Midweek Get Over Hump Day with Cooking Crafts – Aprons!

To give you a head’s up, I’m going to do half the post today and the progress photos tomorrow. I’m not sure what I came down with, but this morning has not been kind to me. I’m cool with laying around on the couch and letting my figures do the walking, but that’s about it for now. I think sewing would bring on another crazy dizzy nausea spell. Anyway, enough of that grossness, on to apron goodness!

I have a special sweet spot for aprons and have quite a collection of vintage and handmade ones that I use all the time. Unfortunately most a getting thread bare and holey and moth eaten and etc. I have packed most of them away and now just use utility aprons (heavy cloth ones that you will see the folks at coffee shops wearing). I have two of those. One for my painting studio and one for my at home studio. I made a smock last year from a vintage pattern and it turned out okay. I love the fabric and pattern, but i don’t like the back closure. It needs another button or something. And it needs pockets. What is an apron without pockets?

Getting back to the point. I don’t have a cooking apron, which leads me to getting sauce on all my shirts and pants and wiping my hands on my jeans. I’m used to have an apron on and I tend to wipe my hands on the side of my leg out of habit, where an apron normally would be. Why not use one of my utility aprons? Well, I don’t want to end up with glitter and/or oil paint in my soup if I wipe my hands on it and then stick them in the whatever I’m cooking. Plus I really miss my fancy vintage aprons. So I’m going to do it. I’m going to make a new apron by using my favorite vintage one as the pattern. I’ve got this really sweet one that has this really neat back tie.

Here she is:



And the neat bottom:



And here is the neat back:



And the cute pocket:



I’m going to have two of these and a little larger for mine.


And here are some of the holes:



And this is the fabric that I’m going to make it out of:
I am going to use a plain muslin for the main fabric and make the bias tape trim from the navy patterned fabric. If all goes well, I’ll make another one with a patterned fabric for the body and a plain for the trim. A lady can never have enough fancy aprons. And what a great way to really dig into the stash.


These are some really great site featuring aprons:
56 Free Apron Patterns You Can Make – This is pretty much what I was planning on collecting up, but why redo what someone already has finished up! A great collection of free patterns by a great apron loving lady!
Tie One On – I’m sure most of you have seen this site, but when talking about aprons, it can’t be left out, plus it is one of my favorite sites by one of my favorite artists. (I have been stalking her blog and shop for the last 2 years, it’s one of the blogs that inspired me to start my own personal blog back in 06, look where all that has lead to!)
My Byrd House – Another apron loving lady, if i’m not mistaken, she’s the one who compiled the 56 apron pattern list.
The Sassy Apron Swap – a seasonal apron swap, another project from the lovely My Byrd House Lucy

If I make another apron after the vintage one, I think I will try my hand at Lucy’s Clothes Pin Apron, it’s so cute!

These are some books I’ve been drooling over:
The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort
Aprons of the Mid-20th Century: To Serve and Protect (Schiffer Book for Collectors (Paperback)) (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
Aprons: Icons of the American Home
Aprons — 21 Vintage Patterns and Styles

And here are my favorites on Etsy that I have been all torn up about and trying to resist impulse buying all of them:
Momo’s Retro Fashions – I like just about every one of her aprons
Meringue Designs: Sewing creations for you & your home – Her Chef aprons are so cute, especially the Pear appliqué one!
Treasures by Tammy – I swear my next door neighbor growing up had an apron like this one and she wore it all the time.
Haasome – Great sewn items and the little apron is short a sweet. I am really digging the fabric.
Bella Bee Designs – I love this apron and this matching pot holder (i think I’ve posted about this before?)
Lucy’s Place – Okay, I don’t have a kid, but I remember how much I loved aprons when i was a kid, and how I had to wear one if there was even a hit of cooking going on, even with play food…. or play dough for that matter. I would have loved this! I do love this and want to get it even without the kid requirement because it is just so freaking cute. And what happens if say my friend Carolyn‘s daughter Lainie comes over for some baking sometime, she would need an apron wouldn’t she? Btw, check out this hilarious photo of her brother, the other bestest kiddo ever, he was the Travelocity Gnome for Halloween! That is just so great!
Joyful Abode – Very nice vintage lady aprons (i like this one too) and modern chef aprons.
Snappy Shop – oh everything is snappy here, these aprons are just so great, I love them all!

Well, i’m going to take a nap and hopefully feel better when I wake up. See you all tomorrow!