Autumn on the Table

Totem Mug Rug - One of ten patterns 
from the Halloween & Thanksgiving Mug Rug book

The nights are turning cooler and the leaves are beginning to change colour.  So I am changing the mug rugs in my house to welcome the Autumnal season into my home.

Mug rugs are such a quick and easy way to create a homely touch.  You can use novelty charm squares (5" squares) as in this Quilt-as-you-Go pattern from my Halloween & Thanksgiving pattern book (also available via Amazon):

QAYG Halloween Fun

Or you can use shades of green, red, brown, yellow or orange from your stash:  

Pumpkin Patch Mug Rug Pattern

You can even turn a pumpkin into a Jack-o-Lantern with a touch of black fabric or felt:

Included in the Pumpkin Patch Pattern

And whilst you are finding scraps of black felt - look for some white to make a couple of fish-bones to add to the Moonlit Cat mug rug:

Moonlit Cat Mug Rug Pattern

The Moonlit Cat pattern is available as a single pattern or as part of the Halloween & Thanksgiving pattern book.  Either way you will also receive the Scaredy Cat version to make as well:

Moonlit Scaredy Cat Pattern
(included with the Moonlit Cat Pattern)

If pennies or time are short then just make a coaster using part of a mug rug pattern:  

Click on the image for the instructions for these spooky coasters

Whatever fabrics you choose to use - a mug rug pattern will help you create a little bit of fabric art for your home this season.   The Patchsmith's Halloween & Mug Rug pattern book will take you from Halloween to Thanksgiving with ten delicious mug rug patterns:

Available in PDF format from Etsy
or Paperback format via Amazon

So join with the Patchsmith this season and enjoy some eerily frugal fabric fun.  Until next time.................

The Perfect Summer Sewing Project

English Rose Mug Rug Pattern

I love summer - spending time outside at the shoreline or on the South Downs.  I also love sewing but, as the temperature rises, I do not want to spend too long inside over a warm sewing machine and a hot iron.  That is why mug rug making is the perfect summer sewing project.

Flag Holidays Mug Rug
from Special Days Pattern Book

Mug rugs are quick to make - some as quick as an hour or two (you can always hand finish the binding sat on a picnic rug).  

Photography Mug Rug
from Hobby & Fun Pattern Book

Mug rugs use whatever fabrics you have to hand meaning less time spent shopping for supplies and more pennies for an ice-cream cone or afternoon tea.

Tea and Cake Mug Rug

And, with just a little time and very little cost, you can create a unique, handmade gift for family, friends or even yourself.  Leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors.

Swimmer Mug Rug

What a perfect reminder of those lazy, summer sewing days. 

The Patchsmith's Summer Fun Pattern Book

The Patchsmith's Summer Fun Paperback 

There is a new Patchsmith mug rug pattern book available - Summer Fun Mug Rug Patterns.  Included are ten fun patterns to help you bring summer home.  Six of the mug rug patterns are from my most popular summer patterns available individually on Etsy. Such as:

Butterfly Pocket Mug Rug

Watermelon Mug Rug

Beach Huts Mug Rug

All of these patterns are available in my Etsy store (just click on the photos above to go through to the individual pattern).

However, there are four patterns in the Summer Fun book that are unique to this book:

Flower Garden Mug Rug 

Ticker Tape Mug Rug

Topiary Trees Mug Rug

Harbourside Mug Rug

The Summer Fun pattern book is currently only available in paperback via Amazon but I am finalizing the PDF version and will let you know as soon as it is up and ready in my Etsy store.

St Patrick's Day Mug Rugs

 

St Patrick's Day version of Nordic Gnomes Mug Rug 

Sometimes all it takes is an additional free pattern sheet to turn a mug rug into a season special.  So it is with my Nordic Gnomes Mug Rug pattern.

Nordic Gnomes Mug Rug Pattern

With every purchase you receive an additional pattern sheet to turn the Nordic Gnomes into St Patrick's Day gnomes.  

Of course, you may just prefer to celebrate St Patrick's Day with a shamrock.

St Patrick's Day Mug Rug pattern

I love celebrating special days using a few scraps and an hour or two in my sewing room, don't you?

Chinese New Year of the Rabbit

 

The Patchsmith's Black Water Rabbit Mug Rug

For many the New Year celebrations are behind us.  For others they are about to begin with the Chinese New Year of the rabbit – the black water rabbit to be precise.    And I have just the thing to help you celebrate:

a FREE ‘Chinese Good Fortune’ applique template

You can use this template alongside my Bunny Hop mug rug pattern.  Alternatively, you could create a coaster using just the Chinese Good Fortune templates.

The Patchsmith's Bunny Hop Mug Rug Pattern

If you wish to create your own Black Water Rabbit mug rug you will need my Bunny Hop mug rug pattern.  Follow the instructions in the pattern to applique one black rabbit, the circle and the ‘Good Fortune’ pieces from the FREE Chinese Good Fortune templates onto your mug rug background.

You could create a water background using strips of fabric

If however, you wish to create a smaller coaster using just the Good Fortune template, you can find instructions on quick-fuse applique HERE.

I added two waves from my Swimmer pattern to the background but much of it is covered by the applique.

I  recommend using felt for the calligraphy templates as they are small and a little fiddly. I would also recommend reading through my article on Quick Fuse Applique for hints and tips.  

Felt hides a multitude of sins

Use a small pair of sharp scissors for cutting out the shapes and, if your cutting isn’t very neat, consider securing the pieces using a blanket stitch, either by hand or machine.  This will hide many imperfections.  If your cutting is smooth however, you can use a simple straight stitch on top of the applique shapes to secure them to your mug rug/coaster.

This version is also included in my Bunny Hop Mug Rug Pattern

Which just leaves me to wish you all a 

VERY HAPPY 2023

FULL OF FUN, FABRIC AND GOOD FORTUNE