Each year for our anniversary I try to make something that is on theme for the traditional type of gift for that year. Our first anniversary was paper, so I put together a photo album for him. This year is cotton, so I made him an apron out of cotton fabric. Clark likes to cook and get messy, but it's hard to find an apron that fits him and doesn't look to feminine.



I purchased the fabric for the apron back last fall in Tokyo. Clark only sort-of liked it until I pointed out that it included a hedgehog balancing an apple on its back. After that, he really liked it. Of course, bright, garish colors are also his style.

Labels: apron, projects, sewing

posted by Alison 9/02/2009 03:24:00 PM : (0) comments : splink


Friday, January 02, 2009

Project #2 - Robot Apron

I have a fondness for aprons that leads me to collect them like stamps. They're often colorful, they keep messes off of clothes and they add extra pockets. I'm sitting here picking little stray threads off of my skirt as I type this. An apron worn during sewing would have saved me the trouble.

I would really like to wear aprons more often and I sometimes fantasize about starting a new trend. However, I already look like an anachronism much of the time with my poofy-poofy skirts, so the addition of an apron just calls extra attention. On the occasions that I forget I am wearing an apron and leave my house I get extra funny looks and occasionally if I'm in a restaurant I'll get asked for the check.

Still, I should grow a backbone and wear this apron everywhere. First, robots are the best. Secondly, I like the silhouette. Thirdly, it's cotton canvas and a little more sturdy than my vintage church rummage sale aprons which have gone transparent from decades of washings.



I originally bought this pattern (McCall's 5825) because of the picture. I admit that I sometimes buy patterns based on the fabric or extraneous clothing featured in the cover picture. I saw this one and really wanted the black Amelia Bedelia style black dress. Who wants to dress up like an old-fashioned maid, but without the sexual overtones. Me! Me!

I can't find this pattern anywhere online, but I found it by rummaging through the pattern cabinet at the fabric store. I also found lots of forgotten patterns that were hidden by customers in empty drawers. I'm on to all of you cheeky monkeys.



The fabric was a lucky buy at the Kichijoji Yuzawaya in Tokyo. I found a discounted bolt with just one meter left on it and got the whole thing for about 400 yen less than usual. The pattern says that 1.5 years is required to make one of the full length aprons, but I was able to squeeze everything onto one yard. Oh pattern, how you lie to me.

Labels: apron, projects, sewing

posted by Alison 1/02/2009 11:48:00 PM : (0) comments : splink