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).