A Sunday Apron

There always seems to be little time, after meal preparation, clean-up, and other things, for my new leisure activity: sketching my latest sewing project. 

 Today I noticed it takes a long time just to get myself up and presentable for the day.  It reminds me of my teen years when I couldn't seem to get my hair the way I wanted it or my clothes were not fitting right, and I had to make so many changes before I felt okay.  I never could throw any old thing on and start my day with confidence, which is one reason I have been sewing these simple cotton dresses. 

A dress takes less time to put on since the blouse and skirt are already coordinated and no decisions have to be made about that. It is really the perfect garment if it is made loose enough to wear without tugging at it here and there, and this is just the pattern (shown at the end).

  Anyway, here is something on my always-wanted to-do list and I must say I enjoyed making the apron more than anything so far. My mother-in-law had a white filet-crochet apron she only wore on Sunday, and she did not have to change clothes when she got home from church.

The special fancy apron was worn to protect the dress she wore to church, so she could get on with lunch and not have to hurriedly change back into her daily work clothes.  I needed such an apron and have got this pattern out and looked at it so often that the number and brand is worn off the envelope.  

I used a retro pattern I must have bought twenty years ago, Simplicity 8720, and there does not appear to be a date on it, so it might still be available at the fabric store.  

The pattern is one piece with bias trim around all the edges, and it is made for embroidery/cross-stitch.  As I wanted to finish it in a few hours, I embellished it with scrap fabric roses. There are so many tutorials for these online, so I didn't take-by-step photos. For those who want to make it without the embroidery, colorful trim could be sewn instead, or use colored thread with a fancy stitch on your sewing machine.

 These roses are made by folding and rolling a long piece of fabric.  I stitched one on the pocket and one on the shoulder area to give it some color.  

The edges of the single layer of fabric on this apron are trimmed with bias tape. You simply enclose the cut edges of the fabric between the bias binding, and you top stitch the shorter edge because it will catch the underside bias tape properly.

If you have no bias tape, you could add a little seam allowance when cutting the pattern, and fold and press a small seam, then stitch.  The bias trim, though is very nice. You can also make your own bias trim.

  Bias binding used to have instructions in the package but maybe it is such common knowledge these days it isn't necessary. You can find what you need to know about it in any sewing book or sewing site. 

I used Sew Essentials muslin and am very happy with the results. I haven't had good results with Roc Lon muslin, as it tends to be less soft and flexible.

I like the fresh way this fabric looks and feels when it has been seen and is pressed with a hot iron.  My curtains are also made of this fabric.  This has already been pre-shrunk so this is the way it will always look after washing and ironing.

The apron was made to go with this dress, as I used the same fabric for the roses. This is now what I hope to be doing: make aprons to go with the house dresses I have been sewing.

I really wanted a photo of a girl with the pose, below, but couldn't quite manage it.  This is the first time I have drawn the sketch ahead of time and tried to imitate the pose but the photos were too bad so I did not use them for the sketch.

This is the first sketch, which I began a week ago....

...and here it is with more detail.  I can't draw straight lines so it's all a little wavy

Here it is with some things erased and a bit of color added...

...and here you see it developed with more color. The picture in the background is supposed to be the scene outside the kitchen window.

I was not quite sure what to do next, so I quit....

...and put it in a frame.  I am really not too  happy with the painting but once it gets put in a frame, my family won't let me toss it out. It is as though it became part of the family archives.  Maybe when I get caught up to all the things I have to do this year, I can take that art course.

Now i will go back and pose for this painting and see if I can get a good photo.

I had plans to make a really cute teapot mat and tea cozy with the leftover bits of fabric, but that will have to wait for a tea time post.

I hope you all have a blessed Lord's Day. Thank you to everyone who leave such nice comments.

New Look pattern from Simplicity