If you're wondering what I've been doing for the past few days, I put my own sewing aside to teach my little one - Mikaela to sew. She has been begging and begging for me to teach her and I promised that as soon as school was out we'd start lessons. Please believe she held me to it. Last week was the first official week of the kids being at home for the Summer and we began it by shopping for her a sewing machine. We ended up getting her an inexpensive simple Brother LS-2125i. She read the instruction book from cover to cover and was sewing a straight stitch by the next day. I don't know about y'all, but I think that's pretty dang good for a 9 year old!By the next day, she was begging for fabric and a pattern. I did a little research to find something that I felt she could handle (with assistance from me). What better choice than the first thing I learned to sew -- an apron. I picked Simplicity 4692 (I made one too! LOL) and she picked the fabric.
Since she has seen me lay out and cut a plenty of times, she was determined to do her own thing. I insisted that she use a highlighter to outline the pattern pieces before she cut them out.
It took us around four hours to sew the apron. I did the serging for her (she is so not ready for that yet), and did all of the pinning. Since the apron is trimmed in rick-rack, she had to really take her time to stay in a straight line.
But as you can tell, she is thrilled with her first project!
for the Domestic Goddess in us all!
Project DetailsPattern: Butterick 4945
Fabric: 100%cotton
Description: Patterns and instructions for five aprons in sizes small, medium and large. Apron B has contrast flaps. Apron C has contrast pockets and bands.
Since there is no way around the daily household drudgery, why not look cute while doing it? Who would have thought that aprons could be such a chic little accessory? I think I want to make more! I've never quilted and believe it or not, I stared at all of the beautiful cottons in Hancock's for what felt like an eternity trying to find a fabric I like and one for contrast.
I used Apron D in the large size. I chose this view because of the adorable 50's-styling. I omitted the bow and added the facing from Apron C. When I pinned the facing to the top front of the apron, I didn't like the size. I cut 2" off of the bottom. I also added a pocket from Apron C. For the flounce, I used the contrast fabric. BTW, here's the back.
More Looks...
For the "sewing disabled", here are glamour-girl aprons from Kitsch'n Glam. Their prices range from $39.60 - $61.60.I have only touched my machine twice this week. "Life" has had me going! I do have a couple of projects in progress, nothing complete. The little things just seemed really tedious this week. It took me three days just to cut for a project... granted there were a lot of pieces involved (body, lining, interfacings). Now that it's all laying out, I don't even think I like the fabric choices. 
Oh well, back to the drawing board sewing room.
Oh well, back to the McCall's Holiday 2006
No thank you, I'll pass.What I do like:
While out and about this week, peeped my head in Anthropologie (I can always find inspiration there), and I discovered the cutest aprons... doesn't every domestic goddess need a few fab ones?! Well, it goes without saying that I wasn't about to part with 40 bucks for something I could stitch up in a couple of hours. Found Butterick 4945... could I possibly get any closer than that! I'm going to be so cute on Thanksgiving!
