Stitching Shamrocks Reverse Applique Mug Rug

It's Shamrock time! Here is an easy mug rug featuring twin shamrocks to help you celebrate. Big stitch quilting with embroidery floss frames details and adds texture. Reverse applique shamrocks look complicate, but they are sew easy! Let me show you:

Cut four 6"x10" pieces, 1 each: top, fusible batting, back, green lining (this is Shamrock piece).
Iron fusible batting to back of green piece.

Trace two shamrocks onto TOP piece. [for easy quilting stencil see Cookie Cutter Quilting Trick, step 10 in Candy Corn Pillows in 3-D tutorial]

This Mary Engelbreit fabric is sew sweet :)

Score the center of shamrocks with rotary cutter so you can insert scissors and trim away inside of shamrock shape. The marked line is the stitching line, not the cutting line. Leave a generous 1/4" allowance inside shamrock.

Is this hoop upside down? Works better this way for reverse applique.

Layer "quilt sandwich" as usual, with green side of batting next to cut-away top piece. Hoop project.

Reverse applique shamrock shapes: using thread matching top piece, blind stitch top to green/batting piece, using needle to fold 1/4" margin under stitching line. Clip curves as necessary to aid turning.

Outline quilt around shamrock with big stitches using 4 strand green embroidery floss.
When both shamrocks have been quilted, square quilt sandwich and bind with green bias strip.
Lastly, outline quilt edge in floss 1/4" inside binding with big stitches.

Congratulations! You finished :)