Cutting into my Pips

*Warning! This post contains an overload of the color red!

For a few days, I just looked at my Sherbet Pips...or petted them as I walked by......

But, yesterday, I got out the rotary cutter and started cutting into them.  Oh, so fun! First up, I used one FQ to add a circle to the Big Little George pillow top I'm attempting to create with Lynne at Lily's Quilts. I had so much fun paper piecing the curves and points. 

Now for the scary part......sewing the middle circle on.....with the sewing machine!!!

Yikes!

She swears that it's possible, so I'll give it a try........................

 When I turn it over, it LOOKS like it will work. I need more caffeine before I attempt it, I think! But, don't those little people look so cute...they remind me of my grandies!

Tomorrow is the last day for our MOPS table to meet for this year and I wanted to make a little something for each of the young mothers at my table. I've grown so attached to them as their mentor mom and look forward to remaining friends. The Pips are making another appearance in the mug rugs I'm working on for them.....

 Each of the mug rugs is made with the same fabrics, but I'm quilting each a little differently and the backings vary. (I'm hoping none of my young friends are reading this!)

 I adore the girls on swings fabric. There is so much detail.  Just a warning that you will be seeing this fabric in the various color ways here again, I assure you!

Like a kid, I can hardly wait for tomorrow's Moda Bake Shop entry as it will be starring a quilt tutorial by Lollyquiltz! I hope that you will stop by the Bake Shop blog, take a look at "Love Beads" and leave me a comment so I won't feel so nervous! Be sure and stop back by here, as well, because I'm having a Give-Away tomorrow to celebrate becoming a Moda chef! See you soon!

Easy Peasy Binding for a Mug Rug

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Because I'm crazy about you, I want to give you a little present........ 

It's called the gift of time.

 Admittedly, it's not a lot of time. But, a little here and a little there adds up, right!   

This is a little mug rug that I recently mailed to a good friend. I used a lone quilt block that I found in the drawer, some selvage and a scrap of batting. Here's where the "time" comes in....see the binding? Isn't it pretty? Now look at the back of the mug rug. 

See? It's not really traditional binding at all! But from the front, who can tell? 

So FAST and easy! It takes hardly any time at all! 

Let me show you how.

First, of course, you need to make a mug rug. A little quilt. 

I make mine 6 in. X 8 in. approximately. Layer the quilt, the batting and backing, which is one inch larger on all sides. 

 Quilt as desired. Then, trim the backing to 3/4 inch larger on all sides.

 Press the backing edge in half on all four sides.

 Open out the corners and trim across, leaving 3/8 inch beyond the corner of the quilt.

 Fold the backing corners in half and press.

 Fold the backing around to the front of the quilt and pin in place. At the corners, fold in at an angle to make a mitered corner. (Sorry for the fuzzy picture.) Machine stitch the "fake" binding down on all four sides, being sure to catch the corners. 

 Make a cup of tea, grab a heart cookie, relax and enjoy that extra time saved!

Who knows, you might even have time to make another mug rug in the time it would have taken to add real binding. And since you'll only be looking at the top side when you use your 

little mug rug...who will know?

Have a sweet day, friends.

Mug Rugs

I've been doing a little sewing for Christmas.  These cute mug rugs were so much fun to make.

 Over the years, I have collected quite a few scraps from the "flamingo" projects I have created.  They came in really handy this week, paired with some bold black and white dots (love my polka dots!) to whip up these gifts for my friends in the Pink Flamingo Club. Today was our annual Christmas party, and even though I had to explain to some just what a mug rug was, I think everyone liked the coasters. Some thought they were pot holders and one friend thought she might hang hers on the wall. Silly girls!

 I explained they were meant to hold their cuppa and a snack. What a great invention! Have you made a mug rug yet? There are lots of ideas on flickr.

  If you don't think you have the time to get one done for a last minute stocking stuffer or to hold your coffee cup on Christmas morning, maybe you will be lucky enough to win one.  Hop on over to Homemade Ginger to enter Megan's give away of this mug rug (made by yours truly) and 3 darling hand made cards. Megan has lots of great ideas;  you'll love her blog. (Have you guessed that Megan is my daughter?)

This little selvage mug rug has a very special selvage at the very top....do you see it? Yes, a bit of Amy Butler's new Soul Blossoms that I couldn't resist at the quilt shop this week! Go ahead, try to win it for yourself! Good luck!

Holiday Exchange

Modern Quilt Guild night is always fun.  Last night was no exception, especially because I was accompanied by a great, invisible, blogging friend who is no longer invisible because I've met her in flesh so I know she's real. Oh, you know what I mean! Linda was in town. We met up for supper and drove to the meeting together. At least, I think we drove.  I was talking so much, that I don't actually remember that part.....and I was the one behind the wheel! Well, we made it there and back in one piece. (I think Linda did have to tell me once that the light was green and I could go now, but other than that......)
Linda had never been to a MQG meeting before...none in DesMoines, she says. Yet, anyway! Read about her experience here.

Guild members got a jump on gift giving with a holiday exchange last night.  Here's what was in the gift I brought....... (The fabric leaves were a hint to the contents.)

I've been sewing with Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush fabrics the last few days. They seemed perfect for a fall gift and since mug rugs are so popular right now I decided to try my hand at making one.  

 On the back, I used a scrap of Deb Strain's fall tree fabric. Short strips of Innocent Crush make up the narrow binding.

 The mug rug measures 7"x 9" and is just the right size to hold a cuppa and a snack! Now I want one for myself! It's a fast and easy project. 


The worst part of the gift  exchange was that we drew gifts by having to reveal our ages.  The oldest went first...the youngest last.  Well, I was almost the oldest...I drew second! The gift I chose was made by the youngest in my little exchange group. And it was a goody!! I'm so happy! Lauren, who is a actively marketing her own fun fabric designs on etsy and is hoping to  get picked up by a manufacturer, made this lovely bag . The striped fabric on the chair, used to wrap my gift, is a strike off that she picked up last weekend at the Quilt Market in Houston.  

I'll be using this bag for all kinds of things.  The Heather Bailey and Amy Butler fabrics are perfect for me....even if I was almost the oldest!