I Can't Juggle

Photos lie.

Actually, I'd guess that anyone who actually can juggle could tell from this photo that I can't.

I can do geometry, though.  I loved geometry in high school.  Which is why I was so excited to find an apron "pattern" (it's in the Spring 2010 "stitch" magazine, but it's excerpted from the book Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions, where it appears as a reprint of a 1929 "Magic Pattern") that is really just instructions for plotting a whole bunch of points and drawing your own pattern right on your fabric.  Plus, the apron ends up on the bias and I love bias.

WARNING!  If you want to make this pattern (currently available for free) there's a MISTAKE in the instructions!  The distance from point e to point f should be 4.5", NOT 6".  (Also, I think I'll make the neck piece a little narrower if I use this pattern again, and maybe leave out the extra fabric for the pleat in the back.)

I made mine from two layers of quilting fabric because I didn't want to look at the ugly back of the fabric, but it's really too heavy that way.  Or, it's a good weight for an apron, but too thick and stiff to get much benefit from being cut on the bias (which should in theory promote a nice, curvy fit with flowy drapeyness in the skirt).

I like how this print turned out on the bias, with the big dark pink circles forming a diamond pattern instead of square.  The fabric I used for the bias binding was diagonal candy stripes on the bolt, so came out like bars after being cut on the bias.  I let the tails of the bias tape make the ties instead of making ties from the apron fabric like the pattern said.

Oh, and another thing - the pattern says you can make this apron start to finish in less than an hour.  I'm not going to say it couldn't be done, if you were really efficient and had some secret amazing way of applying ten feet of bias tape in no time flat (it goes without saying you wouldn't be making your own), but... let's just say it took me more than an hour!

The theme was "circus" and I had planned to put some obvious circus embellishments on it, but it was already so fun and getting a little busy that I decided to leave it plain.  The circles make me think of circus tents viewed from the air and the color scheme might not yell "CIRCUS!" but makes me think of cotton candy, which was my favorite thing about the circus as a kid.  :)  Throwing three lemons in the air to fake a juggling photo is as close as I get to a circus trick!

Comments

[Mar Mar]

So you've made me remember a young girl who devised a trick for the school talent show: she would stand on her head, clap her feet together with American flags stuck in her shoes and sing the Star Spangled Banner. Not sure why this blog post brought that old memory to mind, but there you are.

And Mr. Right is an impressive photographer because it sure LOOKS like you are juggling! :-)

[Kelly]

I've said it before and I'll say it again--you have such an eye for color. Look at that print. It's lovely!

[M.T.]

That's awfully kind! Thank you!