
I’d like to thank Carla from Creatin in the Sticks for hosting this month’s blog hop. The theme is mug rugs or projects to protect our tables. As Carla says a hop is “like a “show and tell” online. Our blog hops feature sewing and quilting and are like joining a quilt guild without leaving home. Once the theme (challenge) is presented we set to work sewing. We inspire each other with projects, tutorials, or patterns.” I’m sure everyone has been busy with their fabric and machines creating some pretty projects for our enjoyment.
I’ve been continuing to stick to my fabric fasting this year. It means I am trying to make projects from my stash or my scrap bins.
For this Hop I decided to try to take it one step further and use some of my leftover blocks and bits.
I had this leftover piece of fabric that I had used as a border on a quilt. It was too nice to cut in to 2” or 2 1/2” squares so I had kept it, knowing that one day I would figure out a way to use it.

I pressed it, squared off the edges and then inspiration hit. I folded the two lower red snowflake stripes together and made a pocket. Then I layered fabric, batting and backing, trimmed it to 7 1/2” square, and sewed around the edge on 3 sides, leaving an opening for turning.
Once I turned it right side out and pressed it, I changed up the thread in my machine to a sparkly, metallic thread and stitched around the outer edge (after pressing the open edge to make a nice seam) and did some outlining around a couple of the reindeer.

Once that one was finished I turned to the scraps of Christmas fabrics that were odd shapes. I did a stitch and flip method on top of some batting and added a backing piece once I had the top pieced and squared up.

Then there were the cute leftover blocks and bits that just needed to be made into mug rugs. Some were done with a single fold binding.

Of course, every quilter has orphan blocks or bits to make blocks, so why not make a set of coasters. They are already color coordinated and partially constructed so let’s use them up. 🤔

Every year several members of my Guild make items to donate to the organization that does the Christmas Hampers. Before Covid they would have a Christmas dinner where the kids could go in the back room with staff, pick out a gift for their parent(s) and staff would help them wrap it. With the dinner not able to happen, we try to include 2 or 3 items in each hamper. My goal is to make 3 dozen items to donate (mug rugs, coaster sets, lap quilts and if time allows some covered journals or fabric baskets).
Here’s other blogs that are posting today for you to hop around:
Tuesday, November 16th
- MooseStash Quilting
- Words and Stitches
- Quilting Gail
- Patchouli Moon Studio
- Selina Quilts
- Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life
I’m so happy you stopped by to read my post. Hopefully some of these might inspire you to use up some of those bits and scraps. They do make cute hostess gifts and the holiday season is coming. If you enjoyed my post, feel free to wander around a few other posts and if you like what you see, follow my blog or leave me a comment. I enjoy reading your notes and always enjoy responding to them. 😄 Carol
Clever idea, using that cute scrap, and then adding a few more cute ideas, too!
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Thank you Wendy 😊
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Great use of those long border scraps and orphan quilt blocks. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you for your sweet comment.
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So many great ideas for us, Carol. Thank you! I love using my stash and these are a great way to do it. Thank you for joining No Ring November!
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Thank you Carla for your sweet comment and for hosting such a great themed hop
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Those are some wonderful mug rugs/coasters! Your goal to make so many for the Christmas hampers is great. I’m sure you’ll get there and help lots of people have a better Christmas. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you Carol. It’s fun to give back to my community. 😉
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Wonderful mug rugs. I like the fabric you used. Great idea for your donation.
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Thank you Sue 😊
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Great group of mug rugs!
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Thank you Elizabeth 😊
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Oh love the mug rug using a fabric scrap too cute to cut up. Also using up orphan blocks.
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Thank you Colette 😊
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You are a great inspiration for stash busting. I have saved little things that I know will find a home some day… famous last words for me here. LOL!! But you sewing for quilt hampers is so perfect. I love the idea of letting kids pick their parents gifts. Lets hope that Covid goes away next year…I feel like I have been saying that forever now, and the kids can once again enjoy their Christmas meal and pick their gifts.
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Thank you Joan. It is a sweet idea for the kids and like you, I’m looking forward to this pandemic being over so that life can be “normal” again 😁
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Carol, these are great ideas and a great way to whittle the stash down!! The sparkly thread on the first one really adds a lot! It’s awesome that you are doing this for the guild to share with children to give their parents as gifts.
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Thank you Brenda. It is nice to give back like this. 😊
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Well…I can see that I need to shop your stash! What cute fabrics and your mug rugs sure turned out perfectly. Hope your plans for the donations turns the guild’s giveaway into a super charity .
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Thank you. I checked the Donation box at the Guild yesterday and it’s half full already 😁
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Great ideas for mug rugs, I often use orphan blocks too. Thanks for the inspiration/1
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Thank you Karin 😊
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What great projects and wonderful ways to use the blocks and scraps. I like the guild project of helping children, and hope next year the children can choose again.
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Thank you Susan. It is a fun way for the kids to get a gift for their parents 😁
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What a good idea for left over fabric pieces. I haven’t made mug rugs but you have inspired me to make some. Thank you.
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Thank you Norma. They are a fun project for a little gift for friends 😊
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Hi Carol! Each one is cuter than the next. I never would have thought of folding the fabric to make a cute little pocket. Thanks for the ideas and the inspiration. What a fun hop! ~smile~ Roseanne
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Hi Roseanne. It is fun trying to come up with new ideas to use up pretty fabric 😉
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Fun, I like gifting mug rugs because they are quick to make up and so darn cute! Great Use of Scraps! I need to take note for myself to put myself on a scrap budget fabric diet like you have! Fabric Fasting would make me use up many of those minimal sizes of fabrics I have!
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Hi Anita. The fabric fast has made me use my imagination more to use up my scraps for fun projects. 😊
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A great way to use leftovers thanks for the ideas
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Thank you 😊
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Nice use of scraps, and I love the scrappy tree mug rug the best!
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Thank you Shirley. It’s one of my favourites too 😊
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Great way to use up scrap fabrics. .That deer print is one of my favorites.
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Thank you Danice. It was a favourite of mine too, so I really had to use every last scrap of it 😉
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LOVE that scrappy Christmas mug rug, Carol!!
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Thank you 😊
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Thank you for the inspiration! What a fun way to use up those bits and pieces.
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Thank you for your lovely comment. It is fun using these bits up! 😉
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I love the one with the pocket, the one with the block, the one with the tree – ok – I love them all! Thanks for sharing and hopping!
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Thank you Kathleen. They are so much fun to play with 😉
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Oh I just love how you’ve used all your scraps to make such pretty mug rugs! xx
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Thank you Joy 😊
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