Day 15 - Half Way There! A Strip Apron

The apron I made today is made of fabric that I pieced together. I had a bunch of strips of fabric that were left over from a quilting project. My Aunt Susie is a very, very good quilter. She had to stop quilting for a while and gave us a bunch or her fabric - pieces that she had left from projects and things like that. I LOVE getting bits and bobs - free stuff is always the best! I was totally winging it today, no pattern, no real idea of where I was going to go with it. The result turned out better than I could have imagined. Here it is:

 I LOVE the fabrics that I used for the top - love the colors. I think they are just so lovely.

The skirt is done in many different directions - I had fun piecing it all together. Each side is different,

The whole thing is lined with a fine wale corduroy  - it's very, very soft. Since I didn't use a pattern, it's hard to say what size this apron is. It would fit a variety of sizes and can be tied in the front or back.

This apron is available for sale for $25 (plus postage). I think it would make a great gift.

Day 14 - The 1/2 Apron that almost didn't get done

The main objective for today's apron was that it had to be quick and easy - I got a late start and had places to be today!! I got mostly done before I had to take off and almost didn't finish it tonight. I got home a little late and didn't feel like finishing....but I HAD TO!! Back to the sewing room I went and I got it done! I think it turned out really cute, I hope you agree!

 I didn't use a pattern for this one - I made it up! One of my fabulous daughters picked the fabric - they are so good with combining different fabric. I added the rick rack as an extra little touch,

This apron is not really sized, it could fit just about anyone. I'm so glad I finished it, I think it turned out really, really nice.

If you are interested in this apron, let me know - it's $15 (plus postage).

That's it, short and simple today! See you tomorrow!

Day 13 - The French Cafe Apron

Today's apron is another one made from the More Retro Aprons pattern book written by Cindy Taylor Oates. I used view B today in a size small. You can see the pattern by looking here or here.

The fabric that I used today is from a small quilt shop in Kansas - I probably got it on their clearance table....since I rarely pay full price for fabric, that's the likely story. The fabric has a yellow background and depicts several French cafe scenes. I dream of going to France one day and sitting at a cafe, sipping coffee and eating a croissant. Doesn't that sound divine?

Here is the fabric:

I love the bright colors in the fabric - it is so cheerful and lively. I thought the perfect accent colors would be turquoise and orange. The Turquoise was leftover from another project and the orange piping was some I had on hand. I really like how the colors worked together to create a really fun apron!

Anya was my model again today - this apron actually fits her!

I love the ruffle on this apron - it's so cute! The chicken really thought it was nice looking. :)

Nice pose my little ballerina.

 Anya is getting ready to teach some ballet classes and she's been doing lot's of practicing!!

 Here is a bit closer view - you can see the orange piping around the hem and on the pocket.  The apron is a size Small (2-4).

The ties of the apron can be tied in back, or wrapped around to the front as pictured. The apron is fully lined with plain yellow fabric, but is not reversible.

The French Cafe apron is for sale - $20 (plus postage) - let me know in the comments or by some other means if you are interested in purchasing it. Carrier pigeons accepted. ;)

Thanks for looking!! I'll see you tomorrow.

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.