Monday 9 May 2016

Something totally not me - apron

Silversmithing is a messy business.  It's dusty, OK, so the dust is tiny particles of silver, but it's still dust.  From the beginning we were told to take and apron and it took me a full 14 lessons to remember I needed one!

Of course, it had to be handmade.  I had a flick through my many books and settled on a pattern in Sweetwater's Simple Home by Lisa Burnett, Karla Eisenach & Susan Kendrick.  There was one thing that annoyed me straight away.  The top has a scalloped edge.  Here is the pattern in the book.




See that?  Enlarge 200%.  Why??  Why couldn't you have just printed it bigger?  I'm seeing lots of negative space on this page... room for a bigger pattern clearly!  That's just laziness and thoughtlessness on the publisher's half.  I didn't have access to an enlarging photocopier so I decided to take a different tack.


I used this fabric with circles, I did my best to match 2 pieces up right-sides together and then sewed round the circles to create a scallop.


It doesn't match perfectly (this is the other side), but it's not bad!  Haha, take that lazy book publishers!



And then this happened.  Stupid Wendy.  



I think this took me less than 2 hours to make.  The ruffles were probably the most time-consuming part, after chosing the fabrics of course!  The main fabric is from Vintage Modern by Bonnie and Camille.  I thought the bottom ruffle was too, but saw it was a fabric by Valorie Wells.  No idea what the others are, other than the solid grey ties which are Kona Charcoal.



I really should have taken some measurements of my body before starting this.  It was designed for a size zero 6' woman.  Bear this in mind if  you make it.  I could do with another 4" or so on the width of the top part as this just kind of hovers between my nipples.  It's also too long, the top ruffle sits below my knee!  OK, so I'm a busty 5' 1", but I bet there are more busty 5' 1"s reading this than 6' size zeros!



At least it keeps me clean...



I wonder what I was showing you on this photo?  Clearly the back of the apron, but why?  Answers on a postcard...

16 comments:

Rachel said...

That was an ingenious solution to the scallops problem!
And don't get me started on pattern proportions and sizing...

Ellie Foster said...

Dear Wendy
I agree - it is one of my pet hates in a craft book to be instructed 'Enlarge 200%' who has the time or equipment to be able to do that? It puts me off buying the book. Just make the patterns full size!
Rant over (for now)...
Your apron looks great, by the way.
Best wishes
Ellie

Oops-Lah said...

This is such a fun post on a Monday morning, it made me laugh out loud. You are quite right about how annoying it is when patterns have to be enlarged by 200 %. If it means they have to add an extra page or two to a book or make the pattern pieced sheets a bit bigger, I don't mind paying a bit more. In any case much better than having to find a copy shop first. Cute apron.

Christine B said...

Your apron is great.... inspired idea using the circles to create the scallops! Glad it is helping to keep you clean! Don't know why you were showing the back except so that we could admire the beautifully neat stitching! Christine x

Bethany said...

Oooo, that's a thing that irks me big time--a book for the home sewist with patterns that need enlarging, as though everyone has access to that when the whim to sew grabs them. I actually once needed to enlarge something so much a regular copier couldn't do it and I had to go to a copy center with one of those big machines that prints out engineering schematics and had them do it. Crazy town.
However, your apron came out cute--better late than never, right?

Christine said...

That is lovely, I would be afraid to get it dirty!

Pamela said...

Great apron - pretty and functional.

Jane said...

I hate patterns like that too, but I love the way you got round it, you just have to remember to take it with you to class

margaret said...

loving the frills trying to picture you in this but not getting on very well, well done you on completing it. Like you it annoys me so much when you have to get things enlarged now I check a book first before buying as it annoys me so much shame Amazon does not tell us in the blurb about a book, and Staples charges an arm and a leg to do it for you

Liz said...

Your scallop solution was genius! I love the fabric you choose for the ruffles. I have also gone ahead and made patterns without checking the exact measurement details.

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Well done on your scallop solution! Might you at least get it to cover your nipples if you did an extra row of your scallops down either side of the bib? If not, well no worries - that's probably the place where most of your silver dust gathers anyway. :)

Joy from Days Filled With Joy said...

Sweet apron! Love the fabric and ruffles xxx

suzan almond said...

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Jessie's Needle said...

Such an entertaining post Wendy. I will be adding you to my blog following list. I know the frustration of the 'enlarge by %' patterns. Without an office photocopier handy it's hard work. I have a printer/scanner but it only works on A4 paper. Years ago books would provide a pull out sheet with full size patterns. And even those that say go online and download full sized patterns are a pain. All that fitting together and sticking drives me mad.
Sandra xx

Sarah in Stitches said...

LOL... I always enjoy reading your blog posts, Wendy! Your apron is...interesting. I don't know what the publishers were thinking! :D

Sandra :) said...

HAHAHAHAHA I love how you used the design of the fabric, to create your scallops - brilliant! I agree - having to resize pattern pages is a royal PITA. And usually unnecessary. Actually - books should come with a link for downloadable PDF files that contain full size versions of the patterns - I've seen it a few times - it's very handy! Sorry about your oopsy (been there, done that a LOT!) but your apron turned out cute :)