More Spring Swap Mug Rug Hugs

Here are my newest Mug Rug creations. This pair were made for my secret friend in the Scrappy and Happy Group Swap. The twist here is that Dorene, the hostess, asked us to post a photo in the album before we mailed them without revealing for whom they were made. What a tease! ;) So here they are! These pretty mugs were paper-pieced using a pattern from Kim Noblin of Block Center.

You may find this and other free block patterns here ...

6" Mug Block

This size block is perfect for mug rug size. I added a couple of narrow cream borders and then a blue band on each size to make the rectangular mat size asked for in the swap.

I hope my "muggee" enjoys her new mug rugs as much as I enjoyed making them for her. :)

Lookee at what lovelies I just received in the mail today from my Mug Rug buddy on the Q&N Swap ...

aren't they "sew" pretty!?

I love pansies! I am hoping next weekend to be planting some of these pretty little flowers in my window boxes and watching them turn the brave little faces to the wind.

Thank you, Denise! I just love 'em!

Now ... back to paper-piecing that long delayed Round Robin border ...

have a happy quilty day! :) Pat

The Mystery Solved

Picture above is the center of my quilt mystery quilt top.

I love this design. Jess is so amazingly creative. This looks complicated, but it was actually very easy to sew following her pattern instructions. One of the quilters on the forum did this in autumn fabrics and it has me wanting to make another one of these quilts this fall with some of the gorgeous fall fabrics in my stash. To buy the pattern, go to The Quilt and Needle shop.

I have the mystery top complete except for the custom borders I am planning. I will need to get more of the golden yellow Fusion if I choose any of the borders I have plugged into my EQ6 as possibilities as this was from my stash and I have enough for the the fabric requirements for Jess's original design only.

I will be putting this aside for a few days anyway as I have to catch up on some other projects, but I hope to have this quilted on on my bed soon!

Have a happy. quilty day! :) Pat

The Pieces to the Puzzle

I am sewing the last of the blocks for my mystery quilt. Here are some of the pieces to the puzzle ...




Well, you did not think I was going to spoil the mystery, did you? ... lol! ;)


I hope to have the center of the top sewn together by tonight. Then I am going to put on a custom border as this is a twin size pattern and I want to make a full-size quilt. Still pondering the extra borders.


Have a happy, quilty day!


:) Pat

New Spring Mystery Quilt

Here are my fabrics. I am cutting and sewing the newest Mystery Quilt Pattern by Jess at the Quilt and Needle.

I love sewing with all my online quilty pals and seeing all the quilts come to life in the special Mystery Quilt Threads. For copyright reasons, these threads are open only to those who have bought the pattern. So I will be posting pictures of my sewing there.

This might seem odd but for a the first few years, Jess made all her mystery patterns free and available to all. Then she became a stay-at-home-Mom and started depending more on the profits of the sales of her patterns and kits to help support her family. Also, I was once browsing a quilt magazine a few months after I had sewn one of these mysteries and was struck by just how similar a pattern in the issue was to Jess's most recent mystery pattern. Maybe it was a just a coincidence.

If you are reading this and wish to join the fun, you may purchase a pattern that will be emailed directly to you here ...

Q&N Spring 2011 Mystery

... and then you will be able to see all the quilts coming together. It is a treat for the eyes! I am always amazed at how different and unique each quilt is because of the fabric choices or the individual modifications.

As always, though, the rest of the forum threads are open to visitors and membership to the forum is free and new friends are always welcome to join and post in all the general forum threads

Have a happy quilty day!

:) Pat

Mug Rug Hugs

Two of the online quilty groups of which I am a member are hosting Spring Mug Rug Swaps. These mini-placemats are sew easy to make and sew much fun!

Above is the photo of the one I sent to my secret "muggee" on the Q&N Forum. Since Denise has now received her gift and has been officially "mugged" I can post the piccies.

There are many cute mug rug patterns and tutorials out there. Next time you pour yourself a cuppa and sit down at the 'puter do a little "Mug Rug" search and you will find lots of these cherry little quilts.

This one I designed myself using the 6" Quick Curves Templates from Eliza's Backporch as a easy cutting tool.

Here are some photos of the sewing fun.

I fussy cut the violets cup from a piece of fabric, which is from the "Flowers of the Month" fabric line, that I received in a swap two years ago and made a strip set in coordinating TOT purples, white and kelly green fabrics to cut the outer template piece for the block. Then I sewed the curve by simply finger folding the two pieces to find and match the center of the curve where I placed one pin as a guide. Once I place this under the presser foot I remove the pin before I sew. Easing the fabric without stretching is the key to sewing a good curved seam. I am always careful to line up the edges and maintain that 1/4" seam until the end. Then I always press the seam towards the inside piece so that the seam lays nice and flat.

When I started piecing curves I used to use a Curvemaster foot, but now I just use my regular 1/4" foot. I used to use tweezers to hold the end edges together, but now it is comfortable just to use my fingers to hold the ends. Once you have done it a few times, curves are really easy and fun. I like "throwing curveballs" in to my quilts these days. To this block I just added another strip of a darker purple fabric as left and right borders. Then I machine quilted it and sewed on the binding strip using my walking foot. After trimming and folding the binding over the edge, I hand-sewed the binding to the back as usual. These little quilts are so quick and easy, that even I can make one in less than two hours.

This little mug rug was one of the last things I made on my "Li'l Bro," my basic Brother sewing machine. Right now he is at the shop being cleaned and cared for while I sew on my shiny new toy ....

I have been drooling over the Janome MC6600p for at least two years but would not spend the money on myself. My hubby wanted to surprise me with this present, but in the end we went together so I could test-run before we made this significant purchase. I brought the makings of another mug rug like the one above and sewed it right there in the store. Sorry, I did not bring my camera with me. As it is, the salesman probably felt I was moving in. I even quilted it there. All I have to finish is the hand-sewing on the binding. That first little quilt made on my new "Sew Sistah" I will be keeping. ;)

I will also be keeping this little mug rug which is a twin sister to the one I sent to Denise. I liked this bright mug rug "sew much" that I made one for myself, too, so I can enjoy my cup of coffee in style while I type this blog post ...



:) Pat