Spring cleaning with style!

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Spring cleaning with style!

I know it’s pretty hard to make housework fun, but I’m going to at least try to make it more stylish!

When my brain is functioning I remember to wear gloves and an apron to clean. Not only is it better for your hands and clothes, it is yet another excuse to have a wardrobe change.

So I thought, why not make those boring old rubber gloves something to get excited about wearing? (Okay, so that probably isn’t going to happen, either…)

And then after I made the gloves I just HAD to make an apron to go with it. Because that’s the way I am.

Anyhow, I’ve tried to keep track of the glove and apron making with photos, but I’m a writer, not a photographer, so it might get dicey at times.

Do I sound demented about pinning? Yes, I do–because I AM! I hate pinning, but it is necessary. Why? So you can BLEED for your project. Okay, I’m only kidding about that.

Now, how about that matching apron I promised?

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NO, you can’t have my knitting chickens apron! This is just to show you what I’ll use for a pattern. My mom made this lovely apron for me several years back. It is a bit worn, but I still love it best among all my aprons.

Okay, below I’ve added a picture of the Pink Panther apron. I live in the sticks, so imagine my surprise when I learned I had NO PINK BIAS TAPE!!! How can such a thing happen? Well, it did. But I am crafty, so I thought, “Hey–why not make your own?” I’ve done it before but for some reason the geometry of folding the fabric was eluding me.

Enter Mom!

Yes, I called my mother and she talked me through laying out and cutting bias tape. In case you hadn’t guessed by now, it needs to be cut on the bias.

Here is a secret (don’t tell ANYONE) I didn’t have any pink OR white fabric (I like patterns, what can I say?) so I sacrificed a bed sheet. Since we used to operate a bed and breakfast I have oodles of sheets (like 40 or 50) so it wasn’t exactly a sacrifice.

Here is the cut strip and then I fold it in half, and in half again, and voila!! Bias tape!

I’ve pinned both apron and pocket and now I’m ready to sew.

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Apron pinned and ready to sew!

But wait, you say! How will I attach the apron? So, below are some pics of the apron ties in progress…