Black and White Apron

I taught my niece to make this apron to give her mom for Valentine's Day. It was a skirt in it's past life. I bought it at Value Village for $3! We cut a big chunk out of the middle of the back and hemmed the sides. Then we used the piece we cut out of the middle to make the shoulder straps, the ties and the pocket. I LOVE how this apron turned out. It's sooooo cute.

By the way. . . . I made that dress form using the tutorial found here on Threadbanger.

Anne (with an e)

I bought this really cute new apron from The Secret Stitch Shop on etsy.

Here was the listing. . . . .

Anne (with an e) Apron in Red and Black

Description
You know that scene in Anne of Green Gables where she is dared to walk the ridge pole of Moody's barn? And she falls and hurts her ankle? Have you ever noticed that adorable apron she is wearing? I recently did and was instantly inspired to make this darling little number.This is the perfect apron for any hardworking woman (whether its hard work inside or outside of the home). With long ties that stay secure all day long and deep pockets to hold whatever you may need to keep close by (phone, ipod, pacifier, timer), this apron does it all. And keeps you looking adorable all at the same time. This apron is perfect for any body shape and all fabric has been pre-washed to shrinkage will be minimal.

Hello my bosom friend. Have I ever noticed the apron?! Of course. I've also happened to notice lots of other covet-worthy aprons in the other two Anne movies and the Road to Avonlea series. There are so many! There's also a few dresses I wouldn't mind having either - but I don't think I have anywhere to wear those, so aprons are a bit more practical for me. Anyway I LOVED the apron when it arrived! I have been wearing it ALL the time. Yesterday I decided try to make one myself. I think it turned out all right.

Secret Stitch Shop's apron

The apron I made





The secret stitch version has 2 pockets and they are lined in the contrasting fabric. Mine only has one pocket and it is lined in the same fabric.

I think I'm going to try to repurpose a skirt I bought at Value Village into one of these aprons. We'll see how it goes.

wish me luck. . .

Teal Apron

I made this apron last week on the only day I didn't have to go shoot pictures. I haven't done any sewing since our basement flooded and my whole work station was disrupted. Thankfully nothing was ruined, but none of my stuff is where it's supposed to be. I was going to wait until I had it all fixed back up, but I just couldn't. My aunt bought me the pattern for this one. It's called the "church ladies apron". It's reversible. Cute right?

Apron Home

I've been wanting a cool place to hang my aprons in the kitchen. I've had this idea in my head for a long time but couldn't find the particular piece of wood I wanted. Wouldn't you know that while driving to Oakesdale with my sister on a treasure hunt we happened upon some treasure! There is a big old wooden grain storage tower that is being torn down and I found the perfect piece of wood for my project. Actually I was dying because I didn't have a trailer with me or I would have loaded up and used the reclaimed wood for my dining room and family room floor. I've got my sister's people trying to find out who it belongs to so I can get permission to get/buy some of that wood!

Anyway. . .one found piece of cool wood + seven hooks and knobs from Craft Warehouse = one very cool place for my aprons to live.

Ode to the button-holer:

The first time I ever made button holes was 'free hand'. I just used a tight zig-zag stitch and stitched the basic shape of a button hole. Today I learned how to use my button-holer. (Thank you You-Tube) Comical to all people who have been using this nifty tool for quite awhile, I'm sure, but awesome to me. I must have made 25 or 30 practice button holes with it just to get the feel for it and understand exactly how it worked. It is very cool. To those of you who haven't ever used one, I say go for it. It's ever so much fun and easy to do. The button holes come out soooo much more uniform and stronger too.

I put the button holes in this apron 'free hand'.

I used the button-holer on this dress I made for Camryn.

I finished it. This apron took the most work, concentration and time of any I have made so far. It's no sewing masterpiece, believe me, but I'm proud of it anyway. I'm only a novice sewer after all. This was the first time I have ever used piping in a project. It's not what I would call easy, but it's do-able.

Here's a closeup of the front. . .

. . .and of the back.

Thanks go to Travis for his photographic cooperation.

What a guy.

This little baby was the beginning of a whole new infatuation for me. I dug it out of a drawer in the kitchen of Our Lady Star of the Sea. We were there to celebrate my grandparents 50th Anniversary. I was helping with the clean-up and didn't want to get too dirty. I was unaware of the transformation that would occur once I put it on. I absolutely fell in love with this apron. I know it probably doesn't look like much to anyone else, but I loved it. Grandma was sure to let me know that I could NOT take it home since it belonged to the church. Now do I look like the kind of girl who would steal from a church?! That was about ten months ago. Since then I have collected several books about aprons, checked out countless others from the library and grown quite a collection of apron patterns. I've made two or three or ten and I'm working on one right now. I feel just like Wesley in The Princess Bride. You know when he comes back as the Dread Pirate Roberts and Fezzig asks him "Why are you wearing that mask? Were you burned by acid, or something like that?" He answers "No, they're just terribly comfortably and I believe everyone will be wearing them in the future." Aprons are terribly comfortable and useful too. Not to mention all the beautiful fabric there is out there to choose from. Aprons also appeal to my love of vintage things. I'm sure that's one of the reasons I was immediately attracted to this church apron. There is just something special about wearing or using or living with something that had a life before it's life on or with you. It's kind of a link to the past and that is something I've always been interested in.

History. It's a beautiful thing.