Scrappy Mug Rug

My cupboard is overflowing with blue scraps, but making an entire monochromatic quilt each month is probably a bit much for most people.  Small, bite sized projects are also a great way to use up scraps.  Especially if you make lots of them.  I'm already thinking ahead to gifts for next Christmas.  After amassing a stack of nine patches and snowballs, I decided that one of each would make a nice little mug rug.

Step 1: 
Gather Supplies:
13 2 inch squares in blue
1 5 inch square in white.
blue scrap for applique, I used a 3.5 inch square
8 or 9 2 inch by 8 inch strips for the back
1 long 2 inch strip for border, about 40 inches
scrap of blue binding or fabric strips totaling about 45 inches. 
scrap of batting about 6 x 10 inches

Step 2
Assemble one 9 patch and 1 snowball block using directions from last post and sew them together.
Step 3
Cut an applique shape out of the blue scrap.  I chose a star.  Microsoft office has shapes you can print and trace or you can just go freehand.  I think a snowflake would be cute too, but it seemed too complicated.  A bit of embroidery would also work well.  I used a buttonhole stitch around the edges to finish this off in a hurry. 
Step 4
Press the seams toward the nine patch and measure for the first border. It should be about 9.5 inches. Cut 2 2 inch strips to this length and sew one to the top and one to the bottom. Press and repeat for the side borders. These should measure about 8 inches. Press to finish the top.

Step 5
Sew the 2 inch by 8 inch strips together to make a scrappy back.  I pressed the seams open to avoid excess bulk.  Check to make sure the back is a bit bigger than the top. 
Step 6
Layer the back, batting and top together.  You could use spray baste here if you like, but with these tiny little projects, I have had good luck basting them with regular straight pins. 

Step 7
Quilt as desired. Tiny little projects are a great chance to practice machine quilting. I did a meander on this one, but random straight lines are pretty cute as well.

Step 8
Apply binding. I used a scrap of blue binding from my extra binding drawer. Just for fun I practiced finishing it on the machine. I'm always hesitant to do this for bigger quilts, but it worked out just fine for this little guy.