Mug Rug for Every Good Cup of Coffee

Karen

First thing every morning I pour myself a really good cup of coffee. And before I pour that cup, I select a mug rug to put under my coffee mug. A handmade mug rug makes a good cup of coffee that much better. I like having a mug rug under my cup as I walk, to catch any drips. And then, the mug rug protects the table surface, as well. So, in the early morning, with hot coffee and mug rug in hand, I go sit in my favorite chair to read, think, and pray. And I sip my coffee, thankful for a new day.

Morning Coffee! I keep a selection of handmade mug rugs to choose from. My sister and I had a short phase of basket weaving in the 1980’s. This is a basket I made at that time.

I have made, acquired, and given away too many mug rugs to count. Here are a few favorites that I keep within daily reach.

Mug rugs such as these sometimes come in conference goody bags.
When my grandmother crocheted these decorative potholders many years ago, I’m sure she never imagined that her granddaughter would put them to use as mug rugs.
Blue, brown, and green M’s and O’s. Dark wool butterflies left from tapestry weaving, woven on the Emilia Rigid Heddle loom. Green stringyarn for a rosepath mini rug.
From a recent page in my sketchbook. A portion of this sketch is the basis for my next tapestry cartoon.

May your handiwork show up as embellishments for daily living.

Good morning,
Karen

4 thoughts on “Mug Rug for Every Good Cup of Coffee”

    1. Hi Linda, I like having quick and simple projects on one of my looms, too. It’s often a good place to let a guest try some weaving.

      Thanks,
      Karen

      Reply

  2. Watercolor. Nice to see. What pen did you use on the drawing?

    Last week was kitchen duty for VBS, helping at the county fair and grandchildren. This week I am happily remembering and catching up on the garden to prep for next year. A mug rug is a great idea that needs to be pursued for those quiet moments.

    I did enter a few rag rugs in the county fair. Knit scraps from worn out sweats. Noted by the judge was the looseness of the weave. Rosepath warp. The rag cut to 1.5″ wide. It made a smushy, cushy rug. Very welcome in winter when the hardwood floor cools down. I pulled as hard as I could when I beat the rags in. She thought it would not wear well.

    Should I have cut the rags narrower? Is it just the nature of weaving with sweatshirt rags? At this point a third of my weaving/quilting rags are knits., so knowing what I can do to improve is something to pursue.

    On the other hand… the other two knit rag rugs entered in the county fair were judged by a different person who did not see the ‘looseness’ as a problem.

    May God bless you and your pursuit of weaving, good coffee and living in the moment.

    Reply

    1. Hi Nannette, I used a Lamy Safari fountain pen for the sketch.
      As far as rag rugs go, I have not woven with any knit materials, but I do cut my fabric strips about 3/4 inch. I know that seems thin, but I’ve been told the thinner strips will pack in better and wear better over the long run. Also, I keep my warp tension very tight – another factor that helps pack the weft in a bit tighter.
      I’m sure your rugs are lovely and will last a very long time.

      Thanks for your input,
      Karen

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *