elizabeth_mn

After insisting that modern sewing take a back seat in my 2015 goal list, I came up with a small list of projects (from the stash) that just had to get sewn this weekend so I could get them out of my system before the next costume project.

I am very hard on my aprons. I wear them a lot of the day; whenever I cook, craft, paint, or do anything messy. And of course they get washed a lot. I knew it was time to retire my lemon apron; it had a big rip in front and a big splatter stain from a pomegranate. So I made this:



I love this radish fabric! This apron has my usual cross-over back, because I hate the feel of neck straps and this is comfy and secure. It closes with snaps and has decorative buttons.

( The back, and another one )

Ruffles!



F's other xmas gift.  The pink is really even more retina-searing in real life.  Both are Alexander Henry "rivoli curl," a little squiggly tone-on-tone print, on a muslin foundation.

The ribbon is 1 1/2" wide brocade with butterflies on cream and pink stripes.  Sigh.

I made the basic structure pretty much the same as the other apron: sandwiched the skirt part in a strip of wide twill tape, making a half-apron that is actually complete in itself, then topstitched the bib part on.

I can hardly wait to give them to her!

A new apron!



My pear apron is pretty much shot. The straps are frayed, the color is quite faded, and there are a zillion little micro-holes everywhere. I’ll probably keep it around as a wash day apron for a while, but it’s good to know I now have a backup.



I made the back closure similar to my bird apron, but with functioning buttons instead of snaps. The crossover back is the best way I’ve found to keep the straps up without a neck loop, which I can’t stand to wear.  I may sew another set of buttons to give it some adjustability.

I lined the bib because I couldn’t get a smooth enough hem. The skirt is unlined. The blue contrast is cotton sateen.  Both fabrics came from Treadle.

Of course, F wanted to try it on!

( gratuitous picture of kiddo )

Been working on a new apron.



The fabric is Alexander Henry's "willow wren." Honestly, I fell in love with the fabric at Treadle and stood there looking at it for a while trying to figure out what I could make with it. Novelty prints which are a bit too cute for clothes make perfect aprons!

But when I got it home, it seemed way too dark and autumnal for a Spring project. So I threw in some green bias and piping to freshen it up a bit. I'll also add some decorative buttons.

I'm making it similar to my pear apron and dot apron , but with a different strap configuration. I hate halter necks - it feels like they are dragging me down - and the shoulder straps on my pear apron sometimes just slide off. I made another apron a while ago that has a more complicated cross-over back with loops at the waist, but I want something that is simpler to put on.

I want to finish this up tomorrow when I'll have some more sewing time.

Since I was feeling crappy yesterday I thought I'd better get some exercise and try to feel better.  I hate going on bike rides without a destination, so I thought I'd bike to the fabric store.  And since I was feeling so stressed and my schedule was feeling so full, I had this urge to do something new, that was entirely for my own benefit and my own pleasure, that was fast, fun, cute, and practical, and I could justify the need/expense of.

So of course, I made a new apron!

With pears!



Yay! 

I really love aprons, so this was a really nice couple hours of sewing therapy for me.  I did most of it last night, but I had to stop to eat dinner (that my husband made while I was sewing, what a sweetie).  I spent another 20 minutes on it this morning sewing the shoulder straps on.  (Then I took these pictures with the camera balanced on a book on the kitchen counter, that's why my head is cut off.) 

I also bought 3 1/2 yards of a lovely olive green and light blue printed cotton (I think it was an Amy Butler design) for a dress.  That'll have to wait a little longer, though.  I can only be spontaneous in spurts.

I'm still dreading tonight's dance performance, and I still need to make my overdress for it (which I ignored all week).