Baker's Apron Tutorial

I made this baker-style apron as a birthday gift  for my son's fiance.  She loves to cook and often uses my apron for her culinary ventures. It's made of white denim from Joann's.  Decorative cotton is pretty, but I wanted the denim which is more likely to keep the spills from going through the fabric.  My old natural bull denim apron is a workhorse that has lasted for years.

In addition to the small pocket in the top bib portion, there is a large pocket divided into two section just below the waist.

I found the embroidery design from EmbroideryDesigns.com.  The hardest part about the apron was choosing the design for embroidery.  There are so many fun ones!  Some of the other designs I bought said, "Is Carrot Cake a Vegetable?", "I Have a Knive and I Know How to Use It", and, my favorite, "Spooning Leads to Forking."  All will be going on some Huck toweling fabric soon.

Now for the tutorial. The amount of fabric will depend on the width of the fabric you are buying and the amount of shrinkage that can be expected.   Prewash your fabric!  You will need:

•  one piece of fabric 34.5x 31.5" for the main part of the apron
• one strip of denim measuring 35x3" for the neck strap and D-rings strap (You will cut off  7" of this for the D-ring strap)
• 2 strips 35x3.5" for the waist ties (long enough to wrap around to the front for tying)
• 1 piece of denim 8.5x5.5" for the top pocket OR, if you don't have a serger,  one 8.5x10.5" for the fold-over method
• one piece of fabric 8.5x15" for the bottom pocket OR, if you don't have a serger, make this piece 16.5x15" 
• 2 one-inch D-rings

Directions for getting the curved sides on the main piece of fabric:  Fold the main piece of fabric in half across the 31.5" side.  You're going to mark the curved area from the top to the waist.  Starting at what is the neck area measure from the fold out and mark using a chalk marker or disappearing marker or whatever it is that you use:

• at the top, mark 5.5" from the fold
• 4" down from top, 6.5 inches out from the fold
• 6.25" down, 8 inches out from the fold
• 7.25" down, 9 inches from the fold
• 9" down, 11 inches from the fold
• 11" down,  should come to the edge of the fabric

I didn't take photos of this part of the process, but here is a  picture showing the marked curve on another piece of fabric.  I have a Wright's EZ Flex Design Ruler that bends to the curve for marking, but you could use any firm but flexible strip of plastic, a piece of string, or do this freehand.

See my little dots next to the ruler?  Once you've marked out your line, cut it!

When you have all the pieces cut, here are the seam and sewing measurements.  I don't serge the main piece of fabric because I prefer the hems to be really solid. All are folded under twice.  Aprons in this house get a lot of use and spend their fair share of time in the washer and dryer.

For the main piece of fabric:

• Hem the curved side seams first.  Press under a scant 1/4" seam.  (I use a seam gauge while pressing for this. It's easy to set the exact measure to stay on target.)  Then turn it under another 1/4" and press.  Pin and sew these curved edges in place about 1/8" from the edge of the seam.
• Hem the straight side seams by turning under and pressing 1/4" then turning and pressing 1/2".  Sew 1/8" from the edge of the seam.
• Hem the top, neck end by pressing under 1/2", then 3/4".  Again sew about 1/8" from the edge of the seam.
• Hem the bottom turning and pressing first 1/2", then 1" with the same 1/8" sewing line. 

For the 36x3" neck straps:

• Press in 1/2" on each long side.  Then fold this in half and  press.  This will leave you with a 1" wide strip. (You might be wondering why not just do the" fold in half and press each side into the center" method which is easier.  That would make the straps bulkier and stiffer since this is denim. Hence, this method.  A little more work, but the straps are more flexible and comfortable.)
•  Now, cut 7" off the end.  Fold and press the short ends of both strips under 1/4".  Sew the long ends of each piece closed 1/8" from the edge on both pieces.  Then sew the short ends closed.    
• Slide the two D-rings on the 7" strip.  Fold it in half and place it on what will be the right-hand side of the apron when you are wearing it.   (Look at the photo if your confused.)  With the stitching line side on the outside edge,  place this folded piece one inch down on the inside corner and sew in place using the usual square with an x inside for strength. 
•  Now sew a line just under the D-rings to hold them in place.  Directions will be on the D-ring package if you've not used them before. 
• Sew the other neck strap on the other side in the same way.  Remember to have the stitching line on the outside edge.

For the waist ties:

• With both 35x 3.5" strip, Press in 1/2" on each long end, then fold in half and press.  Fold under a quarter of an inch on the short ends, and sew the long ends and both short ends closed 1/8" from the edge.

Okay! The basic apron is complete!  Now for the top pocket which you've decorated-- or not.

• First the directions for a serger because  I do use my serger for the pockets since these seams are inside and don't get as much abuse as the outside edges of the apron.
•  Serge around the squares and press in a 1/4 seam around all four sides.  
• Sew the upper edge seam of the pocket across, again using 1/8 sewing line.  
• Now place the pocket 3" down from the top, center it, and pin in place.  Sew the sides and bottom to the apron using the 1/8 line. Remember to reinforce the top corners with a few extra stitches.  Pockets get a lot of tugging there.
• If you are not using a serger
• Fold the pocket in half inside out (if it matters with your fabric or if you have embroidered, painted, appliqued a design) to get an 8.5x5.25" square. 
•  Sew the two sides shut using 1/4" seam allowance.
• Turn right side out and press the open ends in 1//4" You can sew a  line across the folded edge now if you want to.  It will give you a crisp top pocket edge.  It's not necessary, though.  
• Place the pocket with the folded edge at the top 3 inches down from the top and centered. Pin in place.   Sew the sides and bottom to the apron using the same 1/8 sewing line.

For the bottom pocket, you will do the same as the top pocket.  If not using a serger, fold the fabric into an 8.25x15" square and follow the same instructions as for the smaller pocket.  Place this pocket 14.5" down from the top and centered.  Pin and sew it in place and you are finished!

It's actually a quick and easy project.  Give it a try.  

New Birdbath and Garden Ornament

Someone had a post in which she used small glass vases and other dishes to make garden ornaments.  I loved them, but I have none of that kind of stuff hanging around. BUT, the local Marshall's store has all kinds of inexpensive glass things that I've always loved looking at but had no reason to buy.  While wandering I found two small orange vases that turned into this:

Then I found an enormous red glass vase and and equally large platter that I thought would make a great birdbath.  The combination was a bit wobbly so I glued another piece to the bottom to make the base wider.

I hope the birds like this as much as I do.  I used E6000 sparingly and according to the directions after globbing on too much the first time.  I also put a thin clear silicone caulk line around the joints to keep moisture out.  ( Learn from my mistake.  If the pieces have any openings between them, moisture will get in and may show through.

As for the cost,  all these pieces were very inexpensive.  The three pieces of the birdbath in descending order were $7, $9, and $6.  The E6000 and silicone caulk were already here from other projects.

Update:  Check out even newer birdbaths and garden totems here, here, here, and here.

Hoo Are You? Questions for the Week from Night Owl

I have not done this before, but Night Owl apparently posts a set of questions each week.  I found out through A Creative Princess blog. You answer the questions in your blog and post a link at the link party.   I'm joining in the fun cuz it's nice to get to know other bloggers.  Here are the questions and my answers.

1. Do you decorate for the 4th of July?

    No!  I'm way too lazy.  Now that the kids are grown, I only decorate for Christmas and not too much of that.  I do, however, love looking at everyone else's decorations.

2. Do you you buy fireworks for the 4th of July?

    No, again.  It's illegal in New York.  If I wanted to risk getting my name in the papers for breaking laws, I'd probably in for something like growing weed.  If nothing else, I'm practical.  I'd have to be making money.  Of course, I'd claim it was medicinal.  (And, no, I don't smoke weed.  I am much too cowardly to risk getting caught.  They'd take my picture, and I just don't photograph well.  It always ends up looking exactly like me.)

3.How  do you celebrate the 4th of July?  

    It's never the same.  Sometimes, we go camping.   If I can get the family together at home, we have a cookout and make use of the pool.  If not, the hubster and I hike or bike somewhere.  We always go see fireworks at night wherever we are.  Darn, we are boring, aren't we!

4. Do you have a family member that is serving our country?

    Yes,  my nephew, Rusty,  is in the Marines.

5. Do you dress in red, white, or blue on the fourth?

    Only accidentally.  It would require planning at  which I suck..

So there you have it.  This year I have a little more respect for Independence Day since I just finished reading David McCullough's book, "John Adams" for my book club.  It was a powerful, moving reminder that by and large, ordinary people made this nation happen with a lot of hard work and personal sacrifice in those early years.  

Interesting July 4th Fact

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day--July 4th, the fiftieth anniversary of the big day.

What were the chances of THAT happening?

Sewing Room Closet Door Decals

When  I decided to paint the closet doors in the sewing room white to match the trim, I wasn't prepared for the rather massive expanse of white I ended up with.  It looked a bit like a giant movie screen as you can see here.

Since I've been wanting to try vinyl wall decals, I thought I'd get some for the doors.  Here's the result.

I love it!

This was my first experience with wall decals.  I was a wreck when I unfurled the whole thing.  It looked daunting!  I feared that I was in over my head and would ruin it.  The actual process turned out to be easy.  The only downside was that all the leaves had to be put up individually.  Still,  I managed to finish it in four hours without any assistance.   I'm looking forward to trying a few more of these--without the individual leaves, though.

How to Remove Moss and Algae from the Roof

I've not stopped blogging.  I've just been REALLY busy with outside and inside projects.  With nice weather, it's been mostly outside work such as fixing up the pool shed.  That job had to start with getting the moss and algae off the roof.  Half the roof looked like this:

After wetting,  scrapping, and rinsing with the garden hose for a few hours,  it looks like this:

, 

It's a rainy day here!  How nice of nature to wash off any of the residue of the Brand X version of Clorox 2 that I used on it yesterday.  I tried just scraping it off--didn't work at all. Then I Googled and found that oxygenated bleach would help.   Actually I think just getting it wet helped.

Not being a fan of walking around on a roof let alone a wet one, I tried doing this by moving a tall ladder around and scraping with a long-handle brush.   The ladder worked but the brush didn't.  I finally took the brush off and just used the plastic piece on the end of the pole to gently loosen the moss and algae and the garden hose to wash the mess off.   Success!

This is a short-term solution, though.  According to the internet, I can get rid of the problem permanently by cutting down my neighbor's tree (no, he will not like that) or putting copper or zinc strips under the top rows of shingle.   Oh, wait a minute!   I could also spray Wet and Forget once a year.  What?  Yes, after all that work, I find rave reviews for this product on Amazon.  I could have sprayed the roof with Wet and Forget and not only would the moss and algae have washed off by itself in the rain, BUT it would have prevented further buildup for a year. The Wet and Forget 10587  is a moss, mold, and mildew remover while Wet and Forget 800003 is for moss, mold, mildew, and algae.You should see the reviews for these products! I can't get it locally, but I have placed an order on Amazon. No more hours of scrapping for me.

As soon as it stops raining, I get to start painting this in a lovely shade of gray.

Just in case you're wondering what happened with my sewing room, it's almost finished!  I'm waiting for a couple of things that are on order including some vinyl wall decals! I've never used them before.   Can't wait to brag  or rather blog about it.  It has been a LOT of work, but I'm lovin' the results.

Need Help with Old Quilt Top Dilemma

A neighbor was moving and gave me this quilt top she had put together long, long ago.

She got all the way to pinning and basting the top, batting, and backing together before rolling it up and leaving it sitting for years.  It had stains and a nasty musty smell.  It HAD to be washed.  I finally took it apart for washing. 

I just have no idea what to do with it now.  There are problems galore.  While it is comparatively well sewn, it's a first-time quilt with some of those flaws.  The colors are not what I would ever have chosen.  I find the pastel circles next to the primary colored ones jarring.  I got almost all of the stains out, but the base fabric was tea-dyed.  Now it has some lighter spots where the dye came out with the stains. 

My neighbor said to feel free to take it apart and use pieces.  However, each corner has those yellow-centered leave pieces.  And, here's the worst part:  every single stitch of this entire top was done by hand as in no machine was used for so much as piecing the blocks together.  Each of those leaves and yellow circles is hand sewn. All the blocks are hand sewn together.  It feels wrong to take them apart. So much work went into this thing!

So help me out here!  What do you think I should do?  Should I bite the bullet and put this together as is?  That will leave me with a quilt I admire in some ways but don't actually like.  I could continue with the traditional theme and put it together on my quilt frame.  Or should I take it apart and use some of the squares for different things?  I'll lose pretty much all of the corner applique with this choice because of the mix of pastel and brights. 

Fish Windsock with Tutorial

I am taken with things that blow around in the wind.   I saw some beautiful fish windsocks, but decided to try making them myself.  I'm happy with the result.

 And it flies in the wind, too!

 Sometimes it's upside down.

The only problem is that it sometimes turns this way.

That's just plain weird, but the ones you buy must have the same problem, right?  Actually this view is kind of fun, too.

This site, http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/carp-wind-sock-675371/   has a great tutorial for making a fish windsock with paper. Since I wanted something that would last longer, I used their pattern with the following changes.  

I extended the mouth opening about a half an inch and cut the tail from the original wavy pattern which you can see in the photo to make it easier to sew.  If you have problems understanding the following how-to, let me know. 

Cutting:

• two pieces of nylon for the fish body
• two pieces of contrasting nylon at a 45 degree angle, that are 4 inches long at the base for the smaller fin on the bottom.  This size is arbitrary.  My ruler has this angle on it, and it happened to work out great.
• two pieces of the contrasting nylon at a 45 degree angle that are 5 inches long at the base for the top fin.  

Sewing:

• I serged the tail pieces to prevent fraying.  You can do a zigzag stitch or turn it under twice, or just use Fray Check instead.  
• Sew the outside edges of the fins with a quarter inch seam, carefully cut a few of those nice little triangles out of the seam that that it will flatten nicely, turn right side out, and press. I use a cotton press cloth so that I can get a nice flat edge.
• To trim the fins to match the curved edge of the fish body, place the raw edged of the fin under the yellow pieces as in the photo below. The center point of the top fin should be about  6 1/2 down from the mouth edge (measuring straight, not along the curve of the fish body edge.  (Remember the point is inside --all the raw edges are together as in the picture below.)  The  center point of the bottom fin should be about 5" from the mouth end--again measuring straight not along the curve of the fish body.  This center of the fin is the spot where where the raw edges of fish body and fish fins meet.  The corners of the fins will be sticking out.   Use your rotary cutter to trim of the pieces sticking out or mark with chalk and cut.  You could do this as part of the next step where the fins are inside for sewing and trim later, but this might be easier for some people, Maybe??
• Place the fins  between the two yellow pieces (in my case, yellow)--sorry I didn't take a pic at the time, but this should give you an idea of what I mean. Pin the sides of the fish body with the fins in their proper place and sew the sides using a 1/4 inch seam.  

• Turn right side out and sew a little over a quarter of an inch to enclose the seam you just made--a french seam.  This will prevent fraying and make the piece hold it's shape better.
• Turn it inside out again and sew the tail end together leaving a two inch gap in the center open
• Turn the mouth end in a 1/2" once and press (use a cotton press cloth so the heat is high enough for a crisp, flat fold) and then turn it another 1/2" and press again.  Pin and sew that around.  I was going to put some plastic strapping in the mouth to hold the circular shape, but I found that the material held the shape without it. If you use ripstop nylon which is lighter, you may want/need to use the plastic inside this hem area.  I save all the plastic packing straps from packages for these kinds of things.
• I sewed buttons about two inches down from the hemmed mouth with the top of the eye about 1/2" down from the top fin edge.

Last, I used nylon mono-filament also known as fish line for hanging.  The craft store sells an 8 lb strength in the jewelry-making section or you can get the same thing in Walmart's fishing department.  The fishing department also sells the barrel swivels for the spinner which I could not find at the craft stores.  I used an Eagle Claw brand size 5 swivel that is working out great.

I cut 4 eleven-inch long pieces of monofilament and spaced them evenly around  the mouth sewing through the mouth seam and knotted the four pieces together in the circular base of the swivel hook  I cut another piece of mono-filament for the hook end of the barrel swivel because I wanted mine to hang more.  That part will depend on where you are putting the windsock.

Now hang that sucker up on a nice windy day.  The good news with a fish windsock is that it looks good just hanging there--like you just caught a fish.