Week 7 Project

            A few weeks before Christmas my mom hands me a newspaper clipping. Its a picture of the Obamas sitting around a table. Barak, Sasha, Malia and Grandma are sitting and Michelle is serving a turkey. My mom says "You know Laura, if you wanted to you could make me an apron for Christmas like the one Michelle is wearing in this picture." You know, if I wanted to.

  Now, this says nothing about my mother's political views, but it does say two things about her personality. 1. I wouldn't say my mom is trendy, but she is very much always on trend, if that makes any sense. Aprons are very much on trend these days. 2. For as long as I can remember (probably since grade school when I had to bring in a weekly newspaper clipping to school) mom has been notorious for clipping articles. She sent them to me in college and every time I go to her house she has some waiting for me.

                  So, I set out to make her an apron. I wanted a fabric that had a vintage feel. I was even thinking something with a very tiny pattern, maybe of strawberries. I thought and I planned. I schemed of things to try on the apron I haven't done. I started shopping. My vision of the fabric I wanted never came to fruition. I regrouped.  (Side note, my dad has always liked his girls (mom, my sister and I) in bright colors)  I found two different fabrics at a non chain fabric store that I love! The store and the fabrics.

 

The belt I made by lightly gathering the fabric and attaching to the body of the apron.

I added a ruffle to the bottom and trimmed almost the entire apron an moss green double bias tape. I have never used bias tape for anything. I think i did fairly well, except for the ends.

I watched YouTube videos of this and still didn't quite get it right.

 

                        I liked the way the apron turned out even though I didn't use a pattern. I'll change a few things with the next apron I make. Honestly the hardest part of the whole project was the neck ties. When I sewed the fabric good sides together in long narrow strips, I didn't even think about the process of turning them right side out. Poor planning.

Mom on Christmas morning and at my brother's birthday party this past weekend.

Newspaper clipping inspired apron for mom "if I want to" Done.