What did I get myself into??
 

OK, so for Christmas, I made mug rugs for each of my son's preschool teachers. Fast forward to now, and I work there as an assistant teacher/art instructor.

Apparently my boss loved them SO much, that she wants me to make them for EVERY child to give one to their moms for Mother's Day... That's about 62 kids!! :shock::shock::shock:

So, as I prepare to grab about a case of wine and move into my sewing room for the next month or so... Does anyone have any suggestions on making multiples? Favorite 'simple' pattern ideas?

Our thought was to buy a variety of material, and let the kids pick a few fabrics to make them out of. They won't look good together, most likely, but the fact that the kids 'participated' by picking the fabric makes them special, right?

The other thought we had was to put a small pocket on the front of each mugrug, and include a teabag along with the poem explaining what a mug rug is.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Basically, as long as it's not complicated piecing or applique, I'm open to suggestions! :)

I guess I am confused .. aren't the kids supposed to be making their own gifts .. or has that gone by the way side.. or did I not read your post correctly. If I am reading they pick the fabrics and you do the work?

this is a great idea!

psss!
Dollar store, lol

ITA with the others that your boss is taking your generosity a little far!
And yes ITA, aren't the kids supposed to MAKE the presents?
I hope that the "offer" included paying for ALL your supplies!

Tartan's is a good idea ... just sew plain muslin Mug Rugs, and let the kids do the decorating. And perhaps instead of you doing ALL the work, you could enlist the help of ALL the staff, in a good ol' fashioned Quilting Bee assembly line!

Though with pre-school, can you have them work in something that would be washable? Perhaps using crayons? ... and then you AND ALL staff work together to finish them off.

hhmmmm ... I bet if you force the group effort, the idea will fizzle out ... or at least will not be requested another time, once they have done it this time. And who knows, perhaps the group will have FUN doing it together, then it will be a most worthwhile group effort from the staff to the parents ... with the kids help! :)

Are you really going to do this? Sounds like your boss has never made anything in her life.

That is a lot to ask from you. I would gently decline. People don't know how much time everything takes including mug rugs. Now, if the kids want to make something, I would keep it as easy peasy as possible.

The original idea was to have them color a picture for their moms, scan, and print on the iron-on paper and use it for the backing. But we decided against it, as sometimes the kids just scribble (the ones we KNOW can draw will not feel like it).

She would be paying for all supplies, and I would still be paid for my time as well, so I'm OK with doing it.

I agree use muslin only, cut them out with pinking shears, sew a 1/4 inch in (other staff needs to be helping with this) have kids decorate the front and "sign" the back. The gift should be made at least this much by them or it is not a gift from them. You are a trooper!

Good deal if you are getting paid for your supplies as well as time ... though would the parents appreciate something made for the kids .... and paid for out of their enrolment fees?

I would tend to think that parents would sooner have something poorly done by the kids, yet made with their ♥! Or am I off track here?

I think the idea for the gift is a good one, but I agree with Tartan. Let the kids do the decorating. Mother's will like it better.

kids and gifts for mom
 

I have taught art for 27 years and the kids STILL like it when I take the time to teach them a skill that ends in a gift! Quilting????????? That is an easy skill to teach, and THEY get the joy of doing and giving and YOU get to keep all of your hair in your head. I agree that I would respectfully decline to make all of them yourself. Good luck, politics is messy business no matter where you serve.;)

but the fact that the kids 'participated' by picking the fabric makes them special, right?

Really?
I'm missing a lot here.
I don't understand why a scribble from a child would not be wonderful to the mom and why the ones that are good at drawing won't 'feel like it' for a gift for their mom. I would not care about a gift made by someone and given to my child to give me as a gift from him/her. I have saved every Mother's Day gift made by my kids when in school from ugly to cute to wonderful but my kids made it themselves.
It's hard to understand this boss in the school and teacher of the art class don't understand the whole point of the child's efforts in the gift is what means so much to a mom.

Here at our school the children all are In Art class and they draw a picture. Then it's sent home with Arts by me and we can order a magnet or whatever. I think if you made them give them fabric markers to draw their picture on it. It will be awesome and very special to the mothers at least to me it would be. I would be grateful for the work you put into it and then the children draw on. It will make children feel they did make it no different in them drawing and sent away to be put on a magnet, poster, cup apron. It's just you doing the work. So go for it.

Let me whisper something in your ear. First of all, it is too late in the year to take on such a project! Would she do it? I know you would love to do it, but perhaps do it for another year (maybe Christmas rugs for Christmas gifts). But...if you are so inclined to follow her wishes, perhaps string blocks with a pocket as suggested before. The child could place something he/she has made for the mom in there. Or the child could use crayons to do something ON the pocket -- something small and simple, then the teacher could do the ironing and you could do the rugs. I know I sound harsh, but I am a retired first grade teacher and many times backed myself into a corner with my big ideas...this is a busy time of the school year with many end-of-the year activities. If you want to take this on, more power to you. It sounds like a great idea.

I thank that is a very generious offer. I would do if I were in your shoes. The muslin mug rugs is a great idea, them drawing (maybe a picture of their mom). They could also draw a heart for Love and their names. You might also have the children assemble the sandwich for the rugs. They could use their Elmers School Glue to keep the pieces together and you would only have to sew around the edges. Sometime I make the sandwich where the back and front are placed right sides together then sew the long sides, and turn them, top stitch down the long side and then sew the short side and clip those edges to fray. These are very fast.

Maybe have them do a handprint?

How about getting some fabric paint in a craft store. Then with adult supervision, paint the kids' palms and make handprints on muslin. You could have them all sewn and let the kids pick out the color. I'd do them really quick, pillowcase or birthing style. Simple X quilting. You're very brave to tackle such I big project.

Edited to say: I see mom6 had the same idea and posted while I was typing. Great idea mom6! LOL

My suggestion is a fine Merlot

I agree. I've had someone ask me for one of my charity quilts so that she could give it as a wedding gift! (Compliment to me, but I was a bit taken back! I said, "No, I think not.")

Couldn't the kids make them out of felt? You could make the patterns and they could cut and glue them together.

Why not do a ten minute block for each mug. You will end up with 4 triangular pockets for the children to fill. Hope you understand what I mean as my head not working this morning.
Are you being paid as it willwork out financially very expensive plus time consuming. Don't be a doormat go and chat with the head about your concerns. A few for friends and so many and it could snowball from their. Ask how I know I was a teacher but also the head and only sewer in a school slightly larger than yours. I would cost using charm packs when you see the head and that the cost is only one side still need batting and backing. Small schools usually short of money . Another quick make just thought about is just a square but fill with bit of smelly stuff so that when heat placed on you get the aroma. These could be bagged put with one side not sewn for filling and how about a quick loop.

How "finished" do they have to be? Do you bind them, or just sew around the edges, turn inside out, and then stitch a quarter inch in? Seems like you could let the kids bring them to you as you sew three sides, let the kid turn it inside out, and then sew the last side. You could have all the pieces precut, and I agree with having the kids decorate one side. I do get that kids that age may or may not want to draw anything, but having a hand outline is always nice for the parent when it becomes hard to remember that they were ever that small...

Your boss has a lot of "hutzpah" in my opinion.

You could always pinking shear the edges.

I understand all points of view. It would be VERY generous of you to do this. I hope they don't expect one every year. If that happens, are you ok with it? Most do not understand what goes into this craft. It could also turn into a side business for you if anyone wants to learn how to make them. I do agree however, for it to be from their child, their child should be responsible for some part of it. What that is, depends on you. I've never been a fan of lying. I couldn't send something home and say it was from _____(fill in child's name). Unless they took part in the making of it, that would not be true.

I totally agree with the hand outline on the material. One year 2 other moms and I made a rag quilt for a K teacher with all the children's hands outlined in permanent marker and their names! Why not a rag type of mug rug with the same?

I would be interested in hearing what your final decision is though. If you'd be willing to pm me, I'd appreciate it. Good luck.

This is a time that a serger would come in handy. Some sergers do a really nice stitch plus trimming at the same time.

You could do up a lot of muslin sandwiches in minutes this way then let the kids at them with fabric markers. Have an adult nearby with a hot iron to heat set the designs.

Hand prints, simple poems, flowers, stick figures of family.

When my youngest was in second grade, I was home room mother. I bought two packages of napkins - one red the other white and spent an evening watching TV and folding the paper napkins into roses. Bought matching construction paper and let the kids design their own mother day cards. Put several sayings on the chalk board that they could use.

I remember one youngster asking what to do with the card since she did not have a mother. I asked her who took care of her and she said her Grandmother so I wrote on the board sayings for a grandmother, aunt, father or other relative in case some of the other children had the same worry.

The children had fun and got very creative.

This sounds totally wrong for you to be doing something like this? Why would a school or a teacher be giving the parents gifts? Are they paying you?

Just make "blanks" and let the kids paint their own with fabric paint/permanent markers.

good idea....handprints can be made into a lot of different forms.....from hearts , to animals....etc just do a search....

I would think of something that the kids could make, maybe decorate the mug rug......As a mom/gramma, I'd much rather have something my kids/grandkids made than made by the teacher or an aide. Although I bet your mug rugs were super !

I like the handprint idea, with the name and date written by the children. Kids Love to make their own gifts, and it's a good tradition to teach children.

I am a kdg teacher and I have to agree with many of the previous posters...i would never ask my para to make something for the kids to give their moms! Last week (as part of our plants theme) my kids planted flower seeds. By Mother's Day, they should be blooming. We will help tie a ribbon around the cup and make a cute tulip card made from a handprint.

What is wrong with letting kids scribble? If they are not motivated to put effort into a picture for their mom OR if they are not artistically inclined, then a few well-placed scribbles may just have to do. Maybe it's the child's forray into zentangles? lol

I would let the kids do the artwork on a preset size and go with that....but 62? Not sure that a case of wine will be enough.

I would go with the coloring, since it is kid work. We know many kids are less that artistic. They could be 'encouraged" to outline their hands and fill in that space. alternately, precut fused hearts of various sizes and colors. have the kids glue them in place. Of course, then you have to machine applique them down. UGH

Oh boy, this is not a good idea in my humble opinion. As a Mom, a Grammy and a teacher, I wanted little gifts my kids had made.

Even if she says she will pay for your time be sure she understands just how much time is involved!

Why not supply the kids with fabric crayons and muslin squares and "Birth" them together???

I agree with. Other let the kids do the art on white fabric and sew around the edges. It should be their work.