A is for Apron

Many call me crazy (for several reasons…), but I love to work in the kitchen with my kidlings!  They learn so much and we have so much fun mixing and working together to create bits of healthy (and sometimes not!) goodness together.  I’ll freely admit that it is messier, longer, crazier, more frustrating at times, and most definitely more difficult than simply working on my own…but it is worth it to me…and they love  it.  There is an infinite source of texture, change, processes, reading, understanding, cause and effects, health, etc. lessons that occur seamlessly and effortlessly with simple family meal preparations.  So worth it!

My two helpers with their faces smushed against the mixer lid as they watch “Mr. Bosch” do this thing!  This is not staged…totally spontaneous..totally constant!!!

My littlest helper is so much fun to work with!  He is very enthusiastic about his role and works very hard at it!  (Enthusiasm in the kitchen…and in everything else…is patterned very well for him by his big sister so it’s really no surprise that he shows it too!)  While there are plenty of little aprons to share from in the drawer he needed his own…created just for him.  I had a lot of fun designing the right apron…bright and cheerful…trucks…easy to put on…pocket…not to long but not too short so it covers him, but he won’t trip on it getting onto the stool…etc.  We are all so happy with the result!

I “winged” it…so I don’t have a real tutorial for you…but hopefully you can see the general shapes from some of these “in progress” shots and my ramblings and figure it out! 

I drew out what I wanted and made some measurements.  It’s basically a rectangle from middle of the back up over the shoulders to a little below his waist…a hole for the head…and slit down the back…lined…a casing on both back pieces…ties that go through the casing…and a button!

     

Anything going on the front of the apron goes on before you attach the lining.   Sketch out your truck on the rough fabric shape and pin it down .  Free motion stitch on your lines.  Don’t worry about straight even lines…make it sketchy.  Be careful…this is addicting…you might find yourself stitching sketches on everything! I made a pocket for the “dump” part of the truck by simply stitching only three sides of the shape…easy peasy!  Attach your ties and you’re ready to sew your layers together.

       I might tighten up this button…!  Ta Da!!  Now he can create mayhem in the kitchen in style!!!