Quilted Christmas Mug Rug tutorial
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share a commission.Looking for a fast and easy gift for Christmas? A quilted Christmas mug rug would be perfect and this tutorial to make one takes no time at all.
Fast and Easy Christmas Mug Rug Tutorial
What is really fun about making mug rugs is that they are a great way to try out a new block, play around with your quilting or applique and have something cute to show it. These make wonderful gifts also.
A 6½” x 8″ mug rug
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 squares of green fabric
- Cut 1 – 2 1/2 inch square of white fabric
- Cut 4 – 2 1/2 inch half square triangles using the Easy Angle ruler of red fabric
- Cut 4 – 2 1/2 inch half square triangles using the Easy Angle ruler 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.
Easy Angle Ruler
The Easy Angle Ruler is great to use for half-square triangles. If you don’t have one then cut squares 2 7/8 inch and cut diagonally.
Sew with a ¼” seam allowance. Stitch the half-square triangles together first. Here is the layout for the block pieces.
Piece the rows together.
Now add the 1 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch strips to two sides.
Now the little Christmas mug rug is pieced and ready for some applique to it.
I used the Sizzix Tattered Flower die which has been discontinued but you could use any type of flower applique. AccuQuilt has several floral dies like this GO! Round Flower. You could also just skip this step.
I have a template for a flower that you can download and use.
Get the free PDF in my library!
Here is the finished Christmas mug rug block. If you don’t care to do applique, this would still make a cute mug rug for Christmas.
Applique
Use Heat n Bond Lite to back the piece of fabric you’ll use for the flower before cutting it out for applique. Normally I would also cut a small circle for the center of the flower but I had this neat Christmas fabric that worked perfectly for the center.
Here is the little flower cut from the fabric and ready to applique. You can applique before or after to add the batting and backing. I chose to applique afterwards.
Quilting
It is now time to quilt the mug rug. 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 zigzag stitch.
It doesn’t really show so I drew some black lines to show where I pieced the batting. On the right side toward the bottom I sewed 2 pieces of batting together and then added another piece to the top.
Here is a closeup to show you how I did the free-motion applique and quilting. First I free-motion quilted the center flower with a cream Aurifil thread and then I switched to a red Aurifil thread for the rest of the quilting on my vintage Singer sewing machine.
Adding corners for a wall hanging
When I was making this I wasn’t sure if it would be a mug rug or maybe a mini wall hanging so I decided to put corners on the back so it could be hung.
I used four 2½-inch squares of fabric that matched my backing.
I couldn’t get a photo to really show how I did it so I’m showing the muslin just so you can see it better. Fold each square diagonally and pin it in the corners.
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 like a 1/8 inch dowel rod as there really isn’t any weight. I like to baste the corners down before I put on my binding.
Normally I cut my binding 2½” but for this little mug rug, 2¼” was wide enough.
I did a little free-motion applique around the flower and here it is finished. I sure wish I could make full-size quilts this fast! Wouldn’t this make a wonderful gift for that special someone? Especially with some homemade cookies!
Quilted Christmas Mug Rug
6½” x 8″
If you like this tutorial and make a little Christmas mug rug, I would love to see it!
Other Christmas Tutorials
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About Connie
Hi, I’m Connie Kresin Campbell, the quilter, writer, and photographer behind Freemotion By the River. I enjoy inspiring others with my quilt tutorials and patterns. You’ll also see my sweet adopted dogs from time to time.
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I love this. Simple. Cute. Fast. And the applique flower just makes it shine!
Connie,
Thank you for the cute Christmas Mug Rug tutorial. Sometimes I make mug rugs and stuff them to make small decorative pillows. One might have to make some mug rugs a little larger.
Good Morning Connie Dear. November is already taking flight. The clocks are turned back and the race is on through the holidays. Love your Mug Rug. I am here to enjoy my Serene Sunday. Blessings my friend.
I love this. I made it the last time you had it on. I also used the pattern to make Buffalo Bills, Sabres and military ones for different family members.
Thank you for such a sweet and easy pattern.
Thank you again for such a nice Xmas mug rug. I’m trying to get a November lap size quilt done soon and when that’s done I’ll start on this cute mug rug.
I love my Easy Angle Ruler!!! Should also have the Campanion Ruler for making Flying Geese.
Thank you Connie for sharing your Christmas Rug Mug, it is sweet! I am glad Sadie is feeling better. We love our little fur babies and it is so scary when they are sick. Take care and MERRY CHRISTMAS.
What a beauty! It will certainly be on my list to make before Christmas. Thanks so much for all of your wonderful tutorials.
What a cute mug rug for Christmas!
Oh Ms. Connie – the mug rug is adorable! Thank you so very much for sharing your talents with all of us!
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Really adorable!!
What a great tutorial! Mind if I post a link to it on my blog?
Both mug rugs are so very cute! I am hoping Santa doesn't forget to bring me a little Sizzix 😉
Thank you for sharing. Ellyx
how kind of you Connie ,its gorgeous.xx
I love it! Curious…what do you hang the dowel on?
Good morning…
Thanks so much for the tutorial…
I'm going try to do one (and we don't know how more after…), I'll show you, be sure.
Hugs
Maria Rosalia
Your mug rug is so festive,Connie,I love it! Just might have to make up a few of these as last minute gifts 🙂 Thanks so much for the tutorial.
Gotta Love those 50% off coupons at Joann's!
These are both so cute! Thank you bunches for the tutorial. Merry Christmas
Perfect tutorial for Christmas. Thank you for taking the time and mentioning the ruler, which I have and have never used.
I made my first mug rugs today to practice free motion quilting. Do I wash them to get the "quilting effect" like I do my quilts? I'm also making pot holders the same way. I've giving them as gifts and want to make sure they still look new.
Thanks!
Awesome tutorial Connie. I really love this little mug rug. Thank you.
Great ideas on the mug rugs!
Just love the mug rug!!!!!
Great tute. Thank you.
Love your MR. Especially the flower in the center and the FM applique. Nice.
Oh my Connie, this is a sweet mug rug for the holidays! Thanks for sharing…Judith, Texas
Love this Connie… hope to try it later in the week!
Thanks for the great tutorial. Your mug rug turned out beautiful.
I'm lovin' it!
Thanks for the tutorial – cute! love the idea of the corners on the back for hanging too.
Thanks for the great tutorial! such a cute mug rug. I love both color ways, but if I had to choose favorite it would be the Christmas one. Lovely project!!!!
I like these . That ruler looks nifty . Ill look out for one
Cute, cute, cute. I pinned it on Pinterest, is that O.K.?
I've never made a mug rug, but you made this look easy. Great idea to make it into a wall hanging. :O)
Both versions of your mug rugs are really lovely. They look so different with different fabrics! The Big Shot is fabulous, isn't it? I've been using scrapbooking dies for a few years on quilt projects and was over the moon when they released the hst, strip dies etc.
Connie, this is very, very cute! It's perfect for the season! And you're right — mug rugs are the perfect tool for playing with a new block or for playing around with a new FMQ pattern, too!! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
This is great! Thank you – I just might try this.
What a fun project. The fussy cut flower center is just the right touch.