@joyfuladornments Showed Us Her Mugshot, and Won!

Winner7-Joyfuladorn

Congratulations to this week’s Marcus Mugrug Challenge winner, Bonnie Scott, aka @joyfuladornments! Her particularly artful mugrug features the added dimension of prairie points, in a cool and contemporary color palette.  It could just as easily be hung on the wall as placed under her favorite cup.  Extra credit for the added dazzle of her well-coordinated glass bead earring adornmentsand great quilting, too!  Thanks for a fun entry, Bonnie. Your mug-and-fabric prize will be on its way to you shortly…

And for the rest of you…your own entries can be simple or elaborate, just be sure to enter before April 30 – you’ve still got 3 weeks, but don’t delay! In addition to these free projects by our own Marcus fabric designers (shown below), you can stitch up your own original design, or make one from a commercial pattern.  Thanks to everyone who’s entered so far, and remember, you can submit as many mugrugs as you like…keep ’em coming!

DesignerMugrugsGROUP

We (Heart) Batik Valentine’s Mugrugs!

If you LOVE mugrugs AND batiks like we do, then you’re sure to also LOVE our easy Valentine’s Day Mugrug design!  Not only can you make these by the dozen for all the loves of your life – you can also enter each and every one of them in our new Mugrug Challenge, for a chance to win one of our weekly prizes!  Check out the Challenge details, then read the how-to below make this design… it’s the perfect complement for a cup of tea made from fresh sage leaves and a couple of tea biscuits, as shown

HeartmugugFinished

First, I cut out a paper heart shape pattern to the desired size, plus about 1/4″ seam allowance all around.  (If you’d rather not hand-cut your pattern, you’ll find about a zillion of them online, print out your favorite ; ).

HeartMugrug

Using three tonal RADIANT REFLECTIONS batiks, I started stitching up a crazy quilt block directly onto the batting (I used Fairfield Soft & Toasty cotton batting), for an easy quilt-as-you-go construction method. I added fabrics randomly until the block was just larger than the heart pattern.  I cut both the pieced block and a backing fabric from the heart pattern, and stitched them right sides together all around with a 1/4″ seam, leaving an opening to turn. Next, just turn and press, closing the opening with hand stitches or a narrow strip of fusible tape.  Add a coordinating mug or teacup, a packet of cappuccino mix or some gourmet teabags, and a love note.  Maybe a matching batik napkin for extra credit?

Now, just take a picture, enter the Challenge on Instagram with #MarcusMugshot, and your Valentine is now ready to give!          —   lisa