Monday, March 31, 2008

Apron Day

I've been meaning to make aprons for some time... heck, maybe a whole year, but I figured out how to get around to it (see the round tuit!)

I put it on the calendar! Last Thursday was Apron Day, celebrated (as far as I know) only in my household. In preparation for Apron Day, I pulled out five fabrics and washed them in warm (cuz that's how I wash a dirty apron). Yeah, five was a little optomistic, but hey! I still have three new aprons. Stashbuster Alert: I used up 3--count 'em 3!--yards of fabric!

History of Apron Day:
Three years ago, our family was traveling to the Caribbean. On the airplane, we were seated in back, close to the galley. The stewardesses all had these DARLING aprons on. I asked and it turned out that the woman I was talking to made them and would bring them on her flights for herself and her co-workers*. So I asked about the pattern and how she made it. She explained and then handed me an extra. "Here, use this as your pattern." I was blown away and very grateful.


So, until Apron Day was made official, I've only made one. And I use it. A lot.
The How-To:
So here's how I did it: I layed out the apron on top of a folded piece and drew around it, leaving a quarter-inch margin. That gave me two identical apron-shaped pieces. I then cut 2.5" strips for the neckstrap and sash. After I sewed the sashes, I pinned them on one of the apron shapes (pointing in, of course!) Then I pinned the other apron shape over the whole thing. I sewed them wrong sides together and left a space open to turn. After I turned it right-side-out, I sewed around the apron shape with a quarter-inch margin, moving the straps out of the way as necessary. With scraps I could make a pocket--absolutely required! I have to have somewhere to put my iPod!


*Note on the hyphenation of co-workers. I know it's not normally hyphenated, but if I don't, it looks like cow orkers. I don't know what orking is, but I'd guess that the cows don't like it.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

New Camera!



Hooray! I'm so happy that the new camera arrived today and is in working order! I took a quick pic of Leapfrog. Looks like St. Patrick's Day exploded, huh? But when you really look, there are hundreds of litle frogs. The unofficial title of this one is The Second Plague. Get it? The plague of frogs! I spent much of Monday sewing these blocks for the Marine Comfort Quilt project. I used scraps and orphan blocks tht Beth and Yuki gave me. I mailed the blocks out yesterday (before the camera came), but I made this one later. It's a good way to use 'em up for a good cause.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Naked Stranger!


Yes, there was a naked man in my front yard yesterday! Okay, so he was only temporarily naked and he was really in the street in front of my house. But still, he was nekkid! I think he was changing from being at the beach because I think I saw a wetsuit but, cheese louise! We live a good ten or fifteen minutes away! Isn't there a men's room between here and there?

On the knitting front: the baby blanket now has three blocks and I found a picture of someone else's finished blanket. Cute huh?




Also, I made a quilt top I'm calling Leapfrog. As we'll be off to Texas this coming Saturday, I may have very little chance to blog. Golly, I hope my camera comes today. Then I can show y'all what I'm up to! See how I added that y'all right in, like a real Texan? Shoot, I don't really speak the lingo but I'll give it a Yankee try!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

New Camera on its way



Yes, the Borg-vision persists, but a new camera is on the way! HP took me through the dance, trying to figure out what the problem was. Their diagnosis was "internal hardware malfunction." I was told that was "unfortunate." I'll say! I got the impression they were cutting me a deal when they offered me various models of new and refurbished HP cameras. I did a little research and discovered the "deal" was nothing less than full price. Ack! So I ordered the camera I wanted from Beach Camera through Amazon, for $52 less than HP's price and NO SHIPPING charge!

So there!
In stitching news, I picked up Old Sturbridge Village today and got a little more done. It's really not got far to go so maybe I can finish it before it has to go away again. Yes, I know this isn't a picture of my stitching, but it is Sturbridge, after all. As a crafty blog, I feel that pictures are required.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Borg-Vision!

This is what my work would look like if I had borg-vision. I guess that's why they're not known for their handwork. (Yes, my camera is misbehaving.) The baby blanket is green, but not this green! And what's with all the horizontal lines? This is my stitching without a flash--it's usually a little dark, but oh, dear! And here is my stitching with the flash--a very green pink, wouldn't you say? The good news is that I have completed the March stitching on the Red Thread SAL and started the border with weathered barn floss--I like it a lot better than the coffee color for my fabric... although it's hard to tell....