Librarians Rule!

I'm going to try and get caught up on my posts.  First up is the Scrappy Mug Rug swap I just finished.  My secret swap partner was Meg Norrell of The Mad Quilting Librarian.  How perfect!  I could design for a fellow librarian!  I knew she liked bright modern colors and fabrics.  So I came up with this plan.

Can you tell what it is?  A shelf of books with spine labels!  Here is what they mean

E Col and E Yar are E-fiction books for the first letters of my first and last names.  F Nor and F Meg  are for F-fiction books and the names of my swap partner.  006.754 Fli is the Dewey number for online social networks according to the 2008 update.  641.337 Cof is for coffee, 746.46 Qui is quilting books, 974.6 Con is for Conneticut where Meg is from and 975.6 Nor is for North Carolina where I am from.  I had the most fun with it!

I went through my scraps and found some bright modern prints.  Then I began to cut and piece.

Then the spine labels.  I did a little goof.  You know how sometimes you get SO excited to sew the pieces together you forget to add an important piece?  Well I forgot the spine labels until I had already sewed the books together.

So I had to rip up a little from the bottom to sew the labels on.  They are hand written because I can not get the fabric to go through me printer without jamming.  I also figured out a way to easily fold down and press the seam allowance.  I just sewed a tube with the seam pressed to the center, turned and pressed.  Then cut off the width I needed and cut the seam away from the back.   

I really liked how the spine labels turned out.  I forgot to take a picture with the spine labels uncovered.

And here is how it turned out.  Would you believe I had a scrap of green binding from the sewing machine cover that was perfect? 

And the backing was from a 1/2 yard of vintage fabric I picked up somewhere that felt right with the colors.

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Here is the lovely mug rug package I received from my secret partner. 

She included scraps of my favorite fabric line moda Bliss.  Plus some fun goodies.

I am using it next to my comfy chair in the studio.  I was always knowing the small coaster down and there is room for a snack too.

Keep Dreaming...Colleen



La princesa aka Jasmine aka Jazzy Girl thinking
 "Yes, I am queen of all I survey."
Such a poser!