Craft Corner: Holiday Mug Rug

Welcome to the first edition of the Craft Corner! Newberg resident and Newsberg reader Angela Draz offered to write a monthly crafting column that helps people become more familiar with different crafts and try their hand at creating some fun projects. Got questions? Email angcraftcorner@gmail.com for more information, or editor@newsberg.org for column feedback.

Here is a beginner friendly 8.5” square Mug Rug you can make for yourself or for a gift this holiday season. It can be a stash buster (crafting terminology for using up various scraps of material) or not. You can embellish it as you see fit.  

This assumes basic piecing and quilting knowledge. The technique is 8 HST (half square triangles) at a time. Also a quick sewn binding makes this project an afternoon delight.  

Ready? Let’s go! 

Fabric and Supplies

• (1) 6.25” background fabric square (this is a size to allow trimming) 
• (1) 6.25” main fabric square (this is a size to allow trimming) 
• (4) 2.5” background fabric squares 
• (1) 4.5” square of fabric for the center, which could be background or another fabric
• (1) 9.5” backing fabric 
• (1) 9.5” batting 
• (1) 2” strip by WOF (width of fabric) background or another fabric 
• Sewing machine 
• Rotary cutter and cutting mat 
• Ruler 

Preparation

1. To make the 8 HST at a time, take the background 6.25” square and draw a diagonal line on  the back from corner to corner. Place it right side to the right side of the main fabric and pin.  Stitch a quarter inch seam on either side of both diagonal lines. 
2. Trim between the stitch lines on both diagonals AND the vertical and horizontal centers of  the square. This creates 8 HST. Iron seams to the dark side. Trim all 8 to 2.5” square.  
3. Arrange the HST around the 4.5” square and place the four background fabric 2.5” squares  on each corner.  

Assembly 

1. Stitch the four pieces in the top row together, and the bottom row together. Iron seams  open. Next stitch the two left side pieces together and two right side pieces together, and iron  seams open. Attach the two sides pieces to the middle square, and iron seams open. Now attach the top row to the center section, be sure to match the seams at the corners. Finally attach the bottom row to the center section, be sure to match the seams at the corners. 
2. Take the 2” strip by width-of-fabric (WOF), iron to make a binding strip. I tried something new with this project and cut one end of the binding strip at a 45 degree and ironed the edge in 1/4”.
3. Place the backing square wrong side up. Place the batting square on top of the backing piece. Place the pieced star right side up on top. Pin the sandwich together and quilt as desired.  
4. When finished quilting, trim to 8.5” square and bind. Leave a couple inches free on the folded edge when stitching around the back of the project. When you get all the way around, clip the remainder about an inch longer at a 45° angle and tuck it inside the folded end and finish stitching it. When you flip it to the front and machine stitch it, it will look finished.

Angela Draz is a Newberg resident and prolific home crafter. She started her crafting journey in middle school when her mother taught her how to sew clothes, and she continued learning and crafting for the next 40 years. While she favors quilting, she also crafts with her daughter for the occasional project for school whether it painting, drawing, or beading. She is excited to share her knowledge with the Newberg-Dundee community. Catch up on Angela’s Craft Corner once a month in Newsberg.