Friday, July 8, 2011

A new mug rug... or is it a pot holder?

Here's a new pattern I came up with to make a mug rug or potholder using a few paper hexagons. (See bottom of this post for how-to)...
This month I have a class at Hearts to Holly teaching English Paper Piecing. Thought this would be an easy project for someone who wants to give it a try but not make a HUGE quilt.
Wouldn't this be a nice baby quilt if maybe a dozen or so of these blocks were joined together? I just might have to make one...
Yeah... so I'm hooked on paper piecing... I really enjoy it... It gives me something portable to work on when Al and I are traveling plus something to take to "chattertime" on Friday mornings. Right now I'm doing Seven Sisters (with diamond paper pieces), a set of dresden circle blocks that are in 30's on aqua background, and a block of the month sample for the quilt shop that has paper pieces in parts of it.

So the past few weeks (when I wasn't sick in bed), I worked on the new block of the month from Moda that the lqs got in. It's going to be a store sample and it's coming along nicely. When I get a little farther along I take a picture. It's all in 30's, which I love, and mostly in primary colors. The challenging part of this quilt will be the scalloped border but it's also one of the things I like best about it.

For the Mug Rug:
I purchased some 1" (I think) hexagon papers (www.paperpieces.com or your local quilt shop).

Stitch 7 together to form the hexagon flower (if you need a how-to on English paper piecing, www.paperpieces.com has one. It's under the tab BASICS). I used dots in the center with solid and gingham alternating around the center.

Cut a square backing piece about an 1-1/2" larger than the largest measurement of the paper pieced flower. This will allow for seam allowance. I used aqua solid.

Applique the flower to the background then flip it over and carefully cut away the background that is UNDER the flower but no closer than 1/4" to your stitching... This will allow you to take out the papers.

Press.

Cut 4 border pieces the length of your background block and 1-1/2" wide. I used my dots again. 
Cut 4 corner pieces 1-1/2" square. I used a 30's repro print.

Attach a border piece to each side of your center.
Attach a corner piece to each short end of the two remaining border pieces, then stitch these on the top and bottom of your center.

Your mug rug FRONT is done.
 
Now all you have to do is find a backing scrap, a batting scrap, quilt it and bind it.

8 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Very cute little project to begin with - nicely done.

Impera Magna said...

I'd call it "perfect"!!!

Great job...

Rebecca P said...

So cute Deb, love the red & white.
I would love to visit you for a lesson on PPing.
Happy summer.
Rebecca

Trina said...

Beautiful. would you offer a pattern for it?

Trina

Northern Deb said...

Trina, I'll send you a copy of the pattern if you send me your address. I did turn it into a pattern so that I had something to give in my class. I can scan a copy (pdf file) and email it to you or mail you a hard copy.

Browndirtcottage said...

Well, no matter what it's used for it's just pretty darn cute!!

Anonymous said...

MUY BONITAS TODAS LAS LABORES,FELICIDADES,,,,UN SALUDO,,,,DESDE ,,(ESPAÑA).

Northern Deb said...

Gracias!

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