Do It Gorgeously: How to Make Less Toxic, Less Expensive, and More Beautiful Products (36 page)

HOW TO

1.
Lay the shirt out face down on a flat surface. Cut the side seams, around the armholes, and below the collar.

2.
Spread out one of the front halves of the shirt and cut out a half circle for the apron pocket. Decide whether you want to have buttons or buttonholes at the top of the pocket.

3.
Carefully pin your bias binding all around the edges of the apron and the pocket. I suggest picking out a bright, contrasting color. I had a muted blue and green shirt, so I used a bubblegum pink bias binding.

4.
If you have a sewing machine, you may want to pick a zigzag or a fancy stitch to sew on the binding. If you are hand stitching, use a simple backstitch all the away around. Make sure the last length of binding you sew on is the piece around the armholes, and extend the binding 18 inches beyond the edge of the apron to create a tie.

5.
Find a pretty length of ribbon for the neck loop. When buying the ribbon, measure it around your neck to see how much you need. I measure to just below my collarbone, as I like my apron to come up high to avoid grease splattering my clothes. Turn the ends of the ribbon under to prevent fraying and sew each end onto the apron as shown.

6.
Sew binding around the pocket as you sew the pocket to the apron.

7.
If you really want to get fancy, you may want to decorate your apron pocket with a couple of unusual buttons (odd buttons look cute).

Gift tip:
For a lovely gift, you could wrap your apron around a pair of bamboo salad servers or wrap it up with a jar of homemade jelly (see “Do It Gorgeously in the Kitchen”). If it’s a child’s gift, wrap it around a bag of homemade fudge (see “Do It Gorgeously in the Kitchen”).

Grocery Bag Keeper

If you hang on to grocery bags that find their way into your kitchen, you’ll need an efficient way to store them. I love this fabric tube, as it’s so pretty. It’s a great sewing project for a beginner and also makes a wonderful gift. You’ll probably find the perfect fabric for it in the remnant bin at your local sewing shop.

HOW TO

1.
Lay out your fabric on a flat surface and cut a rectangle measuring 11x16 inches.

2.
To make the casings (the turned-over bits at the top and bottom through which the elastic will go), press under the top and the bottom edge ¼ inch and then another ½ inch. Pin to keep in place and then either hand or machine stitch the casings in place.

3.
Cut your piece of elastic in half. Attach a safety pin to the end of one piece and thread it through the top casing, leaving 1 inch of elastic sticking out of each side. Pin in place. Repeat for the bottom casing.

4.
Make a loop with your ribbon and pin it at an angle to the right side of the fabric, about 1 inch from the top of the tube.

5.
Fold the panel in half lengthwise (right sides together), pin, and stitch the long sides together.
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You’ll be sewing over the elastic and the ribbon to sew them in place.