Mother's Day: An Apron for my Mom

Last year I made everyone and their dog an apron. Everyone that is, except for my mom. It didn't even occur to me to make her one b/c she retired from cooking when I was about 11.

Kidding, she'll cook a special meal every now and then, and she is often in charge of our family dinners and holiday meals, but I sort of throw her out of the kitchen when holidays roll around b/c I love cooking.

She told me she wanted an apron anyway, and so I made one a little different from all the others I've put together over the last year. I saw this design at a quilting store in Branson, MO. They used a jelly roll (a jelly roll is two inch strips of fabric that measure the the width of the fabric that comes from a series of around 40 fabrics, rolled up and sold for various projects). The store sold the pattern for this style apron, but they were out of the pattern. I decide to eyeball the pattern, and buy some fat quarters. I didn't see any jelly roll packages I liked, and I knew my Mom would get a kick out of these 30's fabrics (9 fat quarters, which was waaaay too much material, and 1/3 of a yard of a 10th design). I bought a piece  of muslin to sew the ruffles onto, and just cut a square the size I needed, and sewed the edges. 

For the Ruffles.  I cut 2 pieces from 9 different fabrics- 2.5 inches (the size of the jelly roll) from each fabric (which means I have a ton left over, but I'm not too worried, it'll find a home sometime soon).  I sewed the two pieces of the same fabric together, and then I sewed three of the strips together, and sewed along the edge of three sides.  I didn't bother with the top b/c I'm lazy, and I don't think it's necessary, and it's for my Mom, not for sale. 

I then got VERY technical and I pinned the two sides to the muslin square I had made.  I found the center and pinned it in the center as well.  If I were really good (and I'm not)....I would have drawn a pencil line to make sure I stayed straight as I sewed, but I like to live life on the edge like that, and I never strive for perfection.  It sounds too boring.  .  A girl and a Singer Sewing machine-if that doesn't say danger...

This is actually pinned near the bottom, but it's hard to tell b/c the fabric is folded under. 

I then got very technical, and I squished my ruffles into place as I sewed.  Placing the pin in the center let me know about how much I could 'ruffle' and have the fabric evenly distributed.  Yes, I know this is technically all the wrong ways to ruffle, but I'll leave the 'real' sewing to *you.*  You should thank me, I make 'real seamstresses' look even better.  ;o) 

Here's ruffle number 1 sewed into place.  I then repeated this for the next two ruffle sets. 

For the belt: I bought a third of a yard, and cut it into three 4 inch pieces. I sewed them together.  I turned it face to face, and sewed down the length, turned it right side out, ironed it....

...and then sewed it onto the top of the apron. 

...and now....my Mom has an apron she can wear while she watches me cook.