Happy Days Mug Rug: A Simple Spring Quilting Project

If you are like me, you are sick and tired of the winter weather. Let’s welcome in spring with this cute floral mug rug.

Materials needed:

  • ¼ yard of background fabric
  • 4” square of flower A fabric
  • 4” square of flower B fabric
  • 3” x 5” piece of green fabric
  • 2” square of flower center fabric
  • Fusible applique material such as Wonder Under 
  • 8 x 10 batting
  • 1 ½” x 44” fabric for binding
  • Iron and pressing surface
  • Rotary cutter
  • Scissors
  • Pencil or pen
  • Printed full size pattern (print at 100%)

How to Make the Happy Days Mug Rug – Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Cut the background fabric into two pieces (7” x 9”) and (8” x 10”). Set aside for now.

Step 2

Trace the pattern pieces onto the paper side of the fusible applique material

Step 3

Roughly cut each pattern piece from the fusible applique material
Lay the cut pattern pieces on the wrong side of the fabric and fuse into place.

Step 4

Carefully cut along the pattern lines. Remove the backing paper from the pattern pieces

Step 5

Place the pattern pieces on the 7” x 9” background in a pleasing arrangement.  Place ends of stems under flower petals and grass clumps.  

Step 6

Optional- Stitch around the flowers with a blanket stitch using black thread.

Step 7

Create a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric (8” x 10”)  wrong side up, then the batting, then the top right side up. Place a few pins to hold it all together.

Step 8

Stitch around the design and add some free motion stitches to the background on the sewing machine
Take the quilted sandwich to the pressing surface. Trim to 7” x 9” through all three layers.

Step 9

Prepare the 1 ½ x 44 inch piece for binding. Fold piece in half, wrong sides together, and press to create a long, narrow strip. 

Step 10

Match the raw edge of the folded binding strip to the raw edge of the mini quilt. Leave a long tail at the beginning.

Step 11

Attach the binding to the quilt using a ¼” seam allowance. Stop ¼” from each corner and fold the binding diagonally, then back on itself to turn the corner.

Step 12

When you get close to your starting point, pull the two tails of the binding up and place a pin in each piece where they meet.

Step 14

Open the two pieces so they are 1 ½” wide again, match them by turning one perpendicular to the other. Place a pin where the intersection is.

Step 15

Stitch with a diagonal stitch,  then trim the ends.  Refold and finish sewing around the quilt.

Step 16

Fold finished edge of binding to back and hand stitch to backside of quilt.