Winter Warmers



Happy New Year.
I hope you all enjoyed Christmas and the New Year - it's really nice to have some time off work and relax with friends and family - but it does seem to pass so quickly, and now back to work!
To start the year I thought I'd make something really easy - which could even be the beginning of Christmas presents - now that's organisation! ( don't worry it won't last for long!!)

 

I think mug warmers are fun - and useful. (but do remember to put them on your mug before filling it with your hot drink!)
I've made these using the Big Shot and the 2" finished square Bigz die, http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/657607/sizzix-bigz-die-square-2-finished-2-1-2-unfinished
cutting 4 squares of fabric 1 and 6 squares of fabric 2, and 5 squares of wadding, for each mug warmer.
For the top one I layered the wadding between 2 layers of fabric and then zig-zag stitched using die round the raw edges.
For the second warmer I cut 1" binding strips - using 1" strip die http://www.sizzix.co.uk/product/657632/sizzix-bigz-xl-25-die-strips-1-wide
to create bindings for each square.

I placed the squares on point and pinned them together so that they fitted around my mug. To complete each one I stitched the corners together where they overlapped and added Velcro to the overlapping point end points.
Now this is really useful for me as I'm always making a drink and then go to do something before I've finished it and come to it when it's cold! With my mug warmer that may not happen quite so often.
I might even make a set using Christmas fabric ready for next year - but then again I'm sure there is something else I should be making first ( and that's apart from my resolution to sort and move my sewing room - no I haven't started it yet but I'll let you know how it progresses)
So that's all for now - I'm going to put my feet up for a few minutes with a nice cup of tea and test out the mug warmers.
Angela