Mug Rug Exchange - Do it yourself style!

[Geneva C.]

I get tennis elbow too--especially with that sweater--it is really heavy. I bought the yarn and had it wound at the shop--they didn't give me the tag that went with it so I don't know what brand or anything else on it.

[Rita C.]

Now you have reminded me of another blast from the past - my mother used to get the wool in skeins and we (my sisters and I) would have to take turns winding the wool or holding the skeins. I remember feeling very grown up when I was able to do both jobs by myself. :lol:

[Charae H.]

Lots of past blasting going on. The first...maybe second... sweater I ever knitted was a fisherman's knit. After a year of struggling to understand a pattern with what turned out to have several printing errors, I finally finished it and gave it to my brother. The sleeves were a little ape-like; my fault, I'm sure, but you can only block so much. The last time I saw it he was wearing it to feed cattle in a Colorado blizzard. No outer coat needed! I shouldn't have been amazed by how much hay can get trapped in those cables. What an ignoble ending! LOL!!

[Rita C.]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[E.M. T.]

Hummmm...I'd say he's a well-dressed stockman !! :wink: :lol: :lol: You're a good sister !

[E.M. T.]

Sounds to me like he was appreciating the gift and it was serving its' purpose well.

[Charae H.]

Yep!

[Annis C.]

I'm enjoying seeing all of the creative mug rugs. Wish I had time to join you. I remember knitting a sweater 40 some years ago. The process was too slow for me, but I did crochet a few sweaters in the early '80s. This is the only one I kept. It was an original design and a finalist in a McCall's magazine contest. I have a Polaroid picture of me wearing it somewhere. There's no chance of that happening again because it will no longer fit over my head. Do you suppose I should hand it down to my oldest DGD who is 11 before she outgrows it if she hasn't already!

[Annis C.]

That is really pretty Annis. And I would say yes do hand it on to be worn by your DGD if she likes it too. In my book if something is made to be used, then it is a shame not to use it if possible.

[Charae H.]

Ritzy and Annis, your sweaters are terrific! Passing them on is a great idea. My mother knitted a child's sweater with a horse head on the back and horse shoes on the front panels that is now proudly being worn by the 3rd generation.

[Charae H.]

Very pretty Annis! And I too wish you had the time to join us in the mug rug exchange. If you decide you have time, some time later--I will exchange with you.

[Annis C.]

Thanks. I probably have lots of orphan blocks that would work for mug rugs, but they will have to wait. Tomorrow is the last day of a 3 day retreat with the quilt guild, then it's back to other things. I put bindings on 2 quilts (still need hand sewn to the back though), finished the Sunshine & Shadow quilt top for a friend and prepared the backing and binding. The quilting will have to wait until later. Now I'm working on the Christmas quilt from the 2011 BOM. I have 5 narrow borders (3 of them are only 1/4") that will be sewn together then mitered. Then I will add the next pieced border which is already finished. The final border will have to wait awhile as I know I won't have time for it tomorrow. At least I have all of the strip sets ready for it which I did at the retreat last January and the paper piecing templates have been printed since then too. I was so glad to see they were already done so I wouldn't have to remember how I was going to do it. Also I found a note saying to use yo-yos instead of circles. I would have forgotten that idea too. I think I will make a practice one now to see what size they need to be for the 1-1/4" border.

[Annis C.]

Just a quick question for the regulars. Do the mug rugs have to be a certain size or pattern. And I will start making my mug rugs as soon as i get my machine

[Rita C.]

Hi Mathew, no the mug rugs don't have to be any size and the design is entirely up to you. It just needs to be big enough to put a mug and a cookie on.

[Maureen A.]

I have just received a beautiful mug rug with terrific FMQ on it from Renata. I will post a photo as soon as I can.

Thank you Renata.