Dressed In White ...



I was thrilled when new Apron * ology Editor Andrea Rangno contacted me about writing a story for my Ruffles & Rosettes apron & as usual, equally thrilled when I saw the finished product.  As I was answering Andrea's questions, I began telling the story of my childhood cat as it was because I wanted to make a blanket for her basket  that I began sewing. 

Even as a young child, I loved to sit with a needle and thread and create.  When I was 11, I decided that my beloved cat needed a blanket for her wicker basket, gathered up outgrown clothes I had, cut them into squares and hand stitched them together.  In some of the squares I embroidered her name, in another a little free hand drawn paw print, and a cat face with long threaded whiskers.

Andrea asked me what motivates me to create aprons & that's easy ... HOME.  My love of Home motivates me.  I don't want to have to take off my apron if the door bell rings, but rather wear an apron that, while a necessity in the kitchen can be pretty.

Blending function with fashion, pretty with practicality.

I feel nurturing your home and yourself go hand in hand.

 I try to re purpose as much as possible when creating anything, taking an inventory of what I already have stashed in my studio cupboard before buying anything new. 

Since sewing is not one of the handcrafts I am most proficient in, my first stop is the "reduced bin" at my local fabric shop.  I found both the 100% cotton and ruffled fabric in the sales bin AND there was an additional 50% off the last ticket price.  I love that! so I was able to make the entire apron for under $5.00.

I love the crisp white of the cotton and thought it would be lovely to blend it with flirty ruffles.

A chefs apron with a twist.

I used an apron I already had and found aesthetically pleasing in it's shape and style as a template, and a basket of rosettes I had made left over from another project, and the Ruffles & Rosettes apron came together quickly. Sentimentality always plays a big part in anything I create, and I used a lovely little white crocheted doilie ~ a gift from my friend Julie Marie and pinned it to the apron .

 And while I don't think of myself as anything but a novice on the sewing machine, it has a special spot in my studio so it's always available when a whim of inspiration comes over me :-)

Many Thanks to Apron*ology Editor Andrea Rangno for this wonderful article