Tied To The Apron Strings

Today was the day in my half term break I had dedicated to sewing. Good thing too – a bad cold and a sore throat mean I am not well placed for conversation or socialising.

First of all, with this pattern…

…I made myself an apron. I have been planning this for ages. Liz and I were discussing aprons on Tuesday, and agreed that for messy cooks like us, a bib front is essential! Furthermore, I think a pocket is vital too. I liked the vintage retro look of View 5 on the pattern [the largest picture on the left] So I checked out my fabric on Wednesday evening to make sure I was ready to go in the morning.

Two problems

1. the bib is lined and I didn’t quite have enough of my floral fabric. However I had some blue cotton [an old shirt of Bobs] which which provided the piece I needed.
2. the instructions required 4½yards of ‘pre-gathered lace’ and I didn’t have any of that in the Stash. But I did have some pretty, flat lace on a spool.

I sat on Wednesday evening pleating and pinning the whole roll – I had enough for the task – plus a mere 15cm left at the end!

I tacked it all up ready to work with.

And here’s my lovely pinafore

The flowers are a lovely cornflower colour, so I stitched round the pockets with a decorative stitch in blue.

Then I took the rest of the blue shirt, and some more darker scrap fabric and made these

These aprons are for role play in the Reception Class at school

Having done all that, I finished off the personalised gift to go in the OWOH giveaway – so that’s off to Mexico shortly.

I feel I ought to produce some splendid dish or other whilst wearing the new apron. I may try something from this new book which I recently received as an unexpected gift from a good friend

That’s if I can be sure I have translated it all properly! Looking at what I have in the cupboard and fridge, I am thinking of trying “Biguenée”, which appears to be a sort of Breton crêpe. The front cover – and many of the recipes inside – relate to wonderful looking seafood dishes, but Bob will have to wait a little longer for his moules.

Crêpes seem a good option - it’s nearly Pancake Day, after all!