Day 12 - The One for the Raider Nation (actually, for John Corley)

Several years ago I promised our friend, John Corley, that I would make him a Raider's apron....SEVERAL years ago....that's right, I'm pathetic! Anyway - I finally got around to it! Today I finished the infamous Raiders apron. I didn't really have a lot of the Raider fabric, so I had to get creative. I used the Raider fabric as an accent to the black and white base fabrics. John is not a small man and I wanted to make sure that the apron fit, so I took my basic pattern and added several inches to width. I hope it fits, I didn't have any measurements.

John likes to make hot wings and I wanted to make sure he'd be adequately covered and protected. If he wears the black, he can just wipe his hands on it....not so much on the white.....it is washable, but I don't know if it could handle hot wing sauce stains.

I didn't have a model since John doesn't live here, so I got creative there too!! My lovely daughters are game for almost anything I throw at them.....even wearing a large apron....together... Anyway - here's the apron:

Two tiny girls equal 1 large man, right??

I made the back a little different - used loops instead of waist ties

I told them that they'd have to wear the apron to do dishes if they couldn't get along...

It's reversible.

Day 11 - A "Great" Grandma Apron

When I started this little endeavor, my favorite cousin Suanne sent me a copy of this:

Grandma's Apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears…
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men-folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.
Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.
They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I never caught anything from an apron…But Love. (Author Unknown)

This is my Great Grandmother Una Thomas when she was young

My Great Grandmother was a farm girl - born and raised, married and delivered most of her children in her farm house in eastern Kansas. I've been to that house, visited the barn, wandered through the wheat fields, and saw the water pump where she accessed the well. It's a wonderful place and I LOVED being there. When I read this poem/essay/whatever, I pictured my great grandma and even her mother, in a kitchen in Kansas wearing a giant white apron. That was my inspiration for today's apron. I hope you like it!

The whole apron front - it's long and full...to cover your whole dress!

 Today's apron is a big, giant, great-grandma apron! I re-purposed a beautiful white duvet cover that I bought at a yard sale awhile back (I think my grandma would approve). The lace was part of the cover, but it was in the wrong place so I had to pull it all off and reattach it. I made up this pattern based on what I thought a farm girl would have worn 150 years ago.

The top of the apron - a little lace to add some style.

 The apron is designed to be very "covered" so that you don't take the chance of spilling anything on your dress. :)

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this apron....I don't know if I can part with it....If you MUST have it, let me know and we'll see what we can work out.

Day 10 - A Half Apron

Today's apron is a half apron - it only covers from the waist down. I used the same pattern, More Retro Aprons by Cindy Taylor Oates view D-1 this time.

Here is the picture of the pattern book back cover:

Can you tell I really like this pattern book?? This little apron is so cute! I just love the style and because of the various parts, there are so many possibilities with different fabric. I chose a beautiful blue floral print with a pink print and green gingham accents. The white ric rac really sets it off!

 The finished apron is really quite sweet!

 This apron is a size L (10,12,14) but is on a smaller mannequin so it could be worn by a smaller person. The ties are plenty long and could be tied around the waist.

 The shape is so flattering!! It slims the waist and flairs out at the hem - kinda like a really cute skirt. It is the perfect hostess apron for the perfect hostess!

The pocket adds just that cute little accent that makes the apron that much more special. This apron is for sale - $20 (plus shipping). Let me know and it can be yours!!

On a side note, my daughter, Bella, has been hanging out with me in the sewing room for the last few days. She is so creative and wanted to make something fun. She started gathering fabric bits together and ended up making this little bear/dog thing. Isn't it the cutest thing?? 

She is just so creative!! I love it!

Day 9 - Black Coffee

Did I say 30 days in a row?? What was I thinking?? Anyway - sorry for the hiatus, life (and another sewing project) got in the way. I'll post some picture of Bella's dress soon, but for today, I have a very cute "coffee" themed apron.

This apron is the same style as the last one for Gluten Free Mama. It is such a cute pattern, I just had to do it again!! Incidentally, I didn't have to draft a new pattern and that was a great thing given the week I've had. A couple of years ago I made a graduation apron for someone who was a barista and loved coffee - I got extra fabric, of course, so I would have a few to choose from. The ones I didn't use, I socked away for another time. Well, that time is here! Here is the fabric:

It's black with white coffee cups all over it with fictitious coffee house names. I think it's so cute!! My daughter want's one for her new job as a barista....but I told her she'd either have to buy one or wait for me to make one later!

The finished product turned out great - I think the black and white gingham is a great accent to the coffee fabric - again, who doesn't love gingham!! The pattern was easier to complete this time, since I've done it before. I can imagine keeping this look in my repertoire and will likely get some requests.

I've been told that this apron looks like a little sundress - which is so true....except that it's open in the back!!

This apron is for sale for $25 (plus shipping) - you know your favorite coffee drinker or barista would look SO CUTE in this! It's a size M (6-8). Let me know if you'd like to own this little afternoon pick me up.

Day 8 - The Red one for Gluten Free Mama

My very dear friend happens to be the Gluten Free Mama - you can check out her website here . Rachel is one of my best friends and she has an amazing business making gluten free flour and baking mixes. Her stuff is the best gluten free flour I've ever used, and her mixes are terrific (especially the Pancake Mix and the Cookie Mix) . Anyway - she does a lot of appearances- trade shows, cooking lessons, book signings, etc - and wants to look like the cute, stylish, baker that she is!! She saw an apron at a farmer's market, took a picture of it, and asked me if I could make one like it for her. I set to work looking for a pattern that was similar enough to duplicate the basic look - and, low and behold, I found the exact pattern!! I've already made one apron from the pattern book, here is the picture of the book :

The style Rachel wanted is the middle design - View C. SO CUTE! I think it is going to be so flattering and will fit the bill for her shows, lessons, etc. The fabric we chose is this:

Very classic and complex yet simple at the same time!

This is one of the most time consuming aprons I have made so far - lot's of pieces, lot's of top-stitching, gotta make sure all the fabric is going the right way.....you know, complex and time consuming! Even though it was complex and challenging, it was also very fun to make and I really like the end result - polished and classy!

Here is my daughter, Anya, modeling the apron. I hope to add a picture of Gluten Free Mama wearing it...just couldn't get it done today!

Notice Han Solo in the background - that's one of our goats!

The back fo the apron - ties at the neck and waist for a great fit.

Because it was a special order, this apron is not for sale. If you'd like one like it, let me know and I can whip one up for you!!









Tomorrow I might veer a little from the aprons because I have to make a dress for my daughter, Bella, by Wednesday morning....and I'm working in the shop at GFM all day tomorow - and I don't think I'll have time to finish the dress and make another apron. The dress is reminiscent of an apron shape, so I'm going to call it good. See you tomorrow!

Day 7 - Gingham Ruffles

Back to it! I LOVE gingham....I mean I really love it! What's not to love. It's classic and contemporary at the same time, charming, cute, etc. When I see it, I have to buy it....unless it's over priced or I don't have any money! This batch, I found at a yard sale for $2 for the bundle - several pieces of fabric all for $2!! I love a bargain.

I wanted to make something that showed off the different size prints - and would be fun to wear!! This is an original design. I just took some measurements and cut it out. I made this apron for a woman about my size - in the 10,12,14 size range. Could fit smaller or larger though....I have it on my daughter - who is about a size 4 and it goes all the way around her.

Here is the apron - I hope you like it!!

The front - three ruffles - small to large blue gingham

The back - ties in the back

This apron is available for sale - $25 plus postage. Let me know if you'd like it.

The apron on my size 4 daughter. The ruffles aren't open in the back on her!

Day 6 - A Cheater Day - My Selvedge Apron

Ok....you know that saying, pride comes before the fall? Yeah...that's me. I was so proud of myself for getting 5 aprons done in 5 days. Then today happened and it was a long, bad day. So....I pulled out my favorite apron, the one I wear all the time. I made it a couple of years ago for a book that probably never got published. The book was supposed to be about projects made with something that people usually discard - the selvedge edges of fabric. I set to work on an apron made of these selvedge edges (the edges of fabric that are printed with the copyright and info about the colors, etc). I stitched several pieces together and cut out my basic apron pattern. I chose a basic fabric for the contrast, put the apron together and mailed it off. It came back several months later. No idea if the book will ever be published - but I will put the apron here. I later remembered that the contrast fabric was some I'd used for a little smocked dress....I don't have enough to finish the dress. Oops. Like I said, I wear this one all the time, it's my favorite!

My little photo bomber - really wanted to get in the picture!

Here's the pieced front of the apron.

This is the back side - It's cute, but I never wear it out, the flower on the front is a little bulky!

I got a picture of him! Isn't he cute!

Day 5 - Straw Bales and Crop Circles

Several years ago I had the opportunity to go to Buffalo, Kansas where my grandfather and his siblings were born and raised. A large group from my extended family was there that year for the annual "reunion" of the school that used to be there. My great aunts graduated from there and try to regularly attend the reunions, although it's been hard the last couple of years. The 100th and final reunion will be next year and I really want to go and take my family. We saw the house that my grandfather was born in, the barn where he kept his horses, the school he attended (and rode his horse to) , the creek where he swam, the house where he lived when my mom was a baby, etc. When we were there it was the 96th annual reunion....I think! Anyway - one of the family members who attended was my first cousin once removed, Thomas Caudell - He's a professor at a state university and lives in a house made of straw bales. We talked about a lot of things, but one thing was my, then new, apron business. He asked if I could make him a straw bale apron....I said, sure! Then I started looking for straw bale fabric....it's not easy to find!! My mom and I both searched for several years, off and on, for fabric that had any kind of straw. Finally, four years later, my mom found some perfect fabric at a quilt shop website. I had to order it, of course!! For the contrasting fabric, I chose a "crop circle" ish fabric that was a nice complimentary color. ( he lives in a state where aliens were purported to land.....)

I really like the straw bale fabric, I think it's cute and clever without being over the top. I think my cousin will like it too.

Once again, since this was an apron for a man, I kept the design simple - used my own pattern and modified it a little - making it straighter at the bottom and not having it flair out. Since the pockets weren't exactly matching, Anya and I decided that we could mix it up a little and make them unsymmetrical all together. It is reversible - once side has the straw bales as the base, the other, the crop circles.

Here are a couple of pictures of the finished apron - modeled by my Dad! What a good sport he is!

The straw bale side with the asymmetrical pockets

The crop circle side with symmetrical pockets

This apron is not for sale because it's for my first cousin once removed (I can explain what that means if you really want me to....). I hope he likes it and isn't too annoyed with the 4 year delay!

No idea what tomorrow's apron will be.....back to the drawing board! At least it's Saturday and I'll have more time to work on it.

Day 4 - A Ruffly Fall Apron

Today's featured apron is reflective of the current weather here in Western Montana - it's starting to feel like fall.....and I'm not ready for it, but I have fall fabric so I thought, what the heck? Here is the top of the apron so you can see the fabric

:

This is a new pattern for me - a pattern book to be specific. It's called More Retro Aprons by Cindy Taylor Oates. I bought the pattern to make a specific apron for a friend (which you will see soon), but liked all the designs so much, I will totally make all of them!! The one I made is the A-1 view. It's a pretty basic apron with added frills - and an interesting way to tie it. I chose the fall fabric combo because I had a lot of it (my friend Gloria gave it to me) and I thought it was cute!

This is the pattern - at least the 3 views on the front of the book - I'll share the other views later. The nice thing about this pattern is that it is sized, S-XL. I chose to make the size L which is a 10,12,14. My mom tried it on (she's in the size range) and it fit nicely. As a woman with a nice bit "up front", it's refreshing to find patterns that can accommodate that!

I must confess, I didn't read through the directions all the way and kinda messed up the ruffles as a result, but I think they turned out ok - now I know for next time!! Live and learn.

Here is the finished apron - with 2 different options for tying it, and a back view. Didn't have a model tonight so I used my dress form. Not as exciting as making my family model, but it was all I had!!

Apron tied in the back - simple and basic. The pattern includes some darts under the bust to add some shape - I think that's a very nice touch. 

There are little loops that the ties fit through - so clever!

Here is the apron with the ties crossed in the back and tied in the front. I think it's a really cute option (if you are trim enough to get them around....) While this is not a reversible apron, it is fully lined - another nice touch!

This fun, frilly, fall apron is available for sale - $25 (plus shipping).

Number 3 - Pink and Black

This cute little number was fun to make....until I got to the buttonholes. The buttonhole maker on my sewing machine isn't working right, so I did what any girl would do and went to my mother's house to use hers!! She has a nice, newer Singer that looks like a vintage one. It works really well, generally, except when I'm trying to finish something and I'm tired. I FINALLY got the buttonholes to work on my mom's machine and they turned out ok - I had to rip out WAY TOO MANY stitches before I got it right though. Ugh, I hate that!! My machine is an older Singer that's been well used, and loved. Some things just don't work anymore on it though. I'd love to get a new machine, but that takes money!

The pattern I used is "Sassy Little Apron" By Cabbage Rose Quilts         

They have some really, really cute stuff, I need to do some shopping on that site.... I've had this pattern for a while and have made several variations of it. I generally like to make reversible aprons so I would basically make two and put them together. That works pretty well, but for this one, I followed the directions and did the facing instead of lining.The construction is straightforward and the instructions are very clear. My mom suggested this fabric combination and I think it works well. The pink and black is a nice, modern combo. Here's the finished apron, modeled by my sweet daughter Bella!

 It's a little big on her, but you get the idea. The shape is very flattering and would fit most "misses" size women.

This darling apron is for sale for $20 (plus shipping). If you want it, let me know!

Thanks for checking in with my progress - tomorrow I'll feature a really cute, fall themed apron.

Go Griz!!

A few years ago my friend Leah asked me to make an apron for her husband - a University of Montana Grizzlies apron! I searched locally....and then online for Griz fabric and found some that was awesome! I ordered enough for several aprons and made his apron and stashed the rest of the fabric. I decided that I needed a "manly" apron for this blog (there will be at least one more...). Here is the fabric that I found:

I made a very simple apron - no frills or ruffles - just a nice basic apron! I used my own pattern, sans the ruffle at the bottom. I added a blanket stitch around the pocket and all around the edge, just for a little extra detail. This apron is available for purchase - $25.00 - just let me know if you'd like it. Griz fans welcome!!

Here's my amazing husband modeling it - he was great!! Did I mention it's reversible?? Well, it is!!

This is the most serious pose....

He's showing off - he's quite handy with the BBQ tools!!

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Now that's quite a pose!! The BBQ Samaria!


Check back tomorrow for another darling apron!

Apron Number 1...The one that started it all...

The other day I remembered that a friend had asked me about making an apron for her for a friend. I'd completely forgotten!! The apron was for a friend of hers who was visiting from another country. I sent her a text and asked if it was too late. She replied that the friend was leaving the next day...did I have anything on hand?? I didn't....but I didn't tell her that!! I could put something together in a couple of hours and get it to her, no problem! I went to my fabric stash and found some fabric that I thought would be perfect for a memento from the US....red, white and blue, but not traditional. Here is the fabric I chose:

I decided on my basic, original pattern that is cute, versatile and fits all sizes. It's feminine and fun, without being super girly and it's pretty darn easy to construct. I set to work and cut it out, made the pockets, ties, ruffle, and neck strap. Putting it all together was the easiest part, after all the parts were made. It took about 2 1/2 hours in all, not bad! I hadn't planned to blog about it, so the pictures aren't great - more for documentation than artistic - don't tell Anya I published the pictures. She's a very willing model when she thinks it's just for documentation purposes! (I happen to think she's super cute too)

Oh....did I mention that the apron is totally reversible?? Yes, yes it is! That's one of the things I like about this pattern - it's two aprons in one! You can wear it either way - change it around if it get's dirty - you get the idea.

Anyway - This apron got me thinking....could I make an apron everyday?? It doesn't take that long and I have TONS of fabric. Then I thought, If I'm going to make a bunch of aprons, I should blog about it! So, here we are! Most of the aprons will be available for sale - obviously not this one as it was a custom order - but a lot of them will be. I'll let you know and it'll be first come, first served!

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoy the next 30 days!

Welcome to my new Blog!!

This morning in the shower (where a lot of good ideas come from) I got to thinking - I should do a new blog about my aprons....make one a day for 30 days and sell them! What a fun thing for me to do. It get's me in the sewing room, challenges my creativity and uses up some of my stash fabric! So, I hope you enjoy it. If you like an apron, let me know and I will send it to you. If you have a custom idea, I'll add that to the list. 

Thanks for looking and welcome to the journey!