A Place For My Mug

For a while I've been jonesing for a "Mug Rug." They're like little tiny quilts, and they are ADORABLE! I am not coordinated or patient enough to make a normal grown-up sized quilt...so micro-quilt was out of the question.  After accepting mug rug defeat, I decided to make a coaster of sorts. A coaster, ok... it's round, it's breakfast time, A DOUGHNUT! Of course! The best part is that if you don't need a place for your mug to hang out, this pattern can be made into a stuffed doughnut... because everyone needs one of those! 

Mmmm... Let's get started! You will need :

Felt in your cake color and your desired icing color. 

Coordinating embroidery floss (plus colors for sprinkles)

Fusible interfacing (optional)

 Pattern

Cut out your pattern pieces, and if you would like, apply fusible interfacing to the icing piece. It makes it hold up a little better when you embroider on it. Remember my Ironing Eco-Felt guidelines from my first post? If not, Here ya go! 

NOTE: I use Eco Felt, it is plastic, and it does melt! Be very careful when affixing the interfacing! 

•Use as low a heat setting as you can.

•Keep the iron moving.

•Steam seems to help things from getting sticky!

If it's the first time you're using this method, try it out on a scrap piece, so you can determine  good setting for your iron.  

Alright, now that it is fresh in your mind, we shall move along. 

Whenever I think of doughnuts the pink rainbow sprinkly ones come to mind. Perhaps it's my being raised in the Simpson's generation, but how can you argue that they're not the prettiest of all?! I picked 5 colors of embroidery floss (18" long each/ full thickness) and made a bunch of 1/8 to 1/4 inch stitches randomly all the way around the icing piece. 

Once you get your icing decorated as you wish, place it on top of ONE layer of the cake circles. For my coaster, I used a whipped running stitch for all of my joining stitches. For the stuffed doughnut I used a blanket stitch. The blanket stitch keeps the edges nice and secure (and flat) once it's stuffed. It takes a bit more time, but it's worth it. (Floss at half thickness [3 strands]) 

If you are ever in need of stitching inspiration, visit Sarah's Hand Embroidery. It is, hands down, the best resource for stitching instructions. 

Ok, here I have my outside stitched with a running stitch (the whipped part to come later.) Add the second cake piece to the bottom, and stitch around the hole. Make sure you catch all three layers as you make your way around. Then stitch around the outside edge of the doughnut. 

If you are making the stuffed version, I found it easier to sew about half way around the outside, add some stuffing, then stitch until it was almost closed, fill it the rest of the way, then close it off. 

There you have it. Doughnuts two ways! You can see how much of a difference stitch choice makes in a project! 

Now my mug has a happy place to sit :) 

--CJ 

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