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The sewing for myself is always the last sewing to get done.
I wear an apron often–while cooking, while canning, while baking, while doing dishes, and often while gardening.
I’ve made my old aprons last a few more years than I had planned (sewing new aprons has been on my to-do list for that long!), but now it’s really time for some replacements. I bought the fabric a while ago: grey cotton duck from Fabric.com. bought on a Black Friday sale, and some printed cotton duck (of a thinner type) that I purchased at Hobby Lobby, and drop cloth (bought at Lowe’s). The printed French script fabric was one I’d seen on Etsy, in a few different variations of colors, and I was rather excited to see it at Hobby Lobby. I liked several of the variations on Etsy, but Hobby Lobby had only one color option, which made the choice easy–plus it was on sale at 30% off.
I’ll use the patterned one for baking, and the grey one for washing dishes, cooking, and canning. The grey cloth is thicker, so I’ll be more likely to stay dry while washing dishes at the sink. I think I’ll reach for the drop cloth one while cooking and baking.
I thought I would have a bit of fun with the grey one, so I decided to embroider a wreath and a bee on it.
The wreath comes from this book, which is in the public domain, and the bee pattern is one I purchased here. I drew these on with a water-soluable marking pen before I stitched them, and rinsed it out when I was done sewing.
Rather than using embroidery thread, I chose to embroider the grey one with a single strand of pearl cotton, which means I never had to separate embroidery threads. For whitework, I’ve come to really prefer using pearl cotton for this reason. It’s about the same thickness as a double strand of cotton floss.
For a pattern, I copied an apron that I already owned, but there are a ton of free apron patterns online. A quick search on Pinterest will yield you more options that you need.
For the grain sack look, I sewed striped ribbon down the front of my drop cloth apron. Actual grain sacks can be pricey. This gave me a much less expensive option.
These are really fast to make–only about an hour and a half each (not counting the embroidery). I love the simple style and practicality of these. They’re also inexpensive to make, using a yard of 58″ wide fabric each. The most expensive one to make was $7 (the French script one).
Some other aprons that I’ve made: Polka Dot Apron, Bird, Eiffel Tower, and London Aprons
Linking to:
I keep talking about sewing aprons again.
My grandbabies have outgrown theirs.
Thanks for the push. *smile*
Your’s are lovely. The bee is wonderful.
The one with the bee is my favorite 🙂
I am inspired and about to sit to my ‘sewing pile’. I have had things waiting to be fixed for month (yikes). I am hoping to get at least 3 fixed tonight.
Would you share your apron pattern with us? They are lovely. I wear one daily or else my clothes would be ruined…I’m so sloppy! On another note, if you are a reader, you should check into Jennifer L. Scott’s books about living in France and all that she learned about living with class. You inspire me in the same way her writing does. You exemplify the class and grace she is talking about. Her first book is “Lessons Learned from Madame Chic”. I think you would love them! She also has a blog, “The Daily Connoisseur”.
Susan,
I just traced around an old apron that I had. I did shorten it up a bit in the waist as well since my old aprons were always a bit long in the waist for me. You could very easily freehand this apron, though. Just draw out half of it on a yard long piece of paper, and leave enough to a good hem at the top. Use the length to cut your ties (2 1/2″ or 3″ wide and 36″ long for the side ones and 24″ long for the neck one, and then adjust as needed for your neck length when sewing it on).
These are absolutely beautiful. I have been wanting to make an apron (or two or three) for myself, and I kept thinking that it was going to be a much larger undertaking. Now that I know its not, I’m going to try to make one myself. Thank you for the inspiration.
Your talent inspires me! I have some lovely cotton that I’m going to make into little sun dresses for my girls.
Hi Brandy and your aprons are beautiful and I love the way you used a pattern from a previous apron you had.
The replicating the feed sack design is a fabulous idea with the use of the striped ribbon & love the cute bee design you have embroidered on the grey one.
You have inspired a non clothes sewer to give it a try :). I do however sew table linens, curtains, wallets, passport covers and pillows for the home and for sale on the internet. Just yet to get into sewing clothing as a lot of the time I purchase my clothing at end of season sales which end up being cheaper than purchasing the material here and making them.
I do however at the fabric shops search for any fabrics on sale at 30 – 50% off that are under 2 metres in length on the rolls and then get another 50% off that price which sometimes would make the price cheaper to make my own clothing. Just a tip I thought I would pass on because that may help others by asking the fabric stores where they buy their fabric from, what length of fabric that they classify is a remnant.
I have an apron that I have purchased which I shall use until it gets rather tatty and then I think I will unpick it and get a pattern off it to make more. I purchased it so cheap at a sale that at that time it was cheaper for me to buy it than make it, but since then the prices have skyrocketed.
Here’s a link to several free patterns – the first one pictured looks a lot like Brandy’s. http://www.allfreesewing.com/Aprons
Beautiful work, as always! I would have a hard time choosing one of those as a favorite, but I am partial to the subtle look of the grain sack.
I LOVE every single one of your beautiful aprons, Brandy! They are all so simple and utilitarian in design. I love the french script fabric, the embroidery that you did on the grey one and the “grain sack” ribbon accent that really offsets the durable drop cloth. You really have a lovely sense of style.:D Thank you so much for sharing!
They’re beautiful! I’ve never used an apron in the kitchen and considering how much flour I end up wearing I probably should. Do you mind me asking which pattern you used (if you didn’t draft them up yourself)
I just copied an existing store-bought apron that I had.
I love wearing aprons–they really do help protect my clothes!
You can easily draft this one; see my comments above to Susan.
So pretty. One of the things I admire about your sewing is that you always seem to go the extra “mile” to make the item special. Some would just sew a basic apron to cover your clothes and get the job done not caring if it is pretty or not. Your items always seem to have a little bit of an added touch. I really like them all, but last one is my favorite. I wear aprons all the time. As a day care provider (I do infant care only) I am always in contact with wet and messy things. Baby cereal is not pretty on a blouse.
I can not wait to see the new dress you make.
Lovely aprons! I have one black one my husband bought me that I wear all the time.
Love them! The “flour sack” style is my favorite. There’s something about its simplicity. That’s my favorite cut/style! Is the neck strap a tie or do you just put it over your head? I sewed many of this style, along with half aprons for my etsy shop before I put it “on vacation” status. I sewed mine to tie b/c for me, it was easier and I felt my buyers could customize them better to fit their particular frame.
I so want to try my hand at hand embroidery one day soon! Love in every stitch.~TJ
Brilliant job – those aprons are really so nice. I echo the sentiments regarding your talent and creativity. I love the French print one- especially in the photo with the nasturtiums- I plant those every year but won’t have here in Canada for awhile!
The bee embroidery is so elegant with the wreath. The sack style trick with the ribbon is genius!
Thank you for sharing – very inspiring !
Regards
Jennifer in Canada
I decided to sew it on one side and then I tried it on and pinned it into place so that it would be in the right spot, but I could still take it off over my head, and then I sewed them. My old ones were adjustable, but I disliked having to adjust them. For selling them I would certaily make them adjustable, because everyone needs a slightly different size.
I, too, love the aprons, and only regret I don’t need any at the moment. I have three of basically the same style, which is enough. I think they would make great gifts but I can’t see to find anyone who cooks enough to wear aprons these days. Maybe one of my sisters would, and her birthday is next month! Good idea.
Two of my aprons are quite worn but the third I originally bought for my granddaughter, who gave it back a couple years later so I would get some use from it. It’s a heavy twill, royal blue in color, and really covers my clothing well. I need protection because I have a very small kitchen and am my own worst nightmare of sloppy!! Always squeezing past a tight spot or out of my husband’s way. He doesn’t cook much but he empties the dishwasher. Our chore-doers grew up!!
Oh how lovely they are. You amaze me with how one can have great class on the most frugal budget. I love the script print apron the most, although that is a difficult choice! I have strangely gotten into a sewing mode myself lately. Made 2 simple t-shirt tunic style knit tops the past two weekends and plan to make more. I live in jeans but like a pretty top!
I also love aprons and wear them every day. I am going to need some new ones, soon, too. Mine get worn out as well, due to so much use. I have been thinking about taking the materials in the camper with me as they would be a small project to sew during the weeks we are in there. I always take a portable machine with me when I go camping, and like to sew with my “down” time. Sometimes I take quilting projects, as well, and have a couple that I only work on once or twice a year, while camping or on vacation. I’ll just need to see how much I get organized to put in there and how much gets packed into a bin.
Thank you, Brandy, for sharing pictures of your new aprons!
My daughter is head of the art department at one of the local high schools. She had mentioned that her students could use aprons to cover their clothing while engaged in “messy” projects. My sister, who sews a LOT, brought over many fabric scraps after cleaning out her sewing room. So, as last summer’s project, two granddaughters, ages 9 and 10, and I constructed 49 aprons, utilizing the scraps, to be gifted to be used by the high school art students. (Note: we each had an inexpensive Singer machine to sew on.)
This project gave my granddaughters an opportunity to learn about using “scraps”, how to use commercial bias tape, making their own bias tape, pocket placement, the importance of sewing for functionality, etc. It also gave them an opportunity to invest their talent to be a blessing to others. Hope to do this again in the upcoming summer, as my daughter has charge over 300 students!
Forgot to add: my new daughter-in-law is the “hostess” for all gatherings on her side of the family. So….for Christmas, I gave her a collection of aprons for all of the holidays. I purchase holiday fabric the day AFTER the holiday and get a significant discount in doing so. This makes this gift very affordable.
Miss Paula, that sounds like a wonderful project that you involved your grandchildren in. They really probably caught on well what with all the repetition of doing apron after apron.
I use one style pattern and have for years, it was my grandmother’s. I’m not sure how far the style goes back but I am sure I’ve seen it on women in Depression era pictures. It has pockets and piping in contrasting colors and no ties…the back is a criss-cross. I always make them in calico type fabric. There is a front panel, the side panels have the pockets and then the 2 back panels are the crossing shoulder-back straps. Bias tape on all. I hope you can picture it. There is still one of her old aprons at the big house next door, on the hook where she always had it.
Our homemaker club had aprons as the theme of out spring banquet one year and everyone brought an apron to model and display and tell a bit of the history. I brought my grandmother’s. There was an amazing variety (75 or so) from the big white butcher apron, to organdy Amish apron, to pretty handkerchief aprons to a little bitty one designed to be pinned to your cocktail dress from the 50’s-60’s.
Miss Athanasia, I am not all that creative, but I am REALLY good at mass production! LOL! Yes, kids learn by repetition and these girls learned very well by sewing apron after apron after APRON! Thank you for your kind words!
I forgot to ask where you purchase the drop cloth you used, if you don’t mind me asking. I’ve looked into them before but am not sure what a good price is for one that’s nice. Thank!~TJ
I bought mine at Lowe’s, but I have since learned that Harbor Freight has them for even less, [i]and[/i] they are even thicker, which is really nice! You can get a large one at Harbor Freight for around $10, which would make many aprons and other projects.
Nice work! Making aprons has been on my “To do” list for quite some time. I really love the embroidered bee. Embroidery is something I still struggle with. Thanks for inspiring me!
Very nice. I made one awhile back with a pattern and fabric my husband gave me for Christmas a few years ago. It’s patchwork. It was so much work, and the fabric was so expensive, I don’t want to use it! Oops!
Sigh. Your new aprons are just gorgeous. I love that you embroidered on one of them. Great idea. It must be so much fun to wear these! Nothing like being creative and enjoying the fruits of your creativity 🙂