Two Easy No Binding Mug Rugs Perfect Christmas Gift

A mug rug is a cute and quick gift to make and gift. Add a cute mug, some hot chocolate and you’ve got a great comfort gift with a homemade touch. You can’t say no to such a quick and easy gift plus no binding. These are great tucked into gift baskets with mugs and hot chocolate and goodies. They will spruce up any gift basket.

What you will need for the 1st mug rug:

• Fabric with a big print (I used Merrily panel by Moda’s Gingiber original fabric) You can find other panels for sale with individual animal blocks online.
• Contrasting backing fabric.
• Batting of your choice.
• Press fabric if needed.
• Machine quilt your mug rug.
• Use your creativity.

What You will need for the Christmas mug rug:

• 1 fat quarter or 1/4 yard of fabric of your choice for mug rug topper.
• 1 fat quarter or 1/4 yard of fabric of your choice for backing.
• Fabric for large prairie points.
• Batting of your choice.
• Ric Rac
• Fabric for prairie points.

Speaking of the first mug rug design, I love it when I can go to my fabric stash and pull out a piece of fabric I have had for awhile and can use it. I bought the Gingiber Merrily panel for Moda in a quilt kit several years ago. I was trying to sew a Christmas quilt with the cute animal sections. You know that last minute project that you run out of time completing. Well I’m really glad I didn’t finish this project because the panel pieces were perfect for mug rugs. I’ll be gifting them for Christmas this year. I love the big animal figures. They really pack a wow statement. If you can’t find this panel, no worries there are other panel fabrics with animal prints you can find online. Maybe even at your local quilt shop.

Step 1: Cut Topper Fabric

Wondering how big mug rugs are? Bigger than a coaster and smaller than a placemat, mug rugs generally measure 9″ x 6″. Some of my mug rugs are a little bigger and some are a little smaller than this measurement. Really they can be the size you want them to be. You can determine how big or how small you need them to be. Cut your mug rug topper out. I love these animal fabric prints that I cut out of a panel. They are an older style of fabric so you may not be able to find this exact print. However there are plenty of fabric panels with animal prints out there online. Very cute ones too. So to keep your mug rug super simple, find a panel with several individual prints like animals.

Step 2: Backing Fabric

Cut your backing fabric to match the size of your topper fabric. Choose a cute fabric for the backside of your mug rug. If you use a large gingham print for the backing, it can serve as a guide for machine quilting your mug rug. You can use any print you want to back your mug rugs though. The above picture shows some gingham I had in my fabric stash. You can use flannel, cotton, even minky if you like.

Step 3: Batting Or Fleece

If you want to use batting for your mug rug, you can sandwich it in between your topper and backing. If you use fleece you don’t need batting because the fleece will be thick enough for your mug rug. I used batting and loved how it turned out. Cut the batting to fit your topper and backing. Your batting shouldn’t be too thick because your mug might sit awkwardly on your mug rug but not super thin either because you want to protect the surface you will be setting your mug on with hot chocolate in it.

Step 4: Sewing Your Mug Rug; A No Binding Method

Okay, let’s put a mug rug together. Lay the batting on your table by your sewing machine. Then place your topper right side up on the batting. Place the backing on top of your topper wrong side up. Now you are going to sew around the edge of your mug rug leaving one side open for turning right side out. When done sewing on three sides, turn your mug rug inside out and push your corners out so they look square. Pin the un sewn edge together and sew it closed. Continue sewing around all the way around the edge of your mug rug.

Machine Quilt Your Mug Rug

You can quilt around the edge of your mug rug on your machine. Outline the animal on your mug rug. Quilt diagonal lines, horizontal, vertical, or curvy lines. Be creative and machine quilt each of your mug rugs. It’s easy, fun and NO binding! They quilt up really quick because of the way you sew each of them on your machine. The small size makes it easy too.

Christmas Mug Rug

Cut a 9″ x 6″ piece of fabric for your mug rug topper. Then cut out backing and batting the same size. Cut (6) 6 1/2″ squares for prairie points. Take each square, fold over in half and iron. Fold over in half again into triangle shape and press. They are extra big but add such a cute accent to your mug rug. They will look like this: (check out the picture below)

Now put your square piece of batting on the table. Set your mug rug topper fabric right side up on the batting. Next come the prairie points.

Now you are going to make a fabric sandwich so to speak. Put one prairie point on each side of the mug rug fabric and batting stack. Then overlap two prairie points on the other two sides of the mug rug. Place the backing fabric square on top of the prairie points. Carefully pin. Then sew around three edges. Turn inside out and sew across the un sewn edge. Pin your ric rac to the edge of the topper and carefully top sew it and secure it to your mug rug. Pretty cute and very festive to stick in a Christmas or everyday gift basket. Get creative and experiment with your rug mugs. You can put prairie points on or not. Big or small. You come up with your own design and style.

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