Valentine Mug Rug

I've seen all these 'Mug Rugs' all over Pinterest and needed to make one for myself.  I'm not a coffee drinker but I thought that it would be a cute holiday accent for the table.  

I used both my Silhouette and my sewing machine!  Click Read More for How I Did It...

Materials

2 coordinating fabrics (less than 1/4 yard each)
Quilt batting

Double sided fusible web (Silhouette Clean Cut Interfacing, on backorder)

Scotch Tape (since Clean Cut Interfacing on backorder)

Silhouette, cutting mat and fabric blade

Iron

Sewing Machine and sewing supplies

How I Did It...

1.  I designed both a heart and 'XOXO' using my Silhouette Studio.

2.  I cut pieces of fabric large enough for each design and ironed the first side of the fusible web to the back side of each of the fabrics.

3.  I cut both designs out with my Silhouette.  I ordered Silhouette Clean Cut Interfacing which was/is still on backorder so I improvised by using scotch tape over the fabric when cutting out the XOXO.  It did okay but not great.  It cut down on the amount of fabric fraying but not completely.  It was good enough to move forward though.  I am sure that the clean cut interfacing should work much better.  Check out my Fabric Appliqued Onesies for more details on using fusible web.  (Be sure to skip the part of reversing your design if you are using a Silhouette (or other cutting system) to cut your design out. 

4.  I ironed the fabric pieces to each other after removing the protective sheet from the second side of the fusible web.  (See link above for more info on using fusible web.)

5.  I stitched around my heart and 'XOXO' using the applique stitch on my sewing machine.  My sewing machine is also an embroidery machine that is why I have this option.  Using a regular straight stitch or a zigzag would work as well.  This was the first time that I ever used that stitch so the letters were a little tricky.  They didn't turn out the greatest and I had to bust out my seam ripper a couple of times.  I got fed up with the center of the 'Os' and used a straight stitch.  The heart turned out fabulous though!  =)  

6.  I cut my red fabric with my design ironed on it (front of rug) and my batting to be the size that I wanted my rug to be (10x14 inches). 

7.  I, also, cut my white fabric (back of rug) to be three inches longer than the front (13x17 inches).

 

8.  I laid all three pieces out centering the front and the batting onto the back fabric and pinned them together. 

9.  I began quilting...
I sewed around the heart at first that then stitched straight lines across the rug, skipping the heart for each row.  I think it the lines turned out good and pretty darn straight for just eyeballing it!

10.  I double folded the back fabric to the front and pinned it into place.  Check out this Baby Quilt Post for details on how to do the edging and corners!
Voila!