I make no excuses for loving things that are impractical. They are usually the things that have texture, color and cannot be easily justified. Like Sunday Aprons. They are not really even useful, except to make a person feel absolutely beautiful when they are serving a casserole.
I started by making a Sunday Apron for my daughter. Not a cute, cotton, useful, washable apron but a flouncy textured impractical apron. Then I made one for my other daughter. Then for a granddaughter or two. Then for friends of my daughters. Then for me.
Most of the time I use bits and pieces of this and that . . . beads and ribbon and flowers. Some waistbands are made from fabric and some from wire ribbon with fabric on the back. Some are gathered and some are pleated. Some are simple and some are funky and overdone. Here are a few of my latest Sunday Aprons:
This pretty pink apron is “girl size”. It is SO overdone. Many parts of the aprons have to be finished by hand. Like the junction of the back of the waistband to the apron. I put the flower together separately and secured it with a pink pin through the back. Heaven forbid that the apron should ever need to be washed . . . but if it does, cold water and a warm iron will bring it back to life. Remember to take the flower off first ! And DON”T ever put the apron in the clothes dryer ! The finishing touch is one of my handmade fabric labels. This one shows a little girl having a tea party with her animal friends.
The apron above is very simple and very elegant. The back of the waistband is done by hand as are the sides where the ribbon ties come out. The bottom is gathered with teal beads. Mixing texture and color and style goes a long way toward an interesting look. I never make any two aprons alike. All are original.
I loved this little shabby chic apron when I was finished with it. The fabric is a heavy linen-type from an upholstery roll. It is really fun. I used ‘wire-red-rose-ribbon’ for the waistband and red ribbon for the ties. I bought the strip of brown roses by the yard. I cut three roses and gently tied the strip into a soft knot. That made the roses bunch together so that the center rose was lifted up a little more. Then I sewed the strip of roses on by hand.
I think the Queen might actually like the next apron. Brocade. The fabric of royalty. It is stitched with all kinds of flourishes and patterns and threads. The fabric itself is bold and fancy without adding another thing. It is beautiful fabric. But, if you like more funky stuff on an apron . . . here is an apron which can be worn “with or without”.
The last apron is the MOST frivolous. I found this wonderful beaded overlay fabric on a clearance table. Since it had a finished scalloped edge on both sides, one yard will make two aprons “tops”. Underneath the beading is a sheer fabric, also from the clearance table. This apron required more hand work than some because my sewing machine didn’t like all of the sequins and beads. But, when it was finished it was an apron Cinderella would have loved . . . whether her fairy-godmother made it or not !
After I finished the aprons and sat thinking about how incredibly silly they were and how much I loved them . . . I looked around the room. I tried to find ONE essential thing. Just one. I really couldn’t find a thing unless you count a needle and thread. That works !
My favorite is the last one. I want it!