Fruitful Day of Sewing

Last week, we stayed home for Thanksgiving, with the idea that I would be able to sew all weekend and get some Christmas things done. This worked wonderfully for Tuesday night and all day Wednesday. For the first time in months, I finally had hours and hours to sew.

However, Thanksgiving morning, I woke feeling queasy. By 2:00 my temp was 101.2 and there was no way I was going anywhere but bed. Poor S had to get to the grocery just before it closed and got a rotisserie Turkey Breast. Well Fa La La La La. So much for the holiday and sewing.

But I want to share what I did get accomplished: two, yes two projects, involving three, yes THREE items. I have a third apron cut out, but not sewn as yet.

Items One and Two: Friend's Aprons (I made you as tall and skinny as I could!)

My friend J had S and I over for dinner a few weeks ago. She was poised at her sink with an old apron - boy you need a new one, I said. She said someone made it for her years ago and it is her favorite - despite the ripped sides, raggedy ties and un attached pockets. So when we left I scooped it up, and promised a new one.

Selecting the fabrics for someone else was incredibly difficult. The photos show the finished product, and a cameo of the other fabric. I selected a 1930's style daisy that looks nice and fresh, and a chicken pattern. Now in general I object to chickens on things - something about them I don't like. But this pattern appealed in some way.

J said for the purposes of the photo to share with you, the apron would look better on a hanger with the ties drawn to a petite 23 inch waist. Maybe so, maybe not. I insisted that she model the apron - and she insisted that I make has as tall and thin as possible!

I hope you liked these J. Tomorrow I will post directions for replicating the apron, and some sewing tips.

Project 2: Smaller Version of Large L2 Sewing Workshop Bag

I have some old bark cloth I bought a couple of years ago in/near Rowley, Massachusetts at a weekend Flea Market when I was visiting my friend H. I loved the old fabric - bright pink and green puff flowers on brown branches.

I've been wanting to make a purse with the fabric since I bought it. Well I took the L2 Bag pattern, reduced it by 60%, and made the bag. I like the way it looks, but that size decrease was too much. The smaller photo below shows the proportions to the original bag size. I might try again with a 40% reduction.

Here is something different I tried when making the handle. I used a plain fabric cut twice as wide as the webbing I covered. Fold and press so that the edges meet in the middle. Then I cut a piece of the main body fabric the same width as the webbing, then ironed a seam down both sides. This went in the middle of the strap and was sewn down. Then I took a piece of satin covered cording, set it along the side of the body fabric along the strap, and zig zagged with clear thread over the satin cording. This made a nice edging for the strap and the zig zag is a good pattern over it.