Thursday, May 6, 2010

Non-Quilty Sewing

 .
Some business first - Please scroll down and skip the red writing UNLESS you are my Mum or my Mother in Law.

To my dear Mum and MIL,

Please do not continue reading.  Use your mouse to move the pointy arrow towards the top right hand corner of your screen.  See the box?  The red box with the white "X" on it?  Please click on it.  Do not continue reading, do not scroll down, or you may spoil your Mother's Day surprise.  Did you click it?  If you are still reading this you've incorrectly followed the instructions, please re-read this paragraph.   


It is not too late to whip up a little crafty goodness for your mother for Mother's Day.  It is not often that I make something other than a quilt.  This is probably because I feel very comfortable with all things quilty, and much less confident sewing anything else.  I have dabbled with aprons before, and admittedly they turned out ok - they were even put to good use.


These two aprons are a little improvised sewing, I have basically been winging it. They are made using two tea towels; and I do like to use good quality decorative tea towels. These are a from a matching set by Marie Claire. 

Both aprons feature a functional patchwork pocket, lined with Quilt-Lite and "backing fabric" because I am used to making quilt sandwiches.  Then sewing the layers together and "bagging" it out.  My bagging skills still need some refining and useful tips would be handy (particularly for the corners).

For the apron ties I have used a cotton tape, readily available and inexpensive.  The tape does run the entire length of the long edge of the apron (plus approximately 18 inches either side), and is covered by a red and white dot fabric.  To cover the tape I cut a strip of fabric the length of the long edge of the apron, and twice the width of the tape plus 1/2 inch for overlap.  


I used a steam iron to help encase fabric around the tape, and then stitched it directly onto the edge of the tea towel.  Not sure of my decorative stitches I used a straight stitch,which my machine knows very well, sewing two lines for effect.


These were seriously fun and quick to make; I made both of these in just one evening.  I mean if I can do this, no doubt you can too, and probably with much better technique.  These aprons make lovely gifts, Mother's Day or otherwise.

 Hey Mum, what time is Mother's Day lunch?  Just testing ...  : )


28 comments:

  1. Rita I sooo wish I was your Mum or your MIL! These are just beautiful. They will love them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gorgeous Rita! I'm second what Mel said!

    ReplyDelete
  3. They will love them when you give them on Mother's day! Unless, they have already peeked... LOL. Then they are loving them now!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am obviously one BAD mama. If I was yours (or your MIL) there is very little chance I would have been able to exercise restraint. Then of course I'd have to email you to let you know how fantabulous my Mothers Day present is and that lunch is 1.30pm DON'T YOU DARE BE LATE.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rita, it is OK Jan still can't use the internet and also has not yet found her glasses.......the aprons are cute. x Lesley

    ReplyDelete
  6. Im sure if I was your Mom I would scroll down and take a look what is so interesting to put me of the blog *g* love them

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pretty! I couldn't help but read the red letters too and I'm glad I did because it made me laugh!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such beautiful aprons! I don't think you need to worry about your "non-quilty" sewing skills! Your moms are going to love them....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hee hee, that made me laugh :-)
    (I want to know if they cheated!)
    Now I need to send you one of my tea towels for the Rita treatment!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. You're too cute with your red-letter warnings. The aprons look terrific! The best advice I can give on corners is clip excess fabric and have a chopstick handy. You can use the end to poke out the corner to make it nice and pointy, and chopsticks are gentler and cheaper than some of the specialty implements I've seen. On the actual sewing of the corner, sometimes I go all the way to the end and start again 'round the corner (almost like doing a binding); it gives me a visual guide for clipping.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Those are so cute...for corners actually sew ONE stitch accross the corner diagonally (this allows fabric to pop out) and then I always end up using a pin to pull the ends out/or push if you can. If you could find something on sewing dress shirt collars it would probably have a diagram on the diagonal stitch accross corner that I suggested as that is where I learned it years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Absolutely beautiful! And my Mum would never have followed instructions lol

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very cute! And I hope that your Mum and MIL obeyed your instructions!

    ReplyDelete
  14. They're really cute Rita. Love the testing line. lol

    ReplyDelete
  15. My Mum would strangle me if I made her an apron - she'd prefer a pair of killer heels instead. She'd think I was trying to drag her back to the days when women lived in the kitchen & had their husbands dinner on the table when they got home; Martini in one hand, self-respect in the other.

    We've already had Mothers Day over here & she got flowers!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Rita these are just too cute!! You make me want to head to the sewing room to try! :) But I made my moms quilted market totes already. Hmm.. wonder if they would like aprons too? LOL Your message "see the little red box with the white X?" Tooooooooo funny!!!! Am sitting here laughing, and wondering if they will acually be able to make themselves click it without peeking!! hahaha! I know mine wouldn't! So no posts until after mother's day! LOL!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I spent last night making my mom an apron and potholders, too. She saw some potholders I made for a swap and said she'd like some "big, like that". hope she meant it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lovely :). I really like the color combos you put together for this.

    ReplyDelete
  19. these aprons are so cute. And I don't have to worry about my mother--she hardly ever reads my blog--not a big computer fan so I'm pretty sure I would be safe to post pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Very nice (and I love your little test!Hehe).

    ReplyDelete
  21. Cute!

    And I'll bet both moms kept reading -- LOL!

    joan

    ReplyDelete
  22. Gorgeous!
    Happy mum's day!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. They are fabulous - btw brunch is at 10am - see you there.

    ReplyDelete
  24. They are sensational! I have missed the crafty boat and had to go the flower option this year. Great to meet you this morning outside the sewing shop!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love the colors you picked! These are fabulous aprons! I went to the Marie Claire website and haven't found the tea towels yet. I would be tempted to make one for myself, but I am so messy in the kitchen that I need a full length apron. :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Divine aprons Rita, fabulous gifts for two special women in your life. xo

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love the fabrics you have picked. What lucky mothers!

    ReplyDelete
  28. No i didn,t peek ,but had trubbel to find the
    red with the white cross.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! I really appreciate it.

Comments are published after review.

Feel free to ask questions and I will answer either here or by email, as is appropriate.