Cozy Winter Mug Rug

Embroidery Library stitcher Lisa recently wrote in with a question about stitching a trapunto snowman design on felt -- her end result was a beautifully quilted mug rug. We were so inspired that we decided to create a similar project.

A cozy mug rug, packaged with a mug and some tasty treats, makes a great gift for tea, coffee, or cocoa lovers!

Read below for these free project instructions.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies Needed

**1/4 yard fabric (for middle and back panel - we used lightweight canvas)

**1/4 yard fabric (for side panels and utensil pocket - we used print cotton fabric)

**Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer

**Temporary spray adhesive

**Air-erase pen (or other marking tool)

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- E8148,Fa La La Filigree Holly Jolly - Small

This design is also available in a design pack:
- X7900,A Fa La La Filigree Design Pack - Small

Stitcher Lisa used the following design for her mug rug:
- A9285,Snowman Square (Trapunto) - Small

This design is also available in a design pack:
- X3346, A Christmas Squares (Trapunto) Design Pack - Small

Finished Size:
13 1/2 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches tall

Gather Materials:

To begin, we'll prepare the fabric for the middle front panel (the panel to be embroidered). Cut a piece of fabric (we used lightweight home decor canvas) 9 inches wide by 7 1/2 inches high. Using an air-erase pen (or other marking tool), measure and mark the center of each side of the fabric. Draw lines to connect the marks - where the lines meet is the exact center of the shape.

Light green fabric piece on a dark wood surface, marked with pencil and a wooden ruler held by a hand with a pen, showing measurements.

Create a paper template of the design by printing it at full size using embroidery software. If you don't have embroidery software, you can cut a piece of paper the shape and dimensions of the design to help with placement and centering.

Poke a hole in the center of the design and align it with the center point on the fabric. Make sure the design fits well within the shape - there should be at least one inch of space between the outer edges of the design and the edges of the fabric.

Green fabric square with center lines drawn, a paper with "Holly Jolly" text and holly leaves design pinned on it, and a hand tracing the design.

Start Embroidering:

Spray a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.

Close-up of a hand holding green fabric with grid lines stretched in a white embroidery hoop attached to a machine on a wooden table.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching the word "Joy" in red thread with green decorative swirls and holly leaves on light green fabric hooped in an embroidery frame.

When the design has finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the back of the embroidery.

Hand cutting fabric with orange scissors around embroidered design on white fabric, green fabric square underneath, wooden surface background.

To prepare the fabric for the utensil pocket, cut two pieces of fabric (we used print cotton fabric) 3 1/2 inches wide by 6 inches high.

Two rectangular fabric pieces with holly and berries print, layered on a wood surface, next to an orange-handled pair of scissors.

Align the pocket fabric pieces together, right sides facing, and pin along one of the short top edges. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the top pinned edge only.

Hand holding three small layered fabric squares with holly and berry patterns, pinned together on a wooden surface.

Turn the fabric right side out and press the seam with an iron. Then, top stitch a 1/4 inch seam along the top edge only.

Close-up of a hand using a white and blue iron on a quilted fabric piece with holly leaves and red berries pattern on a blue ironing board.

To prepare the fabric for the two front side panels, cut two pieces of fabric (we used print cotton) 3 1/2 inches wide by 7 1/2 inches high. Lay one of the panels with the right side facing up. Then, align the pocket on top of the panel with the raw bottom edges aligned - pin in place. This will be the front right side panel.

Hand holding a white fabric mug rug with green holly leaves and red berries pattern on a dark wood surface.

Align the side panels on top of the embroidered middle front panel, right sides facing. Then, align the outer corners of the side panels with the corners of the middle panel. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the side raw edges only.

Hand holding corner of rectangular fabric with holly and red berries pattern, folded to reveal green fabric with red embroidered "Holly Jolly" text.

Press the seams and then top stitch a 1/8 inch seam on the inside, sewing on top of the middle panel.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching light green fabric over white fabric with holly and red berries print. Part of a red and green embroidered design is visible.

To prepare the fabric for the back panel, lay the assembled front piece on top of the fabric, right sides facing. Pin in place and cut out the shape. Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the top edge, the right side edge (the utensil pocket side), and the bottom edge. Keep the left side edge open for turning.

Close-up of a person's hand holding a partially folded fabric mug rug. The fabric includes green and white with holly and red berries patterns. The center has embroidery saying "Cozy Winter Mug Rug.

Trim both corners on the right side but be careful to not cut the seam.

Close-up of scissors cutting a small triangle from a white fabric piece with green holly leaves and red berries, next to a green fabric piece on a wooden surface.

Turn the fabric right side out and press the seams. Also, turn the fabric of the opening in 1/2 inch and press. Then, top stitch a 1/4 inch seam around the entire outer edge of the placemat.

Your cozy mug rug is complete!