew binding to the back of your mug rug using 1/4" seam. (There are lots of great binding tutorials floating around, Luv in the Mommy Hood has done a "round up" of a few different types)


Step 10: Press the binding forward, fold over to the front and pin so that the edge of the binding just covers the stitch line. I forget which blog I originally saw it on, but someone suggested using a decorative stitch to secure the binding to the front - it's fairly forgiving when compared to ditch stitching, and adds an extra level of interest to your design. I used a feather stitch as my machine is rather limited in it's stitch choices, but I liked the effect it gave.

And there you have it!

Your completed mug rug, ready to give to your sweetheart!


Mug rugs for the whole family!
Seriously though, I took one of these to school when I picked the kids up on Valentine's Day and when Blossom came out of her Kindy class I held it up and said "This is how much I love you!". She squealed with delight and asked if it was for her (which it wasn't, really.. I'd just gifted it to her Daddy!) so I said she could have one of my other ones.. She promptly showed it to anyone and everyone who would look.. the other Mums, her teachers, classmates, even the crossing guard! I did the same thing a few minutes later when I picked up Bean to a very similar response (less with the squealing and showing everyone, more with the heart clutching delight) - so I had to run home and finish off the binding on the other two mug rugs so they could have their own! They even slept with them.

I also made a matching table runner! I can post a tutorial for that if anyone's interested.

So what about this giveaway, you ask? Well.. for being so patient and bearing with me during my tutorial I am giving one lucky reader the chance to win a mug rug kit of your own! I will include pre-cut pieces to make the top including borders and the binding, all you will need is your batting and backing. Wait.. what good is one mug rug on Valentine's Day? Better make it enough for two <3

How do you win? Here's are ways you can win (you need to be a follower):

1. Tell me how you spent Valentine's Day. If you don't celebrate Valentine's Day, that's ok - tell me what you did instead! Or just leave a comment.
2. Follow me (and/or tweet about the giveaway) on Twitter.
3. Follow me on Pinterest.
4. Share this post on Facebook and/or blog it.

The winner will be selected using a Random Number Generator on Tuesday 21 February (10:00am Australian Western Standard Time) with the winner notified by email (and on this blog). Please make sure you're able to be contacted by providing an email address or making sure you're not a no-reply blogger :) International entries accepted.

90 comments:

  1. I spent Valentines Day sewing and with my kids. DH did leave a red rose and some Ferrero Rocher before he left for work.

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  2. I am now a humble follower on your Pinterest.

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  3. I sat at home quilting all day

    http://richardquilts.blogspot.com
    Stop by for my quilt givaway to guess my babys b-day and weight.

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  4. I follow you on pintrest.

    http://richardquilts.blogspot.com
    Stop by for my quilt givaway to guess my babys b-day and weight.

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  5. I follow you on reader and saw this on quilt club aus :)

    What a gorgeous mug rug and valentines day pressy! I spent all day at work but got home to a lovely meal cooked by hubby.

    Luellabella(@)live.com.au

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  6. How very cute. Excellent tutorial too. I am looking forward to making this (so please don't pick me). I also pinned this (pinterest). So very cute.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  7. Love the tutorial -- and I can just imagine how much work it takes to prepare one, and take the photos! We didn't do anything special for Valentine's Day this year, just enjoyed the day.

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  8. I am a happy new follower of your blog!

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  9. Love the tutorial---and I'd love to win the kit since I don't have a Go! For Valentine's Day, we went to a couple's banquet that our church hosted with the teen boys serving as waiters. It was very elegant!

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  10. Cute, I'll squeal if I win.

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  11. Love the mug rug. Spent the eve with hubby and family. (and valentine candy, of course...)

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  12. How sweet. I love this. I'm a real heart fan and this is one I'll definitely be making. Thanks for the great tutorial. I like your tablerunner too. Both are so sweet. I went to dinner with my wonderful husband then came home to find out my son had proposed to his girlfriend. What a great day! We will be having a wedding soon! I'm so excited! I follow you and I'll start following you on Pinterest too. Hugs, Linda

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  13. Very cute. All these projects with the AccuQuilt cutter is making my heart flutter...

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  14. These are so adorable!!! Thank you for the wonderful tutorial! These make the perfect little gift to brighten someone's day. I spent Valentine's Day with my daughter this year. She made me wonderful pancakes for breakfast. I loved it!!!

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  15. Hey, I couldn't find you on Pinterest, will you email me your name on there or let me know how to find you....thanks!

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  16. We don't really do Valentine's day, so my day was spent inside watching the snow melt off the roof, and hoping I could get down the driveway to the mailbox without sinking into an inch of mud.

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  17. Cute mug rug! Thanks for the tutorial! I didn't do anythign special for V-day this year. It was just another day.

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  18. I am following your blog via GFC.

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  19. I am following you on Pinterest :)

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  20. Love the Mug Rug!! Shared with all on Facebook.
    SallyKingemail@gmail.com
    www.BabyStepsQuilting.com

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  21. Following on Pinterest!
    SallyKingemail@gmail.com
    www.BabyStepsQuilting.com

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  22. I am now a follower of your site!! Great tutorials.
    SallyKingemail@gmail.com
    www.BabyStepsQuilting.com

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  23. Love the tutorial!! And using the Value die!! Love it! Thanks for sharing!
    P

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  24. What a sweet story! We enjoyed a quiet evening at home. Thanks for the LOVE-ly giveaway!

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  25. Your mug rugs are so cute! I spent Valentines evening at home with DH, just relaxing.

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  26. I tweeted.
    https://twitter.com/#!/MoeWest/status/170900501297233920

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  27. Nice tutorial and very cute mug rug!

    We had a quiet dinner at home and it was lovely.

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  28. Love those mug rugs. I would love to be able to make some, so thank you for the chance.

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  29. What a sweet mug rug and tutorial, thanks for sharing! I'm a follower.

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  30. My husband took me to the ER on Monday for a bad kidney infection, so I spent most of Valentine's Day in bed on meds.
    My sweet hubby brought me a dozen red roses and gave me a card. I managed to make him a blueberry crumble and a bowl of chili.I'm feeling much better now. Thanks for the wonderful tutorial!

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  31. The best part of Valentines day was when I Skyped my Grand daughters back in Saskatchewan. My hubby has been staying with our son and his family while he finishes off some work commitments. They had supper by candlelight and so when I first saw them it was just magical. They were just having dessert and the girls had so many Valentine stories from that day to tell me. The girls even put on dresses for supper!

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  32. We don't really celebrate Valentines Day! instead we spent the day hedge laying!
    How romantic!

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  33. Forgot to say I spent Valentine's Day with my husband the day before because our restaurant couldn't seat us the day of -- actually even nicer because it was relaxed and didn't have the Valentine's Day Pressure on it.

    (wrybbunz@gmail.com)

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  34. This is really cute, and you gave great directions to make it look simple. I love your kids reactions. So cute! I made a Chicken Pot Pie for Valentines Day, and enjoyed some home made cookies. It was also my dog's birthday, so we played! Thanks.

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  35. Thanks for sharing your mug rug - love it.
    Angela
    (theholdens@farmside.co.nz)

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  36. I spent Valentine's Day babysitting my grandniece and we made Valentine's cards together. Your mug rugs are cute.

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  37. I am a new follower per blogspot.
    You are now following The Peony Teacup

    http://thepeonyteacup.blogspot.com/

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  38. i wont one so bad maybe for my birthday

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  39. I spent Valentine's day with my quilt group (my therapy group actually), and we had a wonderful time together.
    Thanks for the giveaway. Marilyn S

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  40. OOh love that fabric you used. What a cute project.
    My Valentine's Day was spent with my hubby who picked up our supper on his way home from our favorite BBQ restaurant. We opted for that rather than going out because we weren't sure when our Granddaughter would make her appearance as her due date was very close. Well, it turned out she decided to make that appearance the Sat before Valentine's Day but the proud parents (my son and his girl) came to spend Valentine's Day evening with us for supper. And this very proud Grandma got to cuddle with her 3 day old Granddaughter ALL night long. It was the best Valentine's Day.

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  41. I am also now a follower of your blog. Thank you again.

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  42. I spent valentines baby sitting my grandson so his parents could go to dinner and a movie.

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  43. I celebrated Valentine's Day by having lunch with my hubby at a favorite restaurant. There were also red roses and a box of dark chocolates involved. And cards.

    Love your mug rugs!

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  44. I'm a follower, and I'm following you on Pinterest.

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  45. We didn't do Valentine's day. In fact, we rarely do. Instead, we took off to go view a house (we're house hunting), had homemade pizza and watched TV real late. :-)

    Thank you for a chance to win an awesome kit!

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  46. I am a new follower and I tweeted! (@dlk3265)

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  47. I now follower you in Pinterest! :-)

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  48. My husband and I exchanged cards and had a nice dinner at our favorite restaurant. Cute mug rugs.

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  49. I spent Valentine's Day getting lots of hugs and kisses from my littlest Valentine and sharing a big ol' box of chocolate that I got from my big Valentine.

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  50. and posted your giveaway on FB.

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  51. my husband and I watched the Westminster Dog show on tv - which we never really watch anything! made him some veggie chili and cornbread and had a nice evening. thanks for the lovely tutuorial and giveaway! I love your use of the Value Die!

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  52. I am a new follower! thank you for a great blog!

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  53. I follow you on Twitter as KShahann.

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  54. I shared it on facebook as Kathy Schaller Snider.

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  55. I spent Valentine's Day just having a home-cooked dinner with my Sweetie (husband) and the little Sweetie (4 1/2 year old son.)

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  56. My husband surprised me with a beautiful heart charm for my bracelet and of course some chocolate!:) I love these mug rugs- so cute!!

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  57. Oh this is a wonderful blog
    I am a follower
    My husband had dinner for me when I got home for work
    So romantic
    Lori Smanski
    quilting-lady@comcast.net

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  58. I now follow you on this blog. Have really enjoyed looking at archived tutorials. Thanks MS

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  59. My husband was out of town on Valentines, but when he arrived back home at 10 p.m., he had a dozen red roses for me. He never gives me flowers, and we've been married for 34 years!

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  60. I am now following your Tweets! Follow mine at MtnQuiltworks.

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  61. I'm now following your Blog - excellent!

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  62. Tracey - looked at all your Pins and now following. Fun, fun!

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  63. We just have a dinner in our favorite restaurant.

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  64. I'm follower on twitter and here.
    Tweeted - https://twitter.com/hueisei/status/171248859450839041

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  65. Cute love rug mugs. And I like the tabletopper too. We went to dinner the night before Valentines thinking to beat the rush. The restuarant was busy but we stil got served in a timely manner, unlike other years when a valentine restaurant dinner was definitely less than optimum. Other than that we didn't do anything different.

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  66. This was my first time visiting your blog. It was a lot of fun reading the tutorial for your mug rugs. I would love to win your kit, but if not then I can make my own. Thanks
    Jerry Beavers jerrybeavers2@comcast.net

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  67. I love to make mug rugs but haven't tried any as elaborate as your beautiful ones. My husband and I went out for breakfast on valentines' day .

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  68. Thank you for sharing the lovely tutorial. I hope you will also share the tutorial for the place mat. I think your children's reaction to the heart mug rug was adorable. How lovely to know that they appreciated what you made for them.
    I've been married for 39 years so Valentine's Day is rather low key at our house. I love tuna fish salad, but hate to make it. For lunch on Valentine's Day, my sweet husband mad me lunch complete with tuna fish salad and my favorite dill pickles.

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  69. I follow your blog by email.

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  70. Very cute mug rug....it would be a cute candle mat also dual purpose...LOL
    We have been a little short on money...so we had a romantic dinner at home.....candles and champagne. It was much more fun......

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  71. I spent Valentine's day evening with DH. We took the dog for a walk and the night sky was filled with northern lights in brilliant greens. Very lovely!

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  72. This Valentine I was flying home from being with my grandson and DIL for a few weeks. My son is in the USMC and was at training as he will be deploying for Afghanistan in April. Anytime I get to be grandma is a great time and am so happy my grandson and my DIL will be close by while my son is deployed.

    Thanks for a neat giveaway and a chance to win. Your mugs are awesome. Love red and white!

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

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  73. I'm a new follower or your blog and you on Twitter. I also tweeted about your giveaway. (@usairdoll)

    Thanks again for a chance to win.

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

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  74. I'm a new follower on Pinterest.

    Thanks again for your neat giveaway and a chance to win.

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

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  75. these are so sweet, oh, I will clean up and sew a little, then have a quiet supper with hubby of 38yrs and go catch a movie

    thank you for an opportunity to enter your give-way
    Shared,
    tweeted
    following on pinterest

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  76. Very good article. Thanks for sharing such information. I've also found some interesting information about mug rugs.

    rugs NZ

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