Month: May 2016

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How to Make an Apron – A ‘Make-Do-And-Mend’ Challenge

It’s Bank Holiday Monday. All my chores are done, and I need a PVC apron for an up and coming mixed media workshop this weekend – but I don’t actually own one.

My new Make-Do-And-Mend Spotty Apron
I thought about buying one, but instead set myself a challenge to make one from the bits and bobs that were in the house.

My first thought was an old wipe-clean tablecloth I had left over from a party that was languishing in my sewing room.
An old PVC table cloth
Then I thought of the webbing needed for the ties and neck straps – this I found in a box full of trimmings (and I also found some yummy ‘sewing tape’ for decoration), and some bias tape.
The whole piece was constructed in an afternoon, and this is how I made it.
  • I found an old apron that fitted me well and folded it in half lengthways. Folded dressmaking paper in half (I’ve used greaseproof paper or newspaper to make templates in the past) and made an apron pattern, adding extra all around for my seam allowances.
  • Cut a piece of the spotty fabric larger than I needed and folded it in half to get the spots symmetrical down the front of the finished apron.  Placed the folded paper pattern on top and used tins to weight it down – could’t use pins in this project! Cut out the fabric.
  • Stitched the bias tape to the curved edges.
  • Marked the seam allowance with a pencil and used a ruler to help fold and finger press the sides, bottom and top edge. 
  • I used paper clips to hold the folded seams in place then stitched them down – the sides, bottom and top edge. Then added some decoration – a strip of ‘sewing tape’ to the top edge of the apron.
I pencil marked the ‘plaster’ to create a guide for the depth of the seam allowance
  • Using the old apron, I measured the neck and waist webbing. Then cut out the blue webbing and ‘measuring tape’  which I stitched into place as decorative detail.  Then added each to my apron using my old apron as a guide.

I’m so happy with the finished apron. It fits brilliantly and didn’t cost me a penny!  
Let me know about your Make-Do-And-Mend’ projects. 
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Art in Action 2015

I’ve just heard that 2016 will be the last Art in Action ever. So sad. Such an amazing event that will be sadly missed. This year’s date is already in my diary, but I wanted to show you how brilliant last years event was.
……..Art in Action 2015 was as a sunny and inspiring as ever.
The Show was held on part of a working farm at Waterperry. There was plenty of space for parking and for the twenty plus marquees that were bursting with every artistic talent imaginable.

This fabulous Sculpture was at the entrance to the Show

I had a wonderful day out with a fellow ‘mad textile’ girlfriend. Our first port of call is always the Textile Tent – so much talent! I loved chatting to the artists and finding out about the techniques & materials they used. It was a perfect time to check out if they had spaces on future workshops. Between us we managed to chat to every wool, textile, embroidery, illustrative, printing and clay artist at the Show – that’s lots of talking!

Maria Boyle – Embroiderer
Bridget Bailey – Millinery
Carol Naylor – Embroiderer

 

Harper & Carr – Clothing
Roanna  Wells – Artist
Bobbie Kociejowski – Weaver
Trude Timlin Brown – Weaver
Wendy Dolan – Embroiderer
Work by Wendy Dolan – Embroiderer
Kirsten Scott of Elsa Cappelli Hats
Amanda Wright Embroiderer of Goat Street Gallery
Helaina Sharpley – Wire work Artist

By the end of the day, we were on such a high – our feet were killing us, our shopping bags were full and our heads were bursting with ideas. A perfect day.
We couldn’t wait to get home and try out some ideas for ourselves.
I can’t wait for Art in Action 2016!