Prairie Apron Tutorial

In my last post, Aprons for Art Camp,  I shared a couple of the aprons I made using thrift store bargains. Since then, I've finished a third one. Now I will have one to wear for each day of camp! I also promised a tutorial for each one. I'll start with the Prairie Apron.

 

I started with a pair of denim bib overall shorts,

a blue cotton patchwork skirt and a cream cotton skirt.

Step 1 - Cut the front of the overalls away from the back leaving the side seams and straps on the front piece.

 (the back piece is shown here)

Step 2 - On the front piece, stitch the pockets so they will lay flat but are still usable.

Step 3 - Trim the overalls to shorten them.

Step 4 - Cut off the bottom piece from the front of the cream cotton skirt. (I wanted this apron to have a rustic look so I didn't clean finish any of the edges but you may want to)

Step 5 - Sew two rows of gathering stitches along the top edge of the cotton piece. Carefully gather to fit the width of the overalls, pin into place on the outside of the overalls and stitch.

Step 6 - Cut the patchwork skirt along the side seams.

Step 7 - Lay the patchwork piece on the overalls and trim the bottom edge allowing most of the cream ruffle to show.

Step 8 - Cut a thin strip from the lining of one of the skirts or from the cream cotton skirt. Sew a gathering stitch down the center of it and gather it to fit the bottom of the patchwork piece. Pin into place and stitch.

Step 9 - Pin the patchwork piece onto the overalls just below the waistband at the center. Create a center tuck, pin and stitch tucks. Pin the sides and stitch down each side several inches (depends how deep you want the pockets to be) Then stitch across the patchwork piece to form the bottom of the pockets.

 Close-up of the center tuck.

Step 10 - My patchwork skirt had a tie string so I cut a piece of it, tied it in a bow and stitched it at the top of the tuck.

 

 Step 11 - Cut two strips from leftover patchwork fabric.

Step 12 - Sew a gathering stitch down the center of each strip. Pull gathers to fit the bib pocket. Pin into place and stitch.

 Step 13 - Cut a strip from the overalls back piece.

Step 14 - Cut two riveted buttons from the back piece and sew one to each end of the strip. This will become the apron belt. (mine was a little too long once I sewed the riveted buttons on so I added some tucks to each side of the buckle)

 The finished belt will button onto the apron like this.

 In a few days I will be posting a tutorial for my Black & White apron.

 I hope you will stop by and check it out.

Happy Sewing!

Linking to: One Artsy Mama: shine on Fridays, Fireflys and Jellybeans: Show Off Your Stuff, I Gotta Create!: Wildly Original Link Party, Too Much Time On My Hands: Get Schooled Saturday, Funky Junk Interiors: SNS 176, Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Craft-O-Manicac: Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What You Got, Threading Your Way: Apron Party, Creating My Way to Success

Aprons for Art Camp

I'm so excited to be going to Terri Brush's Spring Art Camp! My friend Tina from Patina Marie twisted my arm to go...at least that's what I'm telling my hubby! Truth is, I may have twisted hers just a little! :)

I thought it would be fun to have an apron to wear while at camp. So I headed to the thrift stores looking for half price bargains to make my apron with. And, of course, I found several options and since I couldn't make up my mind as to which choices I liked best, I bought them all!! Why have just one apron when I could have one for each day of camp?!

I'll call this one my prairie apron because Tina said

it looks like I should be running through the tall grass.

 

I'm calling this one my French maid apron

because of the black and white.

Hubby said I need a feather duster and

that the apron is way too long! heehee...

The prairie apron began as a pair of denim overall shorts, 

and two cotton skirts. Total price $7.50.

 The French apron began as a blouse and a skirt. Total price $5.00.

 

A third apron is in progress and I may even make a fourth one!

I will be posting a tutorial for each apron soon, so be sure to check back if you'd like to see how I made them.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Roaring 20's - New Year's Eve Party

Our New Year's Eve party was so much fun!

But then, how could a Roaring Twenties party not be?!

Dancing...

Family...

Both my boys showed up :)

And, they brought a friend of their own!

 Good company...

We even had some out-of-town guests...

From the circus

And, from the country

Things started getting wild nearing midnight...

  

Maybe even a few questionable activities...

  

  

And then at Midnight...

A kiss

And, of course, a raid!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Downton Abbey style hat in 20 minutes!

I was invited to a Downton Abbey party last night and of course,

I waited until the last minute to fancy up my hat! I wanted to add a flower but didn't have one. I've seen tutorials on handmade layered flowers before and luckily, I had all the supplies needed at hand.

Easy Peasy!

About 20 minutes later my hat was all dressed up

and ready for the party!

We watched one of the episodes on my friends huge theater screen - seriously, it was like being at the movies! And we drank tea...well...it may not have been tea in our cups...heehee!

I know there are a bazillion tutorials out there on how to make flowers but I'd like to show you how I made this one and also the hat band.

 

Supplies:
Hat - Mine is black felt with a small bow on the side.
Synthetic sheer fabric - Mine is a thrifted sheer curtain with embroidered designs on it.
Eyelash yarn
Scissors
Candle and a match to light it
Corsage pins
Stapler - Yes, I cheated...no sewing here....I was in a hurry after all! (Sewing it would probably be a better option if you have time.)

Step 1 - Cut a strip of fabric that is long enough to fit around the hat. I made the strip wide enough that it could have some gathers once applied to the hat. Also cut several circles in various sizes - I used seven for my flower. The circles do not need to be perfectly round. They do need to be slightly larger than you want the finished flower because they will shrink when heated over the candle.

Step 2 - Heat the edges of the strip and the circles over the lit candle. Be careful not to hold the fabric too closely or too long over the flame as it does melt quickly and will make holes. (My flower ended up with a couple of holes but they're tiny and I thought it added to the vintage look.)

Once done melting the edges, each layer of the flower should look like this.

Step 3 - To give each flower layer more character, carefully heat and melt it throughout the center area.

Once done they should look something like this. (There's the tiny hole I mentioned before.)

Step 4 - Cut five strips of the eyelash yarn about two or three inches wider than the largest flower layer.

Step 5 - Place four yarn strips between two of the largest flower layers.

Step 6 - Staple at the center making sure to catch the yarn.

Step 7 - Add the remaining flower layers. Crunch up the remaining piece of yarn and place at the center of the layers. Holding everything in place, staple through all the layers to secure.

Step 8 - Overlap the ends of the fabric strip and staple to secure.

Step 9 - Place the band around the hat. I tucked it under the bow.

Step 10 - Make some pleats in the fabric and secure in a few places on the hat with corsage pins.

Step 11 - Use three corsage pins to secure the flower into place over the stapled area of the band.

A couple more views of the hat.

 

My handmade polymer clay cameo necklace was the

perfect piece of jewelry to finish off my outfit.

 

You can find my step by step tutorial on how to make

your own polymer clay cameo here.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

  
Sharing with:
Vintage Gwen: Show & Share , Timewashed: Blissful Whites Wednesday, I Gotta Create!: Wildly Original Link Party, French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday , Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Knick of Time: Knick of Time Tuesday, Not Just a Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got

From One Accessory to Another - Altered Couture Article

These shoes were made for walking and other things...

I must say I've had a lot of published mileage out of my "A Girl and Her Shoes" series. Biker Chic, Geometry, Butterfly, and Spider were the first to show up in the Summer '12 issue of Jewelry Affaire . Dressed Up Pearls soon followed with an article in the Autumn '12 issue of GreenCraft.

And now Autumn Leaves has found its way into the Winter '13 issue of Altered Couture.

I guess this gives this girl one more reason to love her shoes!

There's another reason why this issue of Altered Couture is so special to me...

My Sister-in-Law, Susan from Second Chances by Susan, also has an awesome article in it! She shows you how to transform a pajama jumpsuit into a beautiful dress.

How fun for us to be together in the same magazine!

Thanks for stopping by!