Quilting

It is a fairly regular occurrence around my house to see us sitting with a cup of tea and a snack while lazily reading a good book. We’re all bookworms at my house 🙂

My favorite quick quilting project for fellow cozy life enthusiasts and bookworms has got to be mug rug!

“A what?” You ask.

“A Mug rug!” I say!

It’s like a tiny, mini quilt-slash-coaster that is just big enough for your drink and a few cookies. Because everything in life is better with cookies, right?

What is the difference between a mug rug and a coaser?

A coaster is just big enough for a cup or mug and nothing more. A mug rug usually is big enough to hold a mug and a snack or cookies. It is usually a mini quilt and super adorable.

How big is a mug rug?

It can be anywhere from about 4” x 7” to as large as 12” x 8”. But the sizing is completely custom-designed by the creator.

I like to use the bigger ones to share between 2 people.

I first shared about mug rugs in this post.

What else can you do with a mugrug?

• You can use it as a mini quilt for a wall hanging.
• You can gift it as a gift to a friend or loved one… nothing beats a beautiful handmade gift, especially when it didn’t take you 3 years to complete!
• Feature your favorite fabrics around you all of the time!
• Be resourceful and use up scraps of fabric that are hanging around.
• Easy, quick, and creative projects to have on hand when you need a quick gift.

Do you need a pattern for a mugrug?

Technically no. Most of the mugrugs that I have created were just spontaneous bursts of creative inspiration.

I like to try and be resourceful where I can. I like to use what I have on hand for my projects if I can and I try not to waste fabrics.

• Check out my tips (plus a video) on scrap fabric storage!
• Or check out this post for more scrap fabric projects!
• Read more Scrap Fabric advice

I’ve also used orphan blocks or test blocks from different quilt patterns over the years to make mug rugs.

If being spontaneous without a pattern isn’t quite your cup of tea… check out these FREE patterns from around the web to create your own mugrug set!

FREE PATTERNS FOR MUGRUG INSPIRATION

1. Crazy Little Projects has a really great tutorial on the steps to making a fun scrappy fabric mugrug.

I love the stripey look to this one… and the fact that she doesn’t add a binding to hers. It makes it that much simpler (i.e. quicker!) to create!

2. The Crafty Quilter has a cute pattern that includes a pocket! Everything is cuter with a pocket, isn’t it?

She tucked a cute tea bag in the pocket, but I could see tucking in a surprise sweet candy cane for the kids or a cute little card.

This would even be a cute one to add on top of a gift as just a little handmade touch.

3. Another one by The Crafty Quilter. I added this one to my list because I wanted to show you the capabilities and endless options that you have as far as design.

If you have been curious about a technique or a quilting idea but aren’t ready to commit to a full-size quilt… now is your time to give it a shot!

You can add in embroidery, applique… patterns, quilting… mix it up and experiment with those techniques that you’ve been inspired by. It is a small commitment, but you never know… you may discover something new that you love 🙂

4. This teal swap mugrug by Jacqueline Steves gives me an inspiration for a fun retreat project.

Her touches of hand embroidery make me want to swoon. Embroidery is something I have always admired and something I would like to do more of in the future.

5.

5. Binding seems to be a struggle for many newer quilters… and even just a dreaded step for seasoned quilters as well. I really like the tutorial on CraftyForHome for a fuss-less binding.

While it might be a bit of a struggle to learn something new, I found her tutorial very straight forward and the pictures helped explain every single step well.

Well, Are you inspired???

I hope these five different ideas and free patterns have helped to answer “what is a mugrug?” for you!

My wish is that they inspire you to take a little extra joy in your day by making the time to sit down with your tea and a treat instead of standing at the counter while reading an email on your phone (something I’ve been trying to do less of!)

Try to make plans to take an evening or make time for a quick weekend project to have a little sewing party and create a set to use when you have guests drop by. They will absolutely love this little personal touch to their treats. 🙂

Let me know how it goes! I would love to hear if mugrugs are a project that you enjoy or if you prefer the larger quilts.

This question often comes up in conversation after I tell someone:

“I am a modern quilter”…

“So um what is ‘modern quilting’?” they ask. “What defines it from just regular quilting?”

Is Modern Quilting special? Is it different?

This is what we’re going to talk about today!

I am a member of The Modern Quilt Guild. Not only is it a really great organization and a great benefit… They have a mission “to support and encourage the growth and development of modern quilting through art, education, and community.”

If you aren’t a member, you should consider joining to help support their mission!

They send out great newsletters. You can enter contests and monthly swaps. They also provide great discounts on events – I even get a discount at my local quilt shop for being a member! The Modern Quilt Guild also has monthly block patterns to share as an added bonus. It’s really a lot of fun. You can read more about the benefits here.

The Modern Quilt Guild’s definition of a modern quilt is:

Modern quilts are primarily functional and inspired by modern design. Modern quilters work in different styles and define modern quilting in different ways, but several characteristics often appear which may help identify a modern quilt. These include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work. “Modern traditionalism” or the updating of classic quilt designs is also often seen in modern quilting.

Modern Quilt Guild

In short…..Bold colors and prints, high contrast, graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work are what make up a modern quilt.

My Adventurers at QuiltCon

I had the privilege of attending QuiltCon2020… modern quilts are what this show is about!

You can see more pictures from the show as well as a few videos about my favorite quilts in the show. Check them out here.

Modern quilting is one of my favorite things to talk about… and there is so so much to talk about!!

We’ll get into the pattern/design in just a minute but I want to talk about fabric choices first.

The choice of fabrics that you choose can really change the look of your quilt.

You can take a tried and true classic quilt pattern and turn it into a modern piece of art, by showing off some of the many modern fabric choices out there.

Picking modern fabrics, but a classic old quilt pattern can really change up the look.

I used a collection of modern fabrics from my scrap pile to create the quilt in the photo above. The quilt would take on an entirely different look if I chose a collection of Americana or depression era fabrics.

Simply put, Modern fabrics are a simple way to create modern quilt designs.

Asymmetrical Design

Another category that determines a modern quilt is asymmetrical design.

The design can be mostly off-center or to one side. It is not “on the grid” or even squares or blocks. looking at this photo of my Radiance quilt, you can see that the focus doesn’t fall to the center of the quilt.

Graphic Patterns

Graphic Prints and patterns are another defining characteristic of modern quilts.

Check out these patterns for some inspiration on modern patterns in design.

While the above photo examples are of architecture, quilt design can come from anywhere. Could you see quilts with bright colors and patterns formed within the lines of the photos above?

I absolutely love the differing triangle patterns that seem to radiate around the corner of the second photo.

Or what about the pattern in this pink photo with the half-hexies? Wouldn’t that make an adorable modern quilt? Everything from the slightly off-grid hexies to the juxtaposition of the seams.

Is there only one definition of modern quilting?

The short answer is no. I believe that the definition of modern quilting is constantly evolving and progressing as we, as artists, discover new ways to use color and evoke more edgy designs.

What does modern quilting mean to you?

What is it that you believe defines you as a modern quilter?

For more examples of Modern Quilting, check out the Modern Quilt Guild’s Online Gallery.

This is one of those questions where you’ll get a different opinion from each quilter you ask: Should you pre-wash your fabrics before you quilt?

It could save you a lot of time if you don’t have to wash your fabric but it could cost you more time and frustration in the end if you choose wrong.

How do you decide what to do?

There are certain circumstances when all quilters SHOULD wash their fabric and it is important to know when you can SKIP washing.

Check out the info below on HOW to wash your fabric to avoid ruining it.

Let’s be honest… no one likes to waste time… so let’s dive in, because this is a pretty big question for newbie and beginner quilters.

You SHOULD pre-wash your fabrics if:

The quilt will be given to a baby or child

Babies have more sensitive skin and any chemicals or residue from manufacturing could irritate their skin. It’s just not a good risk to take.

However, it doesn’t matter what stage of the quilting process you choose to wash the fabrics. You could choose to wash as soon as you buy the fabric, or after you sew all the pieces together and the quilt is bound.

Either way works. Personally, I choose to wash baby quilts after I’ve finished them. It helps to give the quilt a good crinkle, I get to make sure nothing is going to happen to it in the wash and also make sure that a stray puppy hair isn’t going with it.

If you have allergies

Perhaps this goes without saying… but if you have skin allergies and find that you are sensitive to dyes in fabrics, you might want to wash the fabric before cutting to reduce or eliminate any reactions.

Also, if you acquired the fabric at an estate sale or second hand shop, it helps to know that its clean before you begin any projects.

You are concerned about fabric shrinkage

I like to quilt with 100% cotton. If you’re quilting with a material that you’re not sure of the makeup, you might want to consider a pre-wash. Washing the fabric before cutting it will reduce the amount of shrink-age.

Vintage Fabric Dyes

Vintage fabrics are the reason we have this whole debate in the first place! Most modern day fabric companies use much more responsible dyes that have been engineered to be not only safer for our planet, but more likely to stay put and less likely to bleed into areas where they aren’t wanted.

Wash vintage fabrics at your own risk. There is too many if, ands and buts to go into the possible outcomes for this blog post. Do your research beforehand or opt to hand wash your fabric.

If you’re worried about colors bleeding

Have you ever dealt with a bleeding quilt? – if not, thank your lucky stars because it is the absolute worst thing in the world. (Do you think I’m being dramatic? I hope the quilting spirits are always kind to you)

The bright vibrant colors tend to be the worst culprits: navy, reds and purples. When using fabrics with high contrast (think red and white combo), washing your fabrics before stitching will reduce the color from later bleeding onto the light fabrics during washing or storing the quilt.

Consider a good pre-wash if you have a very high contrast quilt that you want to stay a good high contrast quilt.

Why You Shouldn’t Pre-Wash Your Fabrics!

I know I know… I’m pretty sure I heard an “amen!” from somewhere in the back because don’t I know that anything having to do with the washing machine and extra steps in my day is just a pain in the rear end!

Ok here we go…

MORE TIME TO SEW!

I can’t remember one single time that I’ve come home from the fabric store not completely giddy with a fabric find and decided that I was ready to sit and wait to cut into it while I pop it in the washing machine, then the dryer… then spend a good amount of time ironing it out flat again.

Ain’t nobody got time for THAT! Am I right? Whew…

If you choose not to pre-wash… you can start planning and cutting just as soon as your little fit hit the threshold of your sewing space!

You are not concerned about fabric shrinkage

Wait, what? Yes, this is going to make the pros list and the cons list. Because sometimes that perfect fabric crinkle/wrinkle on a quilt is absolutely the mark of a good snuggle quilt success.

Sometimes, you want it, sometimes you don’t. It’s a personal preference thing, but it happens usually when the fabrics shrink up just a little bit after being all sewn together and makes it’s mark within the quilting boundaries.

Personally, I think its wonderful!

Stiffer fabric makes for easier cutting/sewing

Remember those chemicals from further up in the post? ha well… they kind of come in handy actually.

The dyes and the chemicals from the factory kind of act as a starch to the fabric. So it’s a little bit stiffer and easier to work with when you’re cutting and sewing.

Of course, if this bothers you… you could pre-wash to get rid of the chemicals and then simply add the starch back in while you’re ironing.

HOW TO PRE-WASH YOUR FABRIC

If you’ve decided pre-washing is the way to go, here are the simple steps to take to make sure you and your fabric are taken care of.

• You don’t want any raw edges on your fabric. They will fray in the wash and you’ll end up with a tangled stringy mess.
  
  Solution: Use pinking shears or the attachment for your rotary blade to trim the edges of your fabric. (Don’t worry about the selvage edges as they are already safe from fraying.

• Wash your cotton quilting fabrics in cool water with a mild detergent. Check out these suggested soaps for quilts.

• Keep wrinkles to a minimum by drying fabrics with low heat and removing them from the dryer as soon as they are dry.

• Some quilters like to iron/press their fabrics right away. You could also choose to press them when you’re ready to start your project.
  
  I don’t like to make time for ironing if I can help it, so I keep a close eye on the dryer and grab them just after that last tumble. Then I fold them as nicely as possible and stash them away. This keeps the ironing time to an absolute minimum (and most of the time I don’t even bother with it!)

Only you can decide if pre-washing is for you or not. If you’ve never given it a try, I suggest you do it at least once just to see if you like it or not. You never know until you try it out, right?

At some point, you will have to wash your finished quilt. I have a free printable download sheet: Quilt Care 101 that details how and when you should wash your quilt. It’s also a super cute printable that makes a great little token to include with any quilt that you gift so your recipient is prepared to take care of their gorgeous quilt too!

A few more notes about pre-washing…

Don’t Prewash Pre-cuts. ever. ever. never.

Any fabric that is the size of a fat quarter or smaller… don’t do it. The edges tend to unravel and the shape/size of your fabric can change so much that it isn’t useable anymore. No one wants that.

FYI: a fat quarter usually measures 18″ x 21″

Color catchers will one day be your HERO BFF!

Even if you’ve been quilting for 200 years and you’ve never had a quilt bleed on you. All the quilting angels are on your side and the dyes have stayed put all this time… you should still have at least a few of these on hand.

Because one day, it could happen to you. You’ll have 2 choices. 1) crumple up into a ball (it doesn’t really solve anything but it is exactly what you feel like doing) or 2) grab a handful of color catchers and start praying!

Whether you decide to pre-wash your fabrics or not, it is not a bad idea to throw in a color catcher sheet with your quilt when you wash it the first few times. ESPECIALLY if your quilt has some pretty deep colors in it.

I like to buy the big box of color catchers. I like to shop in bulk, but it is also another handy token to gift with your quilt… You can read more about how to stop a bleeding quilt here.

Ok, ok… so it’s really just a little extra assurance that you’ve given your little quilt all that you can as you wish it farewell!

Whew, thats a lot of talk about fabric and laundry! What do you think? What is your take? Do you pre-wash?

We’ve talked a little bit recently about common quilt sizes. The hardest thing to understand is that these guidelines are just that… guidelines. But as a beginner quilter, you have to start somewhere right?

Quilts come in all shapes and sizes. There is no “right” or “wrong” quilt size. As long as the quilt size fits the needed size, it is right. Some of my quilts have ended up square, and some are more rectangular. I’ve even made hexagon-shaped quilts.

I’m here to give you your starting guidelines.

I wanted to share with you a clear quilt size chart to visually show the differences in the quilt sizes and shapes of standard quilts.

You may choose to make your quilt a little wider or a little taller depending on your need, but this will be your first stop before designing your quilt.

I created the perfect chart for you so that you’ll always be able to refer back to it for quilt sizes… and… of course, I made it pretty too!

Most Common Quilt Sizes

(Make sure you Pin it to save it for later!)

But what if I don’t want to follow a common quilt size?

(You’re a bit of a creative rebel aren’t you? It’s totally fine, I am too ?)

Yes, well the good thing about guidelines is that they’re not hard cut rules. You can – and in some cases, totally should – break them!

This sizes above are approximate and can vary 4″ – 8″.

If you want to go completely rogue and do your own thing… go for it!

You just have to adjust the fabric requirements for your pattern so that you won’t run out of fabric before you run out of quilt.

If my budget allows for it, I will usually buy a little more than the required fabric in a pattern anyways. I tell myself that it’s a little safety net in case I mis-cut or make a mistake I can’t come back from.

It also come in handy to piece coordinating fabric from the front of the quilt into the back of the quilt.

For more tips on what to do on the back of your quilt, check out these recent posts

• What to do on the back of your quilt!
• The Ultimate Guide to Quilt Backings

Tips to design your own quilt patterns

This isn’t something that I talk a lot about but I really like to design my own quilt patterns. Ha, um you may have noticed as I give away a lot of FREE patterns in my Freebie Library and on my site. I also have several really fun patterns available in my shop as well that work for any level of quilter.

I start out sketching my ideas for a quilt pattern on graph paper and once I have a lot of the kinks worked out I draw the pattern up in my EQ8 software on my computer. It is a wonderful program with so many awesome calculations and capabilities.

If you’re even half serious about designing your own quilts, I highly recommend owning the program because it will make your quilt math so much easier!

You can download my FREE printable graph paper sheets from this post: Free Quilt Planning Graph Paper Pack