Saturday, January 28, 2017

1 Christmas Item a Month - January 2017

Merry Christmas North Pole Mug Rug

Yay! I have a finish! 

This has been a UFO (Unfinished Object) since 2015.
A few of you may recall my *brilliant* plan of trying to design 48 mug rug patterns that could also be incorporated into a quilt.
Had you seen my attempts to bind this little mug rug last night,
you might understand why I am laughing out loud as I type this. (My list of things I am grateful for now includes seam rippers.)
I do have notes and will share a tutorial on how this block was created at a later date.


I love the Merry Christmas fabric on the back. 
I found it at JoAnn Fabric. 
I think it is Holiday Inspirations Merry Christmas Red Metallic.

I used a false back and "quilted" the mug rug (if one may call it that) with the snowflakes embroidered and beaded on the white) and then covered that with this pretty fabric.

I followed a series of 3 videos shared by Stitches of Love on YouTube to re-learn how to bind a mug rug. You may find them here: part 1, part 2, & part 3. I am not affiliated with their site and all of my errors were due to my lack of experience and not quite seeing how it was done. (I taught myself how NOT to do it first.)


Hand embroidered buttonholes tacked down all of the raw-edge applique. Merry Christmas and the pole for the sign were hand embroidered with stem stitches. And snowflakes were embroidered with fly stitches and/or straight stitches. Mill Hill Petite Glass Seed Beads created a few tiny snowflakes or embellished the larger ones. (The snowflake above is my favorite on the block.)


Last November, I did not share a 1 X-mas Item a Month post. It was a crazy month with no finishes.


I forgot to share this little zipper pouch I made for a blogging friend. (You may find her work at DesertSky Quilting and CQ4Fun.) I was just waiting for her to receive it before sharing it on-line. (November was a rough month and I completely forgot!)


I also forgot about this fabric postcard I finished in December.
(You might remember the Holiday Inspirations Fabric - Susan Winget Peeking Snowmen fabric from the tote bag I shared in December of 2015.)


For the back, I used green fabric.

Here is a question for those of you with more experience mailing fabric postcards: Will a stamp stick to the fabric if you mail the postcard without a clear plastic envelope?

Thank you all for stopping by!
Renee


Participating with the 1 Xmas Item a Month blog motivates me to complete Christmas gifts before the rush of the holiday season arrives. I want to thank Narelle for all she does in her workshop!

10 comments:

Tiffstitch said...

Those are lovely finishes! No ideas on the postcard, but clear plastic might be best to protect it.

Queeniepatch said...

Most fabric postcards I have seen have been stitched to a real paper postcard where a stamp would easily stick. I agree, a protective plastic envelope will be the best solution in your case, but will the postoffice ask you to pay letter postage? If you put it in a paper envelope it would be more of a surprise for the recipient to open it...., but then the point of it being a postcard would be gone....
All your finished, 2016 and 2017 are great!

Brigitte said...

Your fabric postcard looks fantastic. Such great snowman fabric.
That mug rug - yes, I think it is one - is so nice but sorry that you had to use the seam ripper.
That little zipper pouch was certainly very well received by your blogging friend.
All of these Christmas items are wonderful.

FlashinScissors said...

Great new title and header for your blog, Renee!
Wow, I love the fabric you used for the pouch!
Well done with the mug rug!
Your postcard is delightful. I don't have experience of posting a postcard, but I'm sure I read on someone's blog not too long ago that her post office advised against sending a fabric card through the post ....... personally I'd use an envelope.
Barbara x

Rachel said...

Very pretty finishes! I love the idea of a mug rug!

Pull the other thread said...

Love all the finishes you showed today. The zipper pouch is super cute. I really must try a mug rug one of these days and that fabric postcard is awesome. Well done on some many great finishes.

Renee said...

Thank you, Rachel!

Katie said...

Beautiful finishes!! Great job.

Createology said...

Hello Renee. Love each of your Christmas themed finishes/gifts. Grea job dear! I used to make and mail fabric postcards with no envelopes or plastic sleeves. I actually mailed one to myself as a test and it was delivered just fine. To ensure the stamp stayed on, I glued it with Aleene's gold bottle white glue. Wonderful post with sew many fabulous projects.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I laughed at you saying you taught yourself how NOT to do it - oh how I identify with that!! I've learned so much about how not to do things. btw - love the fabric you used for the zipper pouch.