Log Cabin Mug Rug

Fun, fast and easy pattern

A mug rug is more than a coaster, less than a placemat. A fun way to hold your mug and a small snack without soiling your lounge chair or table.

This pattern is on sale for the Christmas in July event for Designing Women – Quilters Edition. Sale ends 25th August. Grab your pattern now!

The log cabin mug rug has a couple of logs on either side and a side piece to make it rectangular. You can always just make the log cabin if you like. This is constructed like a mini quilt, with a layer of wadding and backing and then binding.

Make it your own

This pattern is perfect for scraps and small leftover pieces from other projects. I have been using my scraps after sorting them into colours. In the pictures you can see a range of purples and a couple of orange/yellow/brown. The next couple of totes of scraps are blues and teals, and then green, ranging from lime to forrest green and all in between. The last tote holds the pieces that are large enough to be used as backings or binding.

You can also make them completely coordinated. Matching set or matching your decor. The choices are endless.

amusing story

You may know that my favourite colour is red and so I did start making the log cabin mug rugs with the red fabrics. Those completed log cabin mug rugs have been put in a really safe place. I did locate them one time, and now they are in a really safe place again. When I locate them another time I will update this post and add some pictures.

This Christmassy mug rug is the only one I can locate that has red in it. Oh I am so annoyed with myself. Let me know if you have ever ‘lost’ something in a safe place.

The purples

Pattern is on our website

You can find the pattern on our website. Have fun!

Quilting

After constructing the log cabin mug rug top, we treat this like a mini quilt, and layer the pieces, backing, wadding and fun pieced top. Quilting was quick and easy with a walking foot and coordinating thread. You can see the stitching in the centre of the logs, or you can quilt in the ditch for a less quilted look.

I have also varied the quilting on the side piece, most have straight lines, but one has an X quilted instead. Your fabric choices may help you decide on the quilting. To be honest you can get away with not quilting the side piece at all, but perhaps stitching around the edges before binding might help that process.

The binding is cut narrower than standard quilt binding so adjust your seam allowance accordingly. For ease I have also used a zig zag stitch on the Christmassy mug rug on the binding.

Projects like these are a wonderful way to use up the small scrappy pieces in your stash and create some unique gifts for yourself or for others. I am trying to use as much of the scrap or waste fabric in my studio and this colour play set of log cabin mug rugs is fun and useful.

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