Craft #2 - Mug Rugs

I've been seeing lots of photos, posts and tutorials about 'mug rugs' in and around the crafty interweb, and decided that as my second craft in the 52 week challenge, I would finally get around to making a set.

I've been meaning to get making a set for a while, as the 'mug rug' appeals to me for a number of reasons

1. They are basically mini-quilts, and I like the idea of making a one-day project that involves all the elements of a patchwork quilt.
2. I like that making mug rugs might give me a chance to try out fabric combinations and pattern blocks while putting my test patches to use.
3. I like the idea that we can brighten up tea/coffee time a little bit with these little placemats. Although they are by no means necessary, they make a nice gift and are great for those special times where we sit down and have a catch-up over a cuppa.

Although there are a range of mug rug tutorials out there, I took my cue from "That Girl" (aka. Jennifer) of "That Girl... That Quilt" fame. I particularly liked her mug rug tutorial because it incorporated a blend of cotton and linen fabric, and added the extra feature of a pocket for biscuits, tea bags, spoons, and what not.

Her tutorial is easy to follow for those who are comfortable putting together a basic piece of patchwork as a starting point, and gives a nice, clear explanations for making the pocket and applying the binding. For those who may not be experience enough to build a patchwork top, you could easily attempt your first mug rug with just one well chosen piece of patterned fabric for your top, and then focus just on the pocket and binding techniques.

My work in progress as I follow Jennifer's tutorial.

In the end I was really pleased with what I came up with, and love the combination of linen and cotton prints.

Many thanks to Jennifer for allowing me to follow her tutorial and feature it in my 52-week challenge.

My little set of mug rugs are going sale this week on ebay - so please visit the auction and bid generously!