Sew Much Fun

I have been doing almost anything other than apron sewing! First, my computer hard drive crashed and had to be replaced and lots of files restored. I've also been working on a new project for my Etsy store which will be available "soon." However, I did manage to sew up this cute little number, shown above.

Lastly, I've been sewing these cute nursery smocks for my church. My original design (not pictured because it is ugly) is a bit sloppy AND is made from fabric that looks like a cow's hide. However, after a few adjustments, I came up with this design and I love it...it is the perfect apron for everyday. You can't see, but there is a large divided pocket sewn across the front. Watch for modifications on this apron which will be in my Etsy store next week (hopefully!)

Sewing Cents

I am fortunate enough to live in Austin, TX which has a fabulous sewing store. They mostly sell and repair sewing machines, and they have a large selection of threads, embroidery designs, and various other sewing stuff. Best of all, they also hold tons of classes to teach sewing enthusists how to use these machines to be more creative. For someone who loves to sew, it just widens my creativity.

Last Saturday was their bi-annual sale with 35% off almost everything in the store. You had to be there between 7am-8am to get the discount and I was on time and in line. Here's why: sewing accessories are riduculously overpriced! An example is this machine embroidery hoop...it retails for $500.00! No electronics, it just attaches to a very expensive sewing/embroidery machine. It probably costs Bernina $20 to make.


Can anyone say price gouging! I could go on and on about digitizing software. The main program sells for $2500 and has add-ons for things like cataloging and design density which sell for $250-$500. The software is ancient technology by current industry standards!

All this to say...my aprons are waaaaaay under-priced. If you factor in the cost of needles ($14.95 retail) and thread ($5.99 retail) I may be losing money!

The Ruffler

One of the best things about owning a Bernina is the feet (at a premium, I might add) that make tedious tasks simple. Since purchasing my new Bernina (which sews only) I have become addicted to some of the available feet. One fun foot to use is a ruffler. Sadly, I had purchased a ruffler for my Baby Lock which, unfortunately, doesn't work on the Bernina (go figure!). Still determined to ruffle and not go bankrupt purchasing feet, I found an adapter foot that allows me to use the Baby Lock ruffler on the Bernina. Now, I'm back in the ruffling business.

If you watch the video at the top, you will see that a ruffler is a mind-boggling contraption that requires patience and endurance. You also must love the idea of breaking lots of needles. THEN there's the math component to ruffling. You actually have to calculate the amount being ruffled against the length of the fabric to which your ruffle will be attached. Hey, I thought sewing was suppposed to be fun...no math people!

The most confounding part of the ruffler, however, is the screw. You make it tighter for deeper pleats or looser for gentler pleats. Unfortunately, the screw is not exactly exact. My directions tell me to count the threads on the screw and then tighten to the 12th thread, etc. I just want pretty ruffles, not a headache from having to remember how many times 8 goes into 56.

Still, every so a often a blind squirrel does find a nut...



...and this squirrel is now ready to ruffle.

Fabric-a-holic

It would be an understatement to say that I like fabric! When I see fabric that I love, I buy it and wait for it to speak to me. So when I found this beautiful fabric called Lantern Bloom, I had to have it...

Maybe you have one of those art niches in your entry hall. Since moving into this house, we have struggled with how to either hide or decorate said niche. When my fabulous Lantern Bloom fabric arrived, my husband instantly thought of the niche. Voila, instant art work!


However, the fabric was purchased to make fabulous aprons, not actually decorate niches. Below is apron #2 from the collection...


Don't you just love those birdcages!

Bring on the rain!

Here in my little corner of Texas we have not had a drop of rain in something like 24 days! Everyday temperatures reach above 100 degrees leaving a thirsty, scorched landscape. Watering restrictions only allow us to water our lawns twice a week. It is never enough and now everywhere are huge dead spots in the lawn...

So, short of getting a woo-woo stick and doing a lunar rain dance, I decided to make an apron that would call the rain. Why a half apron? Well, when I started thinking about making a rain inducing apron I harkened back to my days as a teacher of Texas History. Our textbook talked about the first settler's thrill at finding nice large rivers in Texas like the Brazos, Colorado, and the Nueces. However, they also discovered that Texas rivers are either too low from drought or flooded from torrential rains.

With that in mind, I figured I needed to make my rain calling apron a half apron. After all, I didn't want a hurricane to hit the Texas coast. ALL the coastal residents and ALL the rain would stop in Central Texas. I figured a half apron might just call a small tropical depression with 24 hours of a good soaking rain!

My contribution to rainmaking is this adorable apron which has been fully cut on the bias so it swirls out. I believe that this ability may help when doing a lunar rain dance. If that doesn't work, there's always the woo-woo stick!

Stayin' Cool

You know how summer berries, peaches, and cherries are so cool and delicious. That refreshing feeling is what I am trying to capture with this apron. My reason is simple: IT IS SO STINKIN' HOT IN CENTRAL TEXAS! My whole day revolves around staying reasonably cool...




...so I stay inside and sew! Right now, I'm sticking with a cool palette!

Back in the Saddle

I have to admit that I have been taking a bit of a vacation from apron sewing! However, I have managed to make a couple of aprons that are totally different, but nonetheless unique.

The Aqua Chinese Lantern apron at the top has got to be one of my personal favorites. This fabric is so different and it looks like piece of art. If I had it stretched on a canvas, you might think I had painted it. I wanted to make this apron simple in order to let the beauty of the fabric stand out. If I were to set up themes for my aprons, this one would have to be in my Artists Series!

I had an itty bitty piece of my Chickeny fabric leftover from previous aprons and wanted to make something different. I've been fiddling with this waistband for a bit and I think I've finally gotten it figured out. It will soon become part of the Sugar Pie Chic Hostess Apron Series.

The heat here in Austin is brutal and daily reaching triple digits. I am avoiding any unnecessary jaunts outside, thus, I will be spending many hours in my studio beneath the ceiling fan enjoying my bought air! Expect to see lots of new apron creations in the days to com.