My First Vintage Pattern!!

Was my last post really the beginning of November? Its funny how time just whooshes by when you aren't looking. :) At our house, its kind of a whirlwind from Halloween until the beginning of February. We have three birthdays in as many weeks just after Christmas and I always feel like I can't quite keep up. Perhaps if I didn't feel the need to overdo everything from Halloween to the last of the three birthdays. . .

The Holidays, the birthdays are all done (be watching for a post about the 6-year old's birthday party!!) and life is just getting back into a normal groove. Now I can go back to posting sporadically! :)

My sister asked if I would make an apron that she could give as a gift to her boss. She wanted something fun, retro and something that didn't tie around the neck. Ironically I had just purchased my very first vintage pattern and it was an apron!! I found it on Etsy, through this lovely, little shop called AtomicRegeneration. Her shop is full of fabulous vintage patterns and buttons.

I'd chosen Simplicity 1358, a darling apron with a full skirt, ruffles, big pockets. Also, the bodice does not tie around the neck, the straps go all the way down the back to the waistline and button. Fabulous! My thought was to make an apron for me out of a lovely pink damask. So I showed the pattern to my sister, who loved it, and I dove in.

Kind of.

See, I have this problem when I sew for other people on demand. I don't know why but I kind of freak out about it. And freeze up. And make silly mistakes that I have to pick out and redo. And then I get all stressed and tummy achey, it isn't a pretty sight. What made this worse is that this was my first vintage pattern!!! I mean seriously, what kind of a doorknob tries out something entirely new and decides to make it for someone else??? As a gift. For their BOSS???? Pressure anyone?

My sister wanted cheerful and retro in her fabric so she chose a classic red and white polkadot. I loved it!

The seams are all sewed wrong sides together, (which was really weird to get used to!!) and the exposed seams are covered in bias tape. I found sewing bias tape on a curve to be more difficult that you'd think. And my mitered corners are not easily achieved, but I'm getting there!

I love the back of the apron, so sweet and feminine!

Since this was a gift and a surprise, I wasn't able to measure her for the exact placement of the button holes on the straps. So I measured what would work for me, I'm a pretty average size, and then did one buttonhole at that measurement, one below and one above. I do love a big, happy bow!

I felt like it needed a hot pad to go with. I can't really say why I felt that way, maybe I wanted to practice my mitered corners. :) But I had a little leftover fabric and bias tape so I threw together a quick hot pad. It is quilted, and I wanted a little pocket, I prefer to use a hot pad that  has a place for my hand! :) I added the bias at the top of the pocket to mimic the bodice of the apron. 

There were a few tears and some cursing, but at the end, I'm pleased with the way it turned out. While I was intimidated by this pattern, I did enjoy the process and I'm excited to make another! :) This might be the beginning of a new obsession!

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