Fabulous Fifties Six-way Apron

Okay...I'm all focused on sewing some new curtains for the kitchen windows and I'm having 'one of those days' where the project I'm working on is telling ME what to do instead of the other way around!  Apparently, the cute fabrics I was trying to whip up into curtains had their heart set on becoming an apron....or aprons, as it turned out. The ruffles were the turning point. Definitely a 'no go' on the window. Too phoofy-Fifties. So I acquiesced, made a few (okay, a lot) of changes---and I am so glad I did.

I--or should I say 'we'--- the Fabric, Ruffles and Trim and I, created a fabulous six-way, six day apron. So without further ado...we present to you....the Fabulous Fifties Six-Way Apron!

The secret is the the detachable, reverseable bib and the reversable skirt. 

There is an invisible pocket in the side seam, under the rick-rack.

(Rick-rack, rick-rack, rick-rack.  Now THAT is a FUN word!)

The bib attaches to the skirt via buttons. Here's version One. This time the pocket is on the outside of the skirt.

Version Two--especially nice for Tuesdays.

Version Trois. The bib matches the skirt.

Version Four

For days five and six, remove the bib and you have a half-apron. Wear the gingham side out one day and the gold/red print side out the next day. Wash it on day seven.

The bib makes a thoughtful wall hanging when its not in service. The embroidered piece was found at a thrift store and begged to come home with me.  I'm a soft touch when it comes to something handmade looking up at me with big, tear-filled eyes.

Here's a close-up of the button attachment where the bib joins the skirt. You can see the crocheted 'corners', also rescued from an uncertain fate at a thrift store.

Now that I think of it, pretty much everything that went into making this apron came from a thrift store. The black and white gingham had been a curtain in a previous life.  I ripped it apart for the fabric. The gold/red calico was a remnant I spied in a bin and resolved that I would make it mine. 

Black thread and rick-rack. The only components purchased new at the store. 

How's that for "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle"?

Singer sounds

Ahhh....I love the whirring and clicking sounds of a sewing machine in use.  It conjures up cozy memories of my mother busily sewing in the kitchen at night, while I was supposed to be sleeping.  She sewed Easter dresses and Christmas gifts and clothes for my doll and fancy dresses for her friends.  She did it mostly at night because she needed to use the kitchen table and she didn't want us children roaming around with food dripping onto expensive fabric. She also worked at night so we couldn't see what we'd be getting for our birthday.

I was about ten years old when my mom started teaching me to sew using her Singer sewing machine. As she instructed me on how to lay out pattern pieces and insert zippers, she also taught me an important axiom:  the inside of the garment (or whatever) should look as nice as the outside.  No fabric bunches or stray threads or messy seams.  "Anything that's worth doing is worth doing right," was her motto.

I've spent the past few days sewing and even though my mom now lives hundreds of miles away from me, she is always present when I'm at the sewing machine. I take her words to heart and the quality of my work is all the better because of her gentle insistence that I take pride in my work.

Window coverings have been on my 'to do' list and I've just finished making Roman shades for the living room.  This is the first time I've attempted this kind of window treatment and I'm so pleased with how they turned out!

Here is the shade pulled up.  (I also made little sheer half curtains. I think they add softness and filter a not-so-pretty-yet backyard view.

Here's the shade when it's lowered.

Here are two more shades. I made five altogether. (I'm also giving a sneak peak of some of the painting I've done on the walls. And the chair I reupholstered a while back.)  Things are starting to come together in the living room!  

The fabric for the shades came from curtain panels I found on the sale table at Home Depot. There were only six panels---which would be enough to use as drapes for three windows.  My problem was that I had five windows to cover. However, the price was so reasonable that I decided to buy them and use the really nice blackout fabric to make Roman shades.

A gal named Terrell has a super web site dedicated to making window shades. Her detailed instructions guided me through the process of constructing my Roman shades and provided me with loads of inspiration.  http://www.terrelldesigns.com/Instructions   

But whenever I sit down to sew my best guidance and inspiration still comes from my mom.