For the second day of A Gift a Day, I made an apron for Cyrus in his favorite color. He loves to cook, and he is learning how to make new things in kitchen all the time.
Apron
Supplies:
1 yard of cotton duck fabric
thread
Tools:
scissors
sewing machine
Time:
The total time for one apron is about 3 hours, including cutting out the fabric and sewing it.
Today I made one apron.
There are a lot of free apron patterns that you can use to make aprons (such as these 40) and lots of fabric choices. I chose cotton duck because it is heavy and last longer than thinner aprons. I didn’t use a pattern; instead, I copied an apron that I already had. I simply laid down my existing apron, and traced around it, leaving a 1/2″ seam allowance around the apron.
It will be a big large on him, but because it is a heavy-weight apron, it should last him several years, during which time he will probably become taller than I am.
Cost:
$3.39. I ordered the fabric last year on Black Friday from Fabric.com. I ordered it with other fabric and since my order was over $35, shipping was free. The fabric was on sale plus I received an additional 15% off my order as part of the Black Friday special.
I made some burp cloths for a co worker who is having a baby girl. All fabrics were from my stash so no immediate cost.
This is a wonderful idea, my sewing machine and I don’t quite yet speak the same fluid language. My son is actually the one I am having trouble coming up with ideas for. Maybe I can learn to sew quickly? Love the series, thank you so much for sharing!!!!
I’m going to my grandparents house today. Back in the day my grandmother made all of her own clothing. She’s got a plethora of supplies stored up and I am going today to visit my Pap and see if I can find any of the supplies I have on my list for my craft today. Grandma passed away a month ago. I’m her only granddaughter and the only one that sews. I’m hoping to find some awesome odds and ends that I plan on using to make my 3 yr old daughter some diapers for her dolls. She’s very much into taking care of her dolls now and I think diapers made from my Grams stash of supplies would be awesome. I know my 3 yr old won’t recognize the significance by I’ll know and thats enough for me.
I made three scarves yesterday. I sold one and that took care of the cost of yarn and will allow me to make a few more scarves for gifts.
Great Idea! I love your dress form and wondered where you got it. They are a bit pricey!
It used to belong to my sister-in-law, and then it went to my mother-in-law’s house. She gave it to me. I had always wanted one. So, it was free to me!
Dana, I love that! My mom passed away 6 years ago and I am helping my Dad go through his house. I found a quilt made out of kitten fabric that I pulled aside to give to my daughter (she’s 18) for Christmas. it just seems so much more special when it comes from a precious family member.
MJ, I also have mostly boys. I posted a reply to Marcia on yesterday’s post with some ideas I have for them this year. I am also fairly new to sewing so I kept it simple and some are non sew items entirely. Good luck!
I got started on making up my list! Pearl hair pins, hair chain, leg warmers (out of old sweaters), puppet theater & puppets, fashion scarves, car caddy for the toddler, hood and shoulder cape. That is all so far.I really like that apron!
Awesome apron! Last year, I used Pinterest to make a handmade gift-idea board. I need to create one for this year!
Beautiful apron! I’m just now starting to be able to make gifts again (I’m 13 weeks pregnant and have been throwing up since late August, so most of my past two + months have been spent laying down. I do NOT handle the first trimester well, and last time I was still throwing up well into the second…). I crocheted two hats for family members, knitted a Spock hat for my son that just needs to be assembled, and am finishing up a crocheted Minion hat (as in the Minions from the movie Despicable Me) for him as well. I’m planning on knitting a scarf of some sort for my grandmother, and I have some already-knitted wristwarmers upstairs that just need to be sewn that can go to my mother. Not today, though, as I’m really not feeling well.
LOVE the apron. Several years ago I made aprons for a couple of members of my family. It was a fun project. I also made potholders to match. LOVE receiving homemade gifts for Christmas – or any other time. Thank you for sharing :-)Cate
My sister loves treasure boxes—meaning wooden boxes that she has all over with things like pens or clips or keys or whatever. About a month ago, while on a walk, I found a wood box made of three different kinds of hardwoods, with a top that swings open. This weekend I was looking at it, thinking it was time to throw it away, when my husband walked by and said that the workmanship was terrific and all it needed was a bit of sanding and varnish and it would look like new. SO, I fine sanded it inside and out, he burned her name, I love you, the date and my name in the bottom of the outside, then he varnished it with a clear varnish, and I made a velvet lining for it—I am giving it to my sister for Christmas and I think she will absolutely love it. You cannot tell that it is not brand new and I think having our names etched in will really make it special to her. I am quite a bit older and raised her during the teen years when my father could not, and she has always treated me more like the mother she never had than as a sister. It took two of us, so I cannot claim to have made it by myself, but I think it counts as the second gift I have made this month.
We are doing a cookie swap at Thanksgiving this year. (My family is scattered and we get together at Thanksgiving). Each child and adult age 12 years and older must bring a dozen homemade cookies in a pretty decorative container. We will each draw a number and the person that gets number 1 will get their choice of cookie. The person that gets number 2 can either take the first person’s cookies or choose another container. This will continue until everyone has gotten a dozen cookies. People can get as creative as they want with their container and it does not have to be store bought or brand new. I can’t wait!
This is so cute. Can you give us a link to a pattern or tutorial? Great idea. You inspire me.
Dear Miss Brandy and readers,Thank you for the “handsome” apron. I am sure your son will appreciate it so much. He is a lucky boy.I posted about my gifts on my blogs. I made a Xmas scarf as a gift. My gifts are “OK” but I don’t have the time to make them as personal as I would like. I am not as confident as some of the readers sound in their gift making skills. Something I need to work on I guess.Happy gift making to all.Anna
I mentioned above that I just copied an apron that I already had, but the link I put in for 40 apron patterns has one just like it.
Very nice! I know he will love it!Hugs!
I am currently working on a queen sized quilt for my fur-baby Jackson. I’ve already made two scarves and am working on a third for my God-Child Andrew. Those are the only two projects I have in the works right now, but I also am going to make some book safes (probably three for various people on my list) and a prayer shawl or two.
My kids get a mix of new/used/free/homemade for Christmas. I don’t care so much about Santa Claus (growing up, he only ever got credit for the stockings because, as my mom said, “I don’t want some guy from the North Pole getting credit for all my hard work”), but my husband does, so I tend to work on homemade gifts a year out, so that way if the kids catch me they will hopefully forget and it will preserve the idea of Santa Claus. Because I can’t be sure what my kids will be interested in a year out, I try to work in themes. This year they are getting homemade gifts centered around reading (a library bag, bookmarks, a book plate, a comfy reading pillow, and book safes). Next year the homemade gifts have an ocean theme (a whale softie, a seahorse softie, a beach bag, a beach blanket, and a wet bag). This year I’ve put together a science kit for my kids. Each month they will be learning about a different field of science, and there will be a number of experiments that will explore each field more fully, along with any special equipment they might need for those experiments. Mostly it’s kitchen cupboard type stuff; but I did luck out and find a very cheap, complete chemistry kit at a second-hand shop; I also found some great books on different topics; and through a government department, I got some terrific maps and posters that explore environmental sciences. Last year I did a Country of the Month kit for my daughter – she loved it and looks forward to the first of the month (when she can open a new country) for about a week beforehand – so I’m hoping the joy of opening a new present every month will carry on through next year too. I’m already toying with the idea of doing a Craft of the Month kit for 2015; the difficult part, of course, is keeping the cost down. (The science kit ended up costing me about $9.)
Brandy, I love the apron, but what I think is most wonderful about this post is that your son is learning to cook! I’m a strong believer in that both girls *and* boys need to learn how to cook. It will serve their families well someday!!
Anna, I think your scarves are actually pretty fantastic, not just OK. Especially where you made scarves to match all the gloves you had. And the poinsettia scarf is very pretty.