patches, I think anything homemade will be greatly appreciated. I think we all want Valentiney. our favs section is for extras only, at least that's what I think. I love aqua, but not a valentine. I want it all glitzy or red and pink and such.

valentine kisses
 

Haven't found any red lipstick - clip art has so many fun ideas.

dabbler, love your signature!

Lynnie, you're right. A Valentine is a Valentine -- has to be the right colors!

I've spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about this mug rug. I believe I've finally settled on an idea. Now to transfer my thoughts onto fabric!

Dwina, I have some Hello Kitty fabric. I might have some pink leftover from previous quilts, but I can't seem to find it right now. I probably don't have much though, so it may be in the scrap pile. I have blue Hello Kitty fabric, but that won't work for this swap. :( Well, we'll see what happens.

I love mug rugs, so I'm very excited about this swap!

I am with the traditionalists on this one...valentine has to be reds, pinks, whites...starting mine next week. ☺️

I love everything about Valentine's Day ! Frilly, sparkly, pink, and lacey. I love, the romance part too! I'm a sappy romantic! Hahaha!

I am not into red and pink, really, so if someone wants to make a non-traditional valentine mug rug, I'm fine with that lol - I do have a cute idea for one to make but I want to wait and see what my partner has to say about their wants first :)

I heard from Nelco she received the "angel" pkg I sent her. I didn't remember to take a pic of the extra "goodies" but I did take a pic of the mug rug. She collects frogs. And actually this one could work for Valentine's, too...sorta..lol
[ATTACH=CONFIG]504094[/ATTACH]

Kif

That is so adorable. I love the frogs!

I am also a non-traditionalist. As a redhead I LIVE pink....lotsa freckles on a permanently pink face. :o

When we traveled to pick up our 4.5 year old Vietnamese son, he told me, upon meeting me for the first time,(through an interpreter) that I was "pink like a flower". LOL I am.

So, for me, I guess I am more a mauve and cream valentine person versus pink and red. I do love frilly and lacy, though, ala Victoriana. But, then I also like primitive folk artsy type things, too.

The bottom line is I will be happy with anything my partner would come up with! I truly am not picky. Just thought I'd chime in with Vitality and sing the praises of non-traditional valentines! <3

Well,
I didn't sign up for the swap this month, but I'm thinking I might be changing my mind...

Dwina,
I have Hello Kitty fabric. Pink, white, Valentine-y...From a kindermat I made for a niece who loves HK. And since I'm sending you some fqs anyway, maybe Brat will consider partnering us... I'm fine with most anything, but I'd prefer not to have Hello Kitty...lol

I'm like Vitality, not a big fan of pink.. so I rather like the ideas of teal, aqua, green, etc...

As I always say, If we all liked the same things, how dull the world would be.:)

Regards all,
Kif

I do want to add to my previous post that I am already well on my way to finished on my Valentine's Mug Rug....and I did it in totally TRADITIONAL colors. lol So, I am hoping I get matched with a traditional Valentine color lovin' partner! LOL

I'm truly happy with traditional Valentine's colors as well... Or teal, aqua, etc. And I'm happy to try and make whatever my partner would like if I can. I know in the swap rules it asks us to please not impose expectations on our partners, so I don't want to do that at all.
I know part of swaps, is we sign up knowing we might get something "unique" that we may not have ever thought of...but might just end up loving it! Kind of like myself and paisley fabric...and large modern-y flower prints...lol. I just saw where TOOMANYUFO's loves and would like Hello Kitty. And I remembered I have some perfect for Valentine's Day.
Here's a sneak peek of the Hello Kitty fabric I have:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]504101[/ATTACH]

Love it all. love that froggy fabric. not into frogs, per say, but how do you
not smile when seeing those?? I love it. i'll take anything whomever gets me
wants to make for me. I love it all. I love cats, but I love those froggies, so cute!

I would love anything someone sends me. I'm really not hard to please.

I think that since it's a Valentine MR it should be in pinks, reds and or white/cream. Florals are also lovely. The MR swap that was just completed showed just how talented you ladies are and I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with this time. I like just about anything, but as for colors bright orange and yellow are a definite no.

#2 states it must be hand quilted. Are you saying it cannot be quilted on the machine? I cannot do hand quilting. My hands don't work well with hand needles.

I am just an observer for the Valentine swap but wanted to let you know dee1245...that 'hand quilted' just means...NOT store bought! Anything you make by hand or with your machine, using fabric, hankies, doilies, just anything as long as you make it, I am sure it will be ok. Others can double verify if I am correct.

SandyinZ4,
You're right.
Last mug rug swap, Brat put the same thing, got questions, and said she goofed, she meant it needed to be hand made, as in not store bought. She said machine quilting is fine.

Regards,
K

I would love that Hello Kitty fabric and pink is my favorite color. I have a pink HK sewing machine. Since I haven't started I could make you something non traditional. That sounds like a win win plan.

thanks for clarifying for me Kiff. I did mean it has to be made by you. you cant just go buy one at the store is correct (yet to see who sells these lol). HAND MADE means to me you pulled the fabric, you cut the fabric with your own two hands lol and then you put the thing through your machine to piece it. some people make great mug rugs sewing the whole thing by hand but 99 percent of us like to use our machines to help. I love my machine :) so hope that helps you when you read that. I make lots of things, use glue guns glitter and all sorts of stuff but in the end I made it. its hand made. even though I used glue. for the record if anyone now asks can you glue this together NO. sew it please lol.

Next : if your partner asks for oh I love purple! then add a touch of purple to the mug rug they will love it and use it and heck isn't that what we all want? a valentine in theory is red white or pink or all of the above. but a touch of color in it is fine. if your partner wants that. So I will try to match the traditionalists with the same and the more modern choices with the same . I cant guarantee this however. I am thinking its ok to add kitties or motorcycles or whatever your partner has put as their favorite things in their emails to me. its a personal valentine at that point. if you have a red white pink one done already well maybe you can find a fat quarter or something with what they love on it to gift with your mug rug. or a card! a card with that item is ok too! it doesn't have to be incorporated in your mug rug but can be. hope that makes sense. I mean I know someone who loves purple. She truly loves it. if she wanted a purple mug rug with hearts on it well that would be fine. I know also she loves cute valentines and red white colors. so either would be good. I hope that clarifies things for you. I don't dictate these swaps you guys do. This is a partnered swap. Personal preferences can be worked out with your partner. its that easy! phew.

We have just one more day for sign ups so I hope that everyone who wants to join has. if you have not signed up yet please do! send me a PM and give me your name, address, phone number and likes and I can still add you to the swapper list! we are up to 46 swaps. I am hoping we end up with even numbers but we will find a partner for everyone!!!! I cant wait to see the cute and beautiful things that are done with this swap. remember even though we have partners don't you share with them what you have made til they receive it. that is half the fun. the surprise when you open that envelope or box. Let them post but if they can not post please share a picture of what you have made after its received. LET YOUR PARTNER KNOW you cant post a picture so they make sure they take one of what they are sending to share with us when you receive. I think we should have dozens and dozens of photos to share when this is done so TAKE THOSE PICTURES when you can. I have uploaded all the updates on my computer which is good. what it has done is change my photo album set up and does not allow me to pick a photo and move it anywhere. tis frustrating. wonderful updates ruined photo album. first I lost all pictures in my old album. wtheck? and now I cant share them. anyone have this trouble? love to hear from you if you have and found the solution. pm me!

Linda, you can match me with anyone. I like non-trad colors personally, but have fabric to suit anyone's preferences. I would love a traditional valentine's mug rug, too. Sometimes, it is easy to get stuck in a rut. This way I get pulled out and may find I am not as non-trad as I like to think I am. LOL

Also, a question for all of you who have made many mug rugs. For the last swap, which was my first attempt at MR making, I used insul-bright and no batting because I thought it would make for a more stable surface and also would protect furniture from heat. I was happy with the results.

This time I have made a slightly larger mug rug using the insul-bright and noticed that it is stiff and makes a crinkly noise. I am sure the others did too, I just wasn't thinking about it then. I was just happy to have something I wasn't too ashamed to send! lol

Does anyone else use insul-bright in their mug rugs? Am I over engineering mine?

again, i'm happy with anything. they are showing a lot of black this year with the valentines. i'm happy with anything.

Just one more day to sign up for the January pincushion/needlecase swap. Everybody is welcome no matter whether you are a beginner or advanced.

Does anyone else use insul-bright in their mug rugs? Am I over engineering mine?[/QUOTE]

I'm interested in the answer to this to. I've made 1 mug rug and I just used the batting like they use for the potato bags. What is the best batting to use?

I just pm'd you Linda...I'm in!
I love Valentine's Day and all the Red, white pink hearts and flowers that go with it! I like so many things that it would be hard to send me something I didn't like...well maybe orange hearts...LOL! I have waited to sign up to make sure I can get back to my sewing machine to make a mug rug. 3 weeks since my knee surgery and things are going well, but I haven't attempted to sew anything yet nor will I for a couple more weeks...want to make sure my partner gets a nice rug from me and not the "drugs" talking? :)

I have used both batting and insul-brite. I don't want my batting to be too thin so I like both. But I don't know that there's a hard and fast rule???

I use batting for mine. The only time I use insul-brite is when I make pot holders or mitts.

I think I will try just batting for my next mug rugs. Thanks for your input, Karen!

Ronda, do you find that using both makes your mug rugs (I am actually thinking about a table runner I made using both) too "poofy?" I used both on a TR once, but I think it was high loft batting and it made it too "over stuffed."

I'm interested in the answer to this to. I've made 1 mug rug and I just used the batting like they use for the potato bags. What is the best batting to use?[/QUOTE]

I've just switched to Warm & Natural batting and love it. (100% cotton) I tend to like thin batting.

I use plain batting in mine. never used the insulabrite. I know it makes my hot pads crinkly. good for a hot cuppa though.

I use the warm and white or warm and natural, so no...it doesn't make it poofy??

Hi all,
I think Patchesnposies thought rwquilts used both the insulbrite and batting at the same time together. And that's why she wondered if it was too poofy..
When rwquilts meant she's used both in the past, just not together but in different projects.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, ladies :thumbup:.. I mistype and mis-hear things often enough, that I think that's why I "got" this...lol.

I've only used warm and white or warm and natural in my mug rugs (like I'm a pro, I've only made them since last month's mug rug swap..lol). But I debated if I should use the insulbrite??..

So thanks for asking the question, and all of the input.

Regards,
Kif

Yep, Kif, that is what I thought! I must have mis-read her post or had in my mind my own overstuffed table runner where I used both. At any rate, I am going to try just using just the Warm & Natural batting next time and see how I like it. Thanks for clarifying that for me!

I seem to like red and white the best. I will however like anything sent to me. I am not particular.
The batting does not really matter as we are using it to make the Mug rug beautiful. The quilting is the fun part.
There are about a dozen ideas in my head, I may have to make all of them!!!

Thank you so much for the clarification. Glad to hear, since I only do what has to be done with a hand sewing needle... I am going to get in on this swap, if it is not too late. I love pinks, blues and purple pastels.

i consider myself a traditionalist but, really, I'm game for anything my swap partner wants to send. i'm sure I will love whatever I receive, since I love handmade things. I've already started cutting into those traditional colors, so .... if my partner wants something different, I will try to accommodate.

Patchesnposies,
I'm happy to "clarify"...tho it's funny, as often I'm not very clear myself!! :p

Trish b,
A dozen mug rugs sounds great...I'll pm my addy.. Oh wait, I have to be assigned a partner 1st...;)

Dee1245,
I know on the last swap, several ladies were asking what brat was thinking??? about hand sewn only. Though they were nicer about questioning her...lol . She's like me.. my mind gets going faster than my typing..or is it the other way around??
I myself love hand sewing, but part of that is my issue of not liking much of the fmq I manage to do.

Regards all,
Kif

I like to use a dense batting, but use whatever I may have.