Jelly Roll Mug Rug Pattern Tutorial (Honeybee Theme)

Are you looking for something to do with your jelly roll fabric?  These quilted mug rugs are a perfect way to use up some of those jelly roll strips.  This free mug rug pattern is simple, stitches up quickly and they make wonderful gifts.  

For my mug rugs, I used a jelly roll pack from Deb Strain's fabric line named  "Believe in Yourself".  If you've been watching our videos, you may have seen our videos on honeybees.  We have three honey bee hives in our backyard and give honey as gifts for the holidays.  I decided to make these honeybees themed jelly roll mug rugs to give with the honey this year.

To make six jelly roll mug rugs from this pattern, you will need eleven jelly roll strips. Five strips are used for the tops and then one strip is used to bind each mug rug.  In addition, you will need two fat quarters or yardage for the backing of the six mug rugs.  So, this can be a perfect project to use up some leftover strips from a jelly roll of fabric.

This project would be a good project for a beginner quilter or sewer.  It's a simple pattern to make as it only is sewing straight lines.  It teaches basic quilting techniques of piecing, how to layer, quilt, and bind.  

Keep reading for a full written tutorial or click the link below to watch our full video tutorial on Youtube.

WHAT YOU NEED to make the mug rug pattern

• Jelly Roll or Coordinating 2 1/2" Strips of fabric that are the width of fabric long.
• Pellon or batting - this project is perfect for using up batting scraps. 
• Coordinating Threads
• Sewing Machine
• Rotary Cutter
• Mat
• Scissors

Jelly Roll mug rug Pattern INSTRUCTIONs

STEP 1: select fabric strips

To begin, audition your fabrics by laying them down on a work surface in the pattern shown below. This helps you envision what the final mug rugs will look like. For an alternate design, the two vertical strips can be placed on one side of the mug rug instead of one on each side. 

Once you have decided on the layout of the strips, head on over to your sewing machine to sew them together.

If you don't have a jelly roll of fabric, you can cut strips of fabric 2 1/2" wide from fabric yardage of coordinating fabrics.  This will give you the width of fabric strips which are the same as jelly roll strips.

STEP 2: Sew Together Strips

Set the sewing machine on its normal stitch length for straight stitching.  If you have a 1/4" foot, this is the perfect project to use it.  We will use a 1/4" seam throughout this project.

Take the first two horizontal strips and place them with the fabric right sides together matching up the long edge.  Sew a 1/4" seam down the one long side of the fabric strips.  

Open the strips up and take the third middle strip and place the fabric with right sides together matching up one long edge.   Sew the third strip along the long edge with a 1/4" seam allowance.

At the ironing board, iron the seams to one side and press the strips.  Press from the front of the fabric also to get it nice and flat.

STEP 3: sub-cut into 7 1/2" Sections

Using a rotary cutter, mat, and ruler, measure 7 1/2" sections of the strips and cut.  You will get six sections each 7 1/2" long from the sewn together strips.

STEP 4: Sew on Side Strips

Take the six sections back to the sewing machine and the two side jelly roll strips.  Place the first strip on the right-hand side of the pieced strips lining up the edges.  Sew the strip with a 1/4" seam stopping at the end of the pieced strips.

At the work surface, cut off the strip even with the bottom edge of the pieced section as shown below.

Continue piecing the first strip to the right-hand side of each of the 6 pieced tops, in the same manner.  At this point, all of the pieced tops will have a strip on the right side.

Take the second side strip of jelly roll fabric and sew it to the left side of each of the six tops.  Or the opposite side from the first strip.  If you decided to put the two side vertical strips on the same side, then sew them onto the same side as the first strip.

Press the seams towards the side strips to reduce the bulk.  Press from the front of each top also.

The jelly roll mug rug top is complete!

Step 5: Layer the mug rug fabrics 

Cut pieces of batting to the size of the mug rug tops.  This project is perfect for using up your scraps of batting.  Our tutorial on how to join batting pieces together will help you take smaller sized pieces of leftover batting and make them into useable larger pieces.

From the yardage or fat quarters, cut pieces the same size as the mug rug tops.  You should be able to get 3 - 4 backings from each fat quarter.

Layer the mug rug by placing the backing fabric with the right side down on the work surface.  Place the batting on top of the backing, lining up the edges.  Finally, place the mug rug top, right side up, on top of the batting.

Step 6: Quilt Top

Quilting is optional but can add some extra interest to your mug rug.  It also helps to hold the mug rug together when it's washed.  There are many ways to quilt the mug rug.  I have several different suggestions below, but you can also use your imagination!

The quilting stitches will show on both the top and bottom of your mug rug.  So, pick a coordinating color thread for the top and bobbin thread.  Your bobbin thread can be different from the top to coordinate better with the backing.  I used a yellow/cream thread for both the top and bottom.

The mug rug below is quilted with a technique called stitch-in-the-ditch.  In this method, the stitching is about 1/8" from the side of the seam.  This one was stitched along the top of the middle and bottom strips and then along the sides of the center strips.

The mug rug below also uses the stitch-in-the-ditch method but the stitching is on both sides of each seam.

In the mug rug below, the quilting is done diagonally across the mug rug at specific intervals.  To accomplish this look, take a ruler and place it diagonally across the mug rug near the center.  Mark a line along the ruler edge with a chalk pencil or another wash away marking pencil.

Stitch this line following the marking.  Using a stitch guide attached to your sewing machine foot, the remaining lines can be stitched at the same interval by following the first line with the guide.  If you do not have a stitch guide, use a ruler to measure and mark the other lines to be stitched.

The mug rug below was stitched with the diagonal lines but they stop at the side strips and change direction.  This gives more of a herringbone look.  For this, I stitched the center lines as described for the diagonals above.  Then I marked the side lines in the opposite direction and sewed those.

The mug rug below is stitched by putting a line in the center of each of the strips.  This is a very quick and easy way to quilt it but be sure your lines are straight.  A marking pencil can be used to mark the lines to sew and will make it easier to follow.

Once your mug rugs are quilted, they are now ready for the binding.  If the edges are uneven or not lined up, trim and square up your mug rug.  

STEP 7: Add Binding to your mug rug

One jelly roll strip is used to bind each mug rug.  Select a jelly roll strip to use as a binding.  At your ironing board, fold the strip in half with the wrong sides together and iron.  

At your sewing machine, have your mug rug with the back facing up.  Starting on one of the shorter sides, lay your folded binding with the raw edges lined up with the raw edges of the mug rug.  If any of this is confusing, please watch the video tutorial or you can check our other binding tutorial.  

Start in the middle of the side and start sewing so you will leave a 4" - 5" tail of fabric free.  This will be used to join the fabric at the end.  Sew until you get 1/4" from the edge of the mug rug.  My 1/4" foot is marked on the foot to show where 1/4" from the end is, so it makes it easy.   Stop with your needle down, pivot 45 degrees towards the corner, and then stitch into the corner.  Take the mug rug out from the sewing machine.

The stitching should look like the photo below.

Next, fold the mitered corner.  Fold the fabric up so that the fold is at a 45-degree angle into the corner as shown below.

Then fold the fabric down so the folded edge lines up with the side of the mug rug as shown below.  The raw edge of the binding will be along the next edge of the mug rug.  The 45-degree fold is still underneath in the folds.

Place it back under the presser foot but start stitching 1/4" from the leading edge.  Don't forget to back tack at the beginning and continue sewing down the next side of the mug rug.

Continue sewing around with the same process on each of the other 3 corners.  When you come back to the starting point, stop 2" - 3" from the beginning.  Remember you have that leading tail and don't sew over it.  Take the project out of the sewing machine and match up the two tails, putting them together.   Place a pin where the tails meet as shown below.

Sew a line where the pin is, removing the pin before sewing.  This joins the two ends of the binding together.  Trim the ends of the binding on an angle as shown in the photo below.

Press the seam open and then finish sewing the binding to the back from where you stopped.

The binding is now attached to the back.  

Flip the binding towards the front and iron from the back along the edges.  Don't iron the corners at this point as they need to be folded.

Next, flip the mug rug over so the front is facing you.  Wrap the binding around to the front and use quilt binding clips or pins to secure.  I love using quilt binding clips for these projects as they are easy to use and hold bindings in place perfectly.

Next, fold the mitered corners by pushing the extra fabric into the corner as shown below.

Then fold down the corner and make adjustments to it looks like a nice mitered corner.  See photo below.  Place a clip on the corner or pin to hold it in place.

Where the binding was joined together, fold under the corners of the fabric as shown below.  This keeps the fabric from sticking out when you wrap it around and sew.  Wrap this around to the front and clip it as you did the rest of the binding.

Sew the binding down removing the clips as you go around.  The binding can be sewn down with a straight stitch near the folded edge or using a decorative stitch.  I like using the straight stitch or a serpentine stitch.

When sewing the corners, be sure not to flip up the folded fabric at the corners.

Finished Mug Rugs

This completes your mug rug!  Use your mug rug with your coffee/tea and a snack.  Or give them as gifts for the holidays.  Our mug rugs go perfectly with our raw wildflower honey.

Below is one made with different strips of fabric.

Below is a view of the backs of the mug rugs.

A better photo of the mug rug fronts.

We hope you enjoyed this video and photo tutorial on making a Jelly Roll Mug Rug! 

We have a few other mug rug tutorials you may be interested in.

• Pumpkin Mug Rug Tutorial
• Frangapini Mug Rug - This is a machine embroidered mug rug.
• Canadian Flag Mug Rug
• Heart Mug Rug Perfect for Valentine's Day
• Christmas Tree Mug Rug
• Mug Rug Using Selvage Edges

Here are Jelly Roll Projects:

• How to sew a Custom Tablet Cover
• String Pieced Potholders - Jelly Rolls would work wonderfully for this project.