Mini Collage Mug Rug

This little mug rug was started a very long time ago and I totally forgot about it until I came across it the other day in my sewing room. I was looking for something else and noticed that I had made the collage arrangement, just never put it onto a background and quilted it!

It started as a sketch on freezer paper and I used some fabric scraps to cut out a couple of birds and some foliage. I used prints for the larger mushroom pieces. I never found anything that looked like grass so I simply made do with what I found printed on the fabric. I also added a few little bits ‘floating’ for interest.

I fused all of the fabrics before cutting them out and then fused them what I thought was pattern ease. It wasn’t and I’m not sure what it was, but it thankfully peeled off without much of a struggle.

I auditioned quite a few fabrics for the background and decided on a darker fabric for the bottom or ‘ground’ and lighter one for the rest of the background. I added a few more details and then layered the finished collage with a scrap of batting and a piece of fabric from a layer cake for the backing. Instead of matchstick quilting like I usually do for collages, I used a variation by making the quilting lines very wavy. It was fun and easy to just guide the mug rug back and forth while quilting. I then added a single layer binding and finished it by machine.

This was a fun little project to play with and now I have one less ufo. Woohoo!

If you want to make this mug rug, feel free to print the photo and use a sharpie to outline the pieces to make a pattern. Or grab a coloring book or free clip art online and do the same. Your pumpkin spice latte will thank you! LOL

Enjoy every stitch! Diane