Holiday Project idea: Snowflake mug rug

 Mug Rug Instructions

This little project uses 3 different techniques in our Artistic  Simple Cut software (which is included with the purchase of the Artistic Edge Digital Cutter). This can also be done in our Artistic Digitizer software although the screen shots pictured below may look a little different.

Here’s how we made this mug rug:

• Open the Simple Cut software. Select New and up will pop the Techniques menu. Select Cut, Embroidery and Crystals.

Note the green buttons showing I have selected 3 of the 5 techniques seeing as I want to cut the snowflake; I want to embroider/applique-in-the-hoop around the snowflake AND I want to add crystals.

• Press next, select the fabric type, hoop size & brand + the size of the cutting mat.
• Then import the snowflake graphic from wherever it is saved on the computer (I have mine in a folder I named Edge Cutter). You can draw one and scan it or import a graphic from the internet like I did here. Please don’t ask where – Just google and you will find more free images than you can use!
• The software then asks me if I want to open the snowflake graphic as a backdrop or do I want to trace it to form outlines? I chose trace as it is much easier to let the software create all those fiddly little edges than me do it manually! Keep going with accepting the default settings until you reach this screen:

• Notice there are different techniques or functions showing at the top of the Object Properties box: Running & Satin Serial refer to the applique embroidery; Array & Crystals to the crystals function – which I will add later; and Cut to the function which will cut my snowflake.
• NO way was I ever going to cut such a fiddly snowflake applique with a pair of scissors!  There are just not enough minutes in an hour for me to waste on things like that. But I am right there ready to send it to the Artistic Edge Digital cutter which cuts it for me in a matter of less than one minute. Seriously! I prepped the fabric using Terial Magic spray ( now available through your local Janome Canada Dealer as we distribute this awesome product!) to stiffen the fabric which gives a much cleaner, crisper cut edge. You may also iron fusible web onto the back of the fabric is you wish. I then cut the piece of the stiffened turquoise cotton fabric on the high tac mat in the cutter using the yellow cap blade. The fabric had fusible web ironed to the back, so I just peeled away the release paper and put it to one side for the hoop embroidery part…..coming up.

• Notice the snowflake has been outlined and the applique stitch I selected was the blanket stitch or traditional applique stitch. Next I need to send the design to my Janome Embroidery machine.  I can do this with whatever method I prefer: wirelessly from my laptop to the Janome MC15000;   save the design to my USB stick; or via the direct cable connection.
• Hoop up the MC15000 SQ14 embroidery hoop with stabilizer, baste the pale turquoise mug rug fabric onto the stabilizer and position the snowflake where you want it to stitch out on your mug rug. Stitch the placement line – colour #1. Then lay the cut snowflake down on top of the placement line so it is perfectly lined up.  Of course, you can use ANY of our Janome Embroidery machines to do this embroidery. Our MC15000, MC12000, MC9900, Skyline S9; MC500E, MC550E  and our new MC9850 – all have this wonderful basting function and the ability to stitch out appliques.
• Remove the hoop from the machine and use a mini iron to fuse the applique in position. Do this carefully so as not to dislodge anything nor melt or burn the side of the hoop (hence the suggestion of a mini iron)!
• Back at your Janome embroidery machine, Stitch colour #2 which is the applique stitching.
• All that remains is to apply the crystals to the snowflake. Here is the template material which I cut for the snowflake

• Next I “sandwiched” the mug rug with low loft batting and a backing fabric. The sandwich was returned to the embroidery machine for a quick little quilting design in the other half of the mug rug.  I used one of our Acufil quilting designs on the Janome Mc15000. This time I hooped up with a piece of water soluble stabilizer which will wash away later before I make my cup of tea!
• The mug rug was trimmed and then bound with the Janome Quilt Binder set. There are numerous blog posts featuring this incredible attachment. Please search for Quilt Binder set in the search box on our Janomelife home page.

And here is another mug rugs made with exactly the same technique (just minus the crystals). This time I did not use a binding and the QuiltBinder set to edge the mug rug. Instead I couched a thickish white yarn up against the trimmed edge of the mug rug with a zig-zag stitch. I like this as it is quick, easy and does not make a ridge on the edge – no danger of my mug of tea tipping over!

Snowflake was cut out with the Artistic Edge digital cutter and then appliqued-in-the-hoop with stitches digitized in the Simple Cut software which comes included with the Artistic Edge Digital cutter.