I inherited none of this talent, I'm sorry to say, and I'm sure I sighed with nostalgia remembering this beautiful, gentle woman who influenced me in so many ways. Then it dawned on me that Mother's Day will be here in just a few weeks!
I always gave Mom a basket of flowers or a pretty plant for Mother's Day. Being who she was, she gave me a new geranium every year because I was a mom, too. She knew I'd kill it, but she also knew that I loved her for giving me a new chance every summer.
Last year I made a trio of mug rugs to remember her. Each one was a basket filled with one of her favorites - pansies, sunflowers, and strawberries. I called the pattern "Baskets for Mom". You can find it in my pattern store.
This year, though I wanted to make something a bit different. It had to be floral, of course, and of all the flowers in the world, she loved roses best. So, I created a rose. Because small mug rug sized roses are so difficult to reproduce in fabrics, I chose a simple, yet elegant stenciled rose. I added the word, "Mom", and that's what I named the pattern. "Mom".
Flower patterns often contain many very small pieces. Thick, applique stitching can detract from the shape of petals and leaves on smaller pieces, so I used raw edge stitching on all of these mug rugs. It's a very easy technique that involves fusing the pieces to the background and stitching near the edge with a straight stitch.
I really like the way raw edge applique looks on nature subjects. Yes, the edges will fray a bit over time, but most things found in nature do not have perfectly smooth surfaces. This stitching just looks so natural. It's super easy, too!
I love you, Mom. I so wish I could give these little gifts to you, but I'm sure you know that I give them to you in my heart.
To my mother, and for all the moms, grandmas, aunts, and other women who influence lives,
I wish you a Happy Mother's Day.
Every day of the year.
