Rain Cloud Mug Rug

Zakka Style Sew-Along - Week 7


I was actually going to skip this Zakka Style project because I have 2 mug rugs already and the design did not really interest me. However after spending hours cutting up fabrics, I needed to do some sewing.


This project was made with all scrap fabrics, mostly leftover from what Denyse Schmidt and Kona fabrics I had been cutting earlier that day.


It is a simple pattern and design and really you can pour as much creativity into this project as your imagination and time allows. Perhaps the original's simplicity of design and material best highlights the Zakka style.


Some Tips 


Hold your book up to a window to trace the applique design to your 'cloud' fabric. 

You don't need to do hand stitched 'needle turn' applique to attach the rain cloud. A close stitch width and length zig zag will do the job just as nicely. 

It may be a good idea to use fusible interfacing to keep it in place.

I used a blanket stitch for mine.

If you are going to machine quilt the 'wind' lines, I suggest you clearly mark them on your work with a water soluble marker. I drew mine by hand.

 If you have a darning foot, attach this and drop the feed-dogs.

Then warm up your free-motion skills by doing a few practice swirls. I made the mistake of doing this cold and so it looks very tentative.

 This 5" charm was a scrap sent with an Etsy order so I used some leftover scraps of Kona Ash from cutting the Katie Jump Kites solid that morning. This bumped it out to about 6" square. 

I have added quite a few colours to my stash since hand quilting the Fussy Fairytales quilt and thought that I might put them to some use. I tossed up using only reds and pinks but decided upon the 7 colours of the rainbow instead.

My front was slightly larger than the back but I spray basted them together and cut the front down to match.


Binding the Mug Rugs

Now here's where the pattern becomes too vague for non-quilters. It tells you to bind the quilt with a 1/4" seam allowance and using the single fold binding directions on page 25. However, these directions are for a straight piece and DO NOT explain what to do at each corner. Here's where quilters would do what's known as a Mitred corner. There is a tutorial here to help those who do not. 

Sew the binding down on 3 sides and leave the ends unsewn with a 3" gap.

Fold one of the strips back on itself and lay the opposing strip over the top and stitch over the top with a back stitch.

Trim the excess 'tails' of binding off and then fold the binding over to the back and pin.

Turn the binding up under itself at the back and pin down with pins. I use bobby pins.

Flip the mug rug back to the front and then stitch in the ditch between the fabric and the binding being sure to catch the binding at the back. A normal foot is fine for single-fold binding rather than the usual 'walking foot' used in double-fold binding. You may want to read up on binding techniques at Red Pepper Quilts, Crazy Mom Quilts or Cass the Coolest.

Set the kettle boiling and pour yourself a cup of tea, throw in a treat and enjoy your mug rug.

How are you going on the Zakka Style Sew-Along? Such lovely ladies on the Flickr page and I have one Quilt Club Australia friend join this week. Nice!


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