Wouldn’t it look pretty if a mug rug coaster was shaped like a maple leaf? When that idea popped into my head, I searched the internet for a pattern and could not find one. So I told myself “Lara, Step Away From the Computer”, went for a walk outside in the sunshine, got a real maple leaf and made up my own pattern. I found some fabrics that would hide stains and wash up well and then made up a few maple leaf mug rugs for our family room. My DH even said he loves them!

So I am now posting this for anyone else who would also like to make them. Seems like an Autumn-y thing to do. If any of you do make one, I would Love to see your pictures and see how they come out in different fabrics.

Please bear with me while I post the directions and pictures, as I’m going to post them one step at a time to keep them in the right order.

Love your fabric choices. Very pretty.

So here it is, a Fun & Easy Project! A Pictorial Tutorial (LOL - say that ten times fast!) for Making a Maple Leaf Mug Rug

1. Print out the Maple Leaf Pattern on regular printer paper. Size it to one page, with borders of 1.0 The Pattern should be about 6 inches.

2. Choose your fabric (or fabrics) and make a layered sandwich in this order:
Bottom - Quilt batting / Middle - fabric square, face up / Top - fabric square, face down

3. Pin the Pattern to the top layer of fabric.

4. Set your sewing machine for a very small straight stitch. Sew around the outside edge of the leaf pattern, starting and stopping at the arrows on the pattern. Reinforce the first and last corners with backstitching along the way.

5. Trim the batting very close to the outside of the stitching, including the v-shaped indent at the base of the leaf pattern.

6. Flip the leaf over. Pull off the paper around the Outside of the leaf. Leave on the paper within the leaf pattern. Keeping it in place will help you to see the stitching line as you trim the fabric, especially if your thread matches your fabric.

7. Cut away the excess fabric, leaving a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Please note: where the v- shaped opening is left, leave a 1/4" seam allowance and snip into the tip of the "V" as illustrated in the picture below. This helps when it comes time to turn that edge under.

8. Trim the corners and clip the curves all around the outside edge of the leaf, being very careful not to cut into your stitching. (This is where leaving on the paper really helps!)

9. Now remove the paper leaf pattern carefully, keeping it whole for later use.

10. Turn your fabric leaf right side out. (It helps to approach this as you would a pair of inside out gloves.)

11. Very carefully work out the tips of the leaves to points and fill out the curves. I used a dull pencil to help me. Turn under the 1/8 inch allowances at the opening. Now iron the leaf flat. Stitch along the opening to close it.

12. Pin the pattern back on the leaf, making sure to center and line it up. It will be a little large than your leaf, but that is okay as long as you take note of it and don’t run your machine off the edge of the fabric. Or, Alternately, you could trim the excess off the pattern.

Just saw one of these made with felt and I like this one so much better. Thanks, you did a good job.

COOL idea, design, and follow through!!!! WOW!!! :)

13. Stitch along the veins of the leaf in one long continuous line of stitching. I start by going straight up each center vein and then backtracking up and down each side vein on the way back down. Be careful to closely follow your own lines of stitching on the way back along them, so as not to leave small gaps for the paper to get stuck in. My presser foot was sometimes getting a bit stalled on the bulky leaf tips when I turned to head back down, so I used a pencil eraser to give the fabric a gentle push through. You could also simply stop your stitching before you reach the end point of the leaf.

14. Remove the paper pattern. Use tweezers to get any little stuck bits of paper out.

Thanks so much! I've bookmarked this. The fabrics you chose are beautiful.

15. Your leaf is finished… Now go brew a cuppa and enjoy!

PS: Some members have asked how to download just the pattern: To download just the leaf pattern, click on the word (download) right underneath the pattern on page 1. You can then shrink or enlarge it to whatever size suits your purposes.

For those of you who would like to download versions of the entire tutorial, Marcia created a copy using Word (page 19, second post down) and Kim then created a copy in .PDF format for us all (page 19, fourth post down). Thank you Marcia and Kim for your kind help!

Thank you, Lara. I love this mug rug. You gave me some inspiration to try other things this way also!

These are just the ticket to think fall. It's hard to do here in the desert when it's still in the 100's. Your tutorial is clear and easy to understand. Thanks for posting.

That's great Dee! I've had some more pop into my head too, but will likely not get around to them any time soon. I'd love to see yours if you do! :thumbup:

Thank you everyone for the nice comments!

What a great idea!

Help - I want to save this to My Bookmarks but don't know how. Can someone help me here?

Thanks! We should realize we've been blessed here with this cooler weather finally arriving!

Hi Suzi! At the top of each topic section, over the word "author" on the left, there are tabs. The left most one says "bookmark" just click on that.

PS - I love your quote!

Just love this mug rug! Your fabrics are lovely. Thanks for the great tute and cool idea!
Blessings,
MaryAnna

I just love the way your coasters turned out! Thank you som much for sharing.

Love tute - is there a way to print out just the tute?? - (I am not very computer saavy lol) thanks cheryl :thumbup:

Oh so nicely Canadian and seasonal! :)

Would make for great hostess gifts at this time of the year, or for Canucks to take as gifts when they are travelling at any time of the year!

Well Done!! :)

Oohhh, how pretty! Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing, I'm adding these to my ever growing list.

Thanks so much for taking the time to prepare and post a tutorial. Love your mug rugs and your fabric choices are exquisite. I too had recently seen this using felt but yours are so much nicer.

Very nice. Just the thing for fall. I wanted to make a wreath for our door, but the supplies alone added up to way too many dollars. These in various sizes could be used. Plus they would make a great gift for all the people at our bank. Thanks. Good job.

oh wow - that's just gorgeous!! I love love love it! :)

Fall is my favorite time of the year - no allergies! :) I'll be making some leaves!

They're beautiful!!!!!!!! Thanks for the great tutorial.

Ohhh, these are cute and really look like maple leaves! You did a fantistic job on the coasters and tutorial. Thanks so much for making it available!

Those are beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing, I will be making some for sure!

Thanks so much for this pattern, I have printed out the leaf and will be making a few of these. I love making these intstant gratification patterns.

ETA I just read the idea for making a wreath, great idea :thumbup:

Those are so pretty. Love the fabrics you used - they look like the maple leaves will here all too soon! Thank you for taking the time to share your tutorial with us.