rostitchery

national wear your apron day

yep, it's finally here!  the one day a year we all wait for!  the day we get to wear our aprons!!!

ok, if you are like me, you wear your aprons pretty much every day.  i'm wearing one now, while i'm writing this post.  i LOVE aprons, i can put one on and no matter what i'm wearing underneath, i always feel beautiful--like one of those housewives from the 50's who is always put together, who always has something yummy to offer her spur-of-the-moment guests, whose house and children are always as bright and clean as the magazine ads.

ah, the transformative magic of an apron.

i personally prefer half aprons, because they are more like skirts--i like mine fluffy, or poofy, or however you want to describe something that is more or less a kitchen tutu.  but i recently made a bibbed apron that i was really pleased with, and so many other people have complimented it that i thought i would show you how to make the pattern and spread the love around. 

start with the apron pattern in the free wild things software program, available from wild ginger software.  (disclaimer:  i work for wild ginger but i am in education, not sales--and besides, this program is FREE!).  tell the program how long you want your apron to be, and make the width 1/2 the waist measurement of the person who will be wearing the apron.  choose whatever pocket you want, i used the patch pocket and sewed it with rounded corners.  save, then print your pattern. 

for reference, the apron i drafted was 28" long, and 26" wide.

note:  the pattern will print out with seam allowances.  the following images will not show the SA and you can safely ignore them on this pattern.

cut the pattern in half vertically, and work with only the left half (the part that will be on the right side of the body).

add 3"-4" to the side edge of the pattern.  this creates the extra fullness needed to make the gathers at the side waist.

next you will need to add a waist dart.  the exact size of this dart is not really important because the dart is not for fitting purposes, it is just a design element--so make it about 6" high and 3"-4" wide.  place the dart so that the right leg is about 3" from the center front and the bottom is level with the top of the side edge.  don't worry about the fact that it is not on an edge--we're going to take care of that.

now mark your pattern as follows:

and if you wish, draw a shape for your hem.  i made a scallop but your hem could also be round, or zig-zag, or whatever you like. 

when cutting your apron out of fabric, the right hand side of your pattern is layed on the fold.  cut two waist straps, two neckline straps (just use the same pattern piece for both), and your pocket(s).  also cut two waist band pieces that are 2" longer than the sewing line you marked on your pattern, and double the width of your waist straps.

at this point, you will need to trust the directions.  :D  i didn't take any pictures of the process--at the time, i wasn't thinking about a tutorial, i was just sewing for a swap. 

to sew: 

bind your pockets or fold the edges in, then sew them on now, while the apron is still flat!  so much easier than trying to sew them on when all those gathers are already in place.

also, go ahead and finish the edges of the apron, either with binding, folded edges, rolled hem,  or whatever you choose. also finish the long edges and one end of the waist and neck straps.

stitch the gathering line with your preferred method for gathering, then cut the pattern on the cutting line.  gather the apron so that it matches the sewing line, and pin those edges to each other with WRONG SIDES TOGETHER. 

lay the waist band RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER on the sewing line (some of it will extend past the side edge), stitch thru all layers, fold the waistband over the gathers (turning under the raw edge of the strap) and sew in place.  turn in the ends of the waist band, insert your waist straps (pleat or fold the ends to make them fit), and sew in place.

the end of the waist band that is toward the center will be loose.  when you fold your dart to sew, catch the end of the band and sew it in place at the same time you sew the dart.

that's it!  it probably took me longer to create this post than it took to make the apron.

if you make an apron using these instructions, please leave a comment with a link so we can all admire!!!

ps--you might recognize the fabric i used for this apron--it is the same fabric in my new banner.  the banner image came from a different apron--i used the leftovers from the bib apron to make mommy-daughter half aprons for myself and ella and i used RICK-RACK,  which to me, rick-rack is the hallmark of apron-y goodness.  and yes, i just used the word "apron" five times in a single paragraph.  that's how much i love aprons.

you made a what out of fabric?

tamar mogendorff makes dolls and other objects from found and vintage fabrics.  i love the things that i think are avocados taking root in a glass, and the pinecone stopped me in my tracks.

fabric postcards that you can actually mail at art2mail, with new postcards in the gallery all the time.   (my own christmas postcards from 2004 are here.)

fujitsu has developed a fully functional fabric laptop computer.  they say it is soft, pliable, and can comfortably be carried like a portfolio of paper.

researchers at georgia tech say they have developed fabrics that can generate electricity.

and last, but hardly least, researchers at MIT have published a paper describing some of the techniques used to build computer circuitry from commercially available fabrics, yarns, fasteners, and components.

wow.  when i went on a search for something interesting to post about fabric, i had no idea i'd find this kind of stuff.  it makes me realize i need to get out more.

no fabric, no peace--know fabric, know peace

sorry, that was kind of silly.

random things you might or might not have wanted to know about fabric:

269 names of kinds of fabric and cloth, from the phrontistery.  i have no idea what or who or where a phrontistery might be, but isn't it a cool word?

fabric definitions and pronunciations, from fabrics.net.  find out if you have been saying the word "challis" correctly.

fiber identification burn test, also from fabrics.net.  for the pyro in you.

fiber identification burn test, in chart format, from ditzy prints.  for those who prefer a visual.

fabric care symbols, from the soap and detergent association.  yeah, i know, i didn't know they had an association either.

oh, i checked the dictionary:

phrontistery:  noun.  an establishment for study and learning (sometimes including modern universities)

dang.  i should have known that.

 

10 questions, but far more answers

1:  what are your three favorite fabrics?

• 100% cotton.  it is cheap, easy to come by, and is very cooperative.  it is easy to care for--takes color readily--comes from a renewable resource.  you can find it in all kinds of designs, weights, and weaves, something to suit just about any project.
• 100% wool.  it is a fabric that likes to be made into things.  and contrary to popular belief, most people are not allergic to it--it is usually something else, like the lanolin in the wool, that causes the reaction.  you can get wool in everything from thick felt suitable for a winter coat, all the way down to tropical weight wool gauze that is light as a feather.  and just like cotton, it is not very demanding.
• found fabrics.  this would be anything that is not sold on a bolt specifically for sewing.  things like old bed linens found at thrift stores and yard sales--dish towels and vinyl table cloths from the dollar tree--tyvek envelopes that swap partners occasionally use to mail things to me. 

2:  what are your three least favorite fabrics?

• liquid sequins.  that stuff is hateful.  it actually resists being sewn.  (i cannot find a link for this fabric--that's how obstinate it is).
• most synthetics (by which i mean true synthetics, not artificial fibers).  they don't ease, they don't breathe (although the newer ones are better), they can't be dyed, and they feel icky on my skin.  YMMV.  :)
• lame'.  it doesn't want to be fabric, it wants to be shreds of fibers laying in a pile on your sewing table.

3:  what is the most unusual fabric you've ever sewn?

• sparkly automotive vinyl.

yes.  naugahyde.  when i worked in the costume shop at the tennessee repertory theatre, the designer had us quilt about a dozen yards of the stuff, from which we made doublets and codpieces for "macbeth".  it really wasn't that hard to work with, but pressing it was a PITA.

4:  what is the most unusual thing you've made out of regular fabric?

it's a tie:

• a corset made out of polyester chiffon, for the same designer, for the same show.
• shoes for ella that i made by cutting up several leather handbags that i bought at a thrift store.

5:  if you could sew with just one fabric for the rest of your life, what would it be?

• probably raw silk.  it behaves as well as cotton or wool, takes dye as well, is a natural fiber so it feels good against the skin, but it doesn't require as much ironing as cotton and it is easier to care for than wool. 

6:  what is the most special piece of fabric you've ever bought and used?

• two yards of silk chiffon that i bought in 1981, which i used to make my own costume for "spring waters".  i remember exactly how much it cost:  $8.00 a yard.  i dyed it myself to just the right shade of "spring water" blue.  i was so afraid of ruining that fabric with my then-amateur sewing skills that i sewed the entire thing by hand.  i used every inch of that two yards, i made the costume using rectangles and triangles, and it wore like iron.  i danced that piece for almost 5 years, wearing the same costume, traveling all over western europe, scandanavia, and the soviet union, and it was the only costume at the end that was still in as good a condition as when i made it.

7:  where do you get most of your fabrics?

• here in nashville we have limited sources:  joanns, wal-mart, and one locally-owned upscale fabric shop that is always out of my budget.  for my own things (as opposed to stuff i need for the costume shop) i rarely order fabric online, simply because i can almost always make something nice with what i can find here.   the most notable exception was when i needed PUL for making diapers, i always bought that thru an online fabric co-op.

8:  what are the last three fabrics you used?

• "quilting" cotton--several aprons
• "quilting" cotton--a set of family clothes (matching hawaiian shirt for rudi/skirt for me/dress for ella)
• "quilting" cotton--a tote bag for my sister.

i love the stuff.  it is my favorite to wear, fabric for crafts, and i sometimes even use it to makes quilts.  but i DETEST the term "quilting" cotton.  it is just cotton--if you use it to make a quilt it is "quilting" cotton but if you use it to make a dress, it is "dressing" cotton.  :)

9:  if you could buy any fabric you wish, what would you buy and what would you do with it?

• i would buy some flat silk with this stripe design and make an exact duplicate of this dress for myself:

10:  what advice do you have for seamstresses about buying fabric?

• go to the best fabric stores you can and touch all the fabric.  read the end labels on the bolts to learn what it is, how to care for it, and the price range it comes in.  get swatches if you can, and put them in a binder with notes about each one.  then when you shop for you own projects, you will have some real hands-on knowledge that helps you decide if the fabric is a good choice for what you're making and is within a reasonable price range.

did i forget anything?  oh yes--don't buy any fabric you don't really like.  not even if it is cheap.  not even if they have only one yard left and there will never be anymore of it.   not even if whatever.  it is not worth the emotional investment of trying to make yourself use a fabric that you just don't like.

if you'd like to answer these questions yourself, leave a comment with the link to your blog post so we can all visit!

my "stash"

about twice a month i'm asked about my personal fabric stash, and since this is fabric week i figured now would be as good a time as any to show it to you but i'm afraid it will be something of a disappointment. 

yes, that's it.  one shelf.  plus a basket above to hold some cutting scraps.

there was a time when i had much more--way too much in fact--but eventually i came to a point where having all that fabric seemed like such a waste.

not of money.  a waste of opportunity.

i don't buy into the motto, "she who dies with the most fabric, wins."  quite the opposite--i believe she who has fabric at the end didn't get to enjoy it.

some people don't use their fabric because they are afraid of "ruining" it.  well, that is what making muslins is for--you get to try out your pattern on fabric that is not so precious, make sure you get things right, then when you use the good stuff you don't have to worry about whether or not the thing will fit, or whether you know how to make the fancy hand-rolled hem.

other people are afraid to use the fabric they have, just in case they need it in some unknown future.  but the truth is that there will always be more fabric--they are making more of it at this very minute--much of it is beautiful and you will love it just as much as the stuff you have right now.

however, my fear is that i will have a piece of pretty fabric that i never get to wear, or that my child or husband or other loved one won't get to enjoy.  to me, that would be the ultimate loss.

so now i use up my fabric as soon as i can.  i cut it with (almost) wild abandon, and if whatever i'm making doesn't turn out "right", i know there is someone in the world who will like it, who it will fit, and who would be grateful to have something so well made (ok, so i flatter myself).

so this week, along with my intention to try using both sides of the fabric, i'm going to also try to make that piece of fabric something that i've been holding onto--something that i have been "saving".   but i'll save a small scrap of it too--just in case.  ;)