Introducing Muggamo!

Welcome to PBJ's Muggamo! 

Muggamo is a fun, new, monthly mug rug pattern program. Say that 3 times! You can't, so I changed it to mug rug a month, then mug a month, then Muggamo! Short, cute and catchy. Hopefully.

Feel free to grab this button and add it to your blog if you are joining in. You can also use #muggamo in your social media. I would love to see your creations!

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On the first of each month I will be posting a pattern for a mug rug. This year the focus will be star patterns. My samples will be made in colors I feel represent the month, but you could choose to  make them scrappy or matching, either way you will have 12 Mug Rugs at the end of the year. 

Introducing January's Star Mug Rug.

Download your instructions here.
*Instructions updated: if downloaded before 4:30 pm CST, make sure to download the new version*

Supplies needed:

Dark Grey: 2" x 23" strip

Light Grey: 2" x 23" strip

Blue: two 3" squares, one 2 1/2" square

White: two 3" squares, one 1" x 6 1/2" strip
Backing and batting: 11" x 8 1/2"
Binding: 2" x 36"

Let's get started!

Using the blue and white 3" make four Half Square Triangles.  Trim to 2 1/2".

Next, sew your strips together, length wise.

I slow my machine down a notch when sewing strips, it seems to help it pull through more evenly, and I don't get that wavy look. Press carefully to the dark side, it is very important not to push the iron and distort the seam.

Trim off one end, I use my ruler to follow the seam line to get that straight edge, not the mat.

From your strip cut three 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles. Set those aside for the side piece. Then cut four 3 1/2" squares. Mark the diagonal on the back side of two of those squares.

Match them up with the other two squares, making sure to match opposite colors.

Make four Half Sqrare Triangles.

To square this piece to 2 1/2" you need to line up where the seams match at the 1 1/4" mark on your ruler.

Then line it up on the 2 1/2" mark as you usually would.

I like to use the Tucker Trimmer (no affiliation), and with that you would line up the seams here:

Again, making the last trim by lining up at the 2 1/2" mark.

Layout your block, and stitch top, middle and bottom rows together. I pressed the top and bottom rows out and the middle row in.

Sew the last seams together pressing them all up.

You could stop here if you like this size, or continue on and add the white strip to the right side and then the side piece. I forgot to take pictures of making the side piece, but it is laid out in the instructions. 

Layer and quilt.  For this one you need a 11" x 8 1/2" backing and batting. This is a great use for those batting pieces leftover from quilting. 

Even with small pieces I like to tape the layers down. I don't use spray baste, it just doesn't work for me, so I pin everything. A couple of pins here and we're ready to quilt. 

I used my walking foot to stitch in the ditch along the white strip, and the diagonals in rows 1 and 3. I quilted a diagonal line through each of the side rectangles. 

I started stitch in the ditch at on diagonal, stitched in the ditch across to the next and down that diagonal.

Once quilted, I put the binding on. I use a 2" wide strip, press in half, machine stitch to the front, hand stitch to the back. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to do a nice machine stitched binding. Maybe that should be one of my 2017 goals. 

Now it's ready for your favorite quilting drink and snack!

I hope you've enjoyed this little tutorial and make your own star mug rug for January. I think it's so rewarding to make, and finish, something quickly. It really picks me up. Come back Feb 1st for another Muggamo pattern!

Happy Stitching!

Jen