I knew that if I was going to be able to participate in Project Quilting this week, I was going to have to make something small and finish it on Sunday (2nd week at my new job + QuiltCon this week!). I was curious to see if this week’s prompt would be something that inspired me with a quick make, and luckily for me, the Project Quilting 16.4 prompt – birthstone – was easy for me! My birthstone is a Sapphire, and well, blue is clearly my favorite color.
Sapphire Mug Rug
I dug around in my blue scraps and pulled out some Ruby Star Society Speckled in Navy and Blue Ribbon. Both have a delightful gold metallic fleck, which I thought was perfect for the gemstone theme (because gemstones sparkle, right?!). The scraps were the perfect size to make a mug rug, so the next question I needed to answer was how to quilt it.
Geometric Gem Stone Shapes
A quick image search lead me to consider some geometric gem stone shapes…
Sapphire Mug Rug
And ultimately I chose the motif that reminded me the most of my sapphire ring. I used to wear this ring every day, but one day in college I was literally running between classes (my engineering classes were far away from the marching band practice field) and I caught the ring on a chain link fence. I don’t know how I got the ring off of my finger – it had become ridiculously stretched and elongated immediately upon being snagged. I frantically searched around for missing side setting stones, but never found them. A jeweler did a beautiful job reconstructing the ring, but it has been ever so slightly too large and instead of taking it in to get resized, it has been sitting in my jewelry case for *cough* decades. Anyway, it was fun to pull it out today and I could definitely accidentally fling it off of my hand because it is too loose fitting.
Sapphire Mug Rug
As someone who loves the color blue, I’m really happy that sapphire is my birthstone. And the wide range of sapphire colors is amazing. I figured this simple two color blue mug rug was a way to nod toward that color range.
Sapphire Mug Rug
My sapphire mug rug uses two layers of batting, one of which is Insulbrite, and it finished at 6½” wide by 6″ tall.
Linking up with Project Quilting 16.4 – Birthstone.
What a beautiful ring! I hope you get it resized one day so you can wear it again. The mug rug is perfect – so simple, yet effective. The fabric is just right!
Simple but elegant. Love ❤️
Looks beautiful – the perfect interpretation of the challenge!
Sweet little project, and does have a jewel effect. Oh, do take that gorgeous ring to a jeweler and have it sized and rounded again. It is too pretty to let sit in a box.
Please, get that ring resized and wear it!! It’s lovely, your mug rug is too. Great job and congrats on your new job!!
That’s a great ring and project. I can’t believe you have a finish….I haven’t even come up with a thought yet. LOL Have fun at QuiltCon.
Hope the new job is going well! Can’t wait to see you QuiltCon!
Simple and pretty!
A perfect little make to fit the challenge and your time available. Enjoy using it!
So happy you could complete this perfect little project in one day. The mug rug is such a pretty blue. Please, have that ring resized so you can enjoy it in the years to come.
Perfect project! I agree, you should get the ring resized so you can wear it and enjoy it again!
Really cute, and glad you got in a super-quick make in a crazy week!
Beautiful! The story of your ring reminded me of the force we carry around with us, just by moving. I’m glad you were able to get your ring back to a similitude of what it was — and of course, the mug rug needed that shape for the quilting. Really fun!
I love your little quilt – just a perfect set of double sapphires. I love sapphires – my engagement ring is sapphires and diamonds in a band. Do get your ring resized, you will be glad you did…I just had two done of my Grandmother’s and now I wear them and it is special.
Very pretty as well as functional. Gorgeous ring too, it’s never too late to get it resized. Hope the new job is going well and you are settling into a new normal.
I’m amazed that you didn’t break your finger when you snagged your ring! Especially if there was enough force to stretch it out of shape. I really like your mug rug. I actually considered doing something similar, except with the green tone-on-tone that I found in my stash. And that was before I saw your post!
I love your ring, Yvonne! Your mug rug was a great interpretation of the prompt, especially with that jewel-cut quilting. And I had no idea sapphires could be so many colours!