Check Out Our Final #MarcusMugshot Winners…Until Next Time!

We can’t believe that our first #mugrugchallenge is now completed!  And again, we THANK ALL OF YOU for your many, many original entries!  We enjoyed your creativity sew much that we decided to draw not just one, not two, but THREE lucky winners from all of the entries received as of the April 30 deadline…

So, without further delay, we congratulate the three final winners of our Spring 2017 Mugrug Challenge:

Lynda Duplissea of Oxford, FL…great colors, great mug and a great smile, too!

and Parthena Wollen of Fairfield, CT…who likes a bold shot of color with her morning tea!

and Maureen Clark of Elliot, ME…we’re coming to her house for tea, soon!

We’re sure we have created lots of new mugrug fans out there, and we encourage you to keep working on them, because our next Mugrug Challenge begins in the fall, taking on a fun and exciting Holiday theme, from gifts to home accents!  Stay tuned for details  ; )

Diane Showed Us Her #MarcusMugshot, and Won!

Well, we’re just a bit behind on this week’s challenge announcement, thanks to our late-winter blizzard closing on Tuesday, but we’re back, and thrilled to reveal that Diane Sala is our latest winner in the Marcus #mugrugchallenge!  Even those “I’m-not-a-morning-person” persons will love waking up to these bright, cheerful dots with their first infusion of coffee! Diane selected a group of 4″ x 5″ squares of GO-GO! DINO! prints at our QuiltCon booth, and we love her arrangement of HSTs (half-square triangles). Winner5-DianaSala

She then submitted her photo via email, and you can too, in addition to entering via Instagram post using #MarcusMugshot.  We’re about halfway thru the Challenge, so while there’s still time to enter (as often as you like) now through April 30, we can’t wait to see what you come up with! Remember, just be sure to include at least one Marcus or Studio 37 fabric and create any shape, sized up to a max of 9″ x 9″.  Good Luck, everyone!

It’s a Blizzard… Let’s Make Mugrugs!

Our offices are closed today due to “Stella” the current blizzard along the East Coast. And even though we didn’t get as much actual snow as predicted (about 18″), the heavy, icy pellets, freezing rain and wind are even more treacherous! And what does that mean?  It’s Mugrug Weather, time to choose your favorite coffee, tea, hot toddy, cocoa or other warm and cozy beverage, and give it a pretty and proper place to sit on your table or desk.

It’s also a perfect time to show off some of the inspiring entries that have come in so far for our ongoing Mugrug Challenge.  It runs now thru April 30, so we’re only halfway thru, which means there’s plenty of time for you to enter again and again, and maybe even win one of our weekly mug-and-fabric prizes!

EmailEntriesBlizzardNo matter what’s lurking outside your windows this afternoon, everyone stay safe, and stitch up a quick mugrug (including at least one Marcus or Studio 37 fabric print)…then post it on Instagram with #MarcusMugshot, or email your photo to enter.  We’ll be that much closer to our goal of “A Marcus Rug for Every Mug”!

QuiltCon Recap – #MarcusMugshot Mania!!

Thank you sew much to all of the willing “suspects” we rounded up at QuiltCon for their #MarcusMugshots, in honor of our ongoing Mugrug Challenge!  Some were extremely willing, in fact; we’ve never seen a happier, more cheerful group of mugshots…maybe the free fabrics we gave away had something to do with it, and we’re already seeing lots of mugrug entries as a result, so keep those Instagram posts coming for a “shot” at one of our weekly random drawing prizes, now thru April 30.

In case you missed it, these are just a few.  Look for more on our Instagram feed @marcusfabrics and @studio37fabrics.

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Enter Your #MarcusMugshot…You Might Win One of These…

MugPrizeThe Mugrug Challenge is in full effect, and this is just one of the prizes you could win in our weekly drawings!  We’ve got a limited quantity of the Marcus mugs, but no shortage of great fabrics to award to Challenge participants!

Winners will be chosen at random every Tuesday now through April 30, so read these few simple guidelines, enter often, and post regularly using #MarcusMugshot.

Mugrugs are great little stashbusters, thoughtful gifts, and the perfect way to try out new techniques. Choose at least one Marcus and/or Studio 37 print from your stash, or visit your local quilt shop to choose from the latest designer collections.  Participating shops will also offer tips, events and more, so check back with them often throughout the Challenge.

Shows2017And catch us in Savannah, GA at QuiltCon in just a couple of weeks, where you can have your #MarcusMugshot taken, pick up a few fabric freebies and more!

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

“Show Us YOUR Mugshots!”

ShowMugShotGRAFHey Quilting Friends!  Ready for a FUN and EASY quilt challenge?  Well, whether you’re already a fan of the Mugrug, or aren’t even sure what one is, you’ll want to enter the Marcus Makers MUGRUG CHALLENGE!  Help us to achieve our lofty goal of “A Marcus Rug for Every Mug,”  now thru April 30, 2017 — here’s how…

Follow the various inspirations we’ve gathered from our own Marcus Makers (instructions for these mugrugs are available online!), or create your own look using at least ONE fabric print from Marcus or Studio 37, and feel free to add any solids of your choice.  In fact, it’s a great opportunity to go thru your Marcus stash for a few great coordinates to get started, then visit your local quilt shops for the newest collections, and more great mugrug ideas, patterns, tips and related activities…

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Then, post your entry on Instagram using #MarcusMugshot, and remember to tag @marcusfabrics and/or @studio37fabrics for greater exposure! 

If you’re new to mugrugs, be warned:  mugrug making can be addictive, which is really not a problem, because they make great gifts, AND you can enter as many times as you like (one mugrug per photo, please).  Each Tuesday during the Challenge, we’ll choose random winners from the hashtagged entries to receive exciting fabric prizes and more — Join us!!