Friday, March 15, 2013

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? A Little Designing Experiment...And a Winner!!


Hi, all!

It's Friday again - and I'm whooping it up in Lancaster, PA at the AQS Quilt Show!  (Let it be known - I have the world's greatest husband - he took vacation days to come up here with me!!)  I'll be taking a class on quilting feathers with my long arm machine this afternoon, and hopefully I'll have pictures to show next week of the show and the beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch countryside!  Until then, though, I want to share something I put together last week...



One day I realized that I was being recognized as a quilter not because people had seen my quilts, but because I was covered in little tiny bits of thread and fuzz from batting!  So I decided I needed a "quilter's apron" - and this is the result.


On the top is a divided pocket that will hold my iPhone on one side, and my little snips will slip right into the other pocket.  The snips are on a retractable lanyard, so that I never lose them.  I also put a magnet on top of the lanyard so that I can capture stray pins until I get back to the pin box.  I can hook up my earbuds to my iPhone and listen to music while I quilt, and tuck the excess cord into the pocket so that it doesn't get in the way while quilting.


On the bottom of the apron, I put a narrow, extra-long pocket that I can use for my batting shears and for rulers that I use with the long arm quilter.  This way they are handy, but not in my back pocket where they used to reside.  That proved embarrassing a few times when I went out to the store with them still stuck in there!

The ties are extra long so that they can be wrapped around and tied in the front - this keeps them out of the way and my granddaughter can't untie them from behind me!

There are some changes I want to make.  I don't really like the way the top squares off so far from each neck strap, so I'm going to round the pattern off a bit there.  I want to "dress up" the lanyard a bit so it doesn't look so plain, and so it will coordinate no matter what fabric I use - that may be as easy as a little spray paint.  I'd like to find a way to secure my iPhone into the pocket without covering up the headset connection so it doesn't fall out when I bend over.  Once I get those things fixed, I'll probably make one or two to put in the shop.  What do you think?  Any other suggestions for changes or additions?

I also put a few more things in the shop this week...



...a couple of purses...



...and some accessories!

I'm really having fun creating little things for the shop - it's nice to have some smaller, instant gratification-type projects!

So that's what I'm whooping it up about this week!!

*&*&*&*&*&*&*

And now - let's let someone else do a little whooping!  Here's the winner of the giveaway from last week...


Blogger Rebeckah Austin said...
I pinned!
March 8, 2013 at 8:11 AM
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Congratulations, Rebeckah!!  I'll be emailing you to find out your choice of giveaway item - 
the journal cover or the pincushion!!

*&*&*&*&*&*&*

And now it's your turn!

What are you whooping about this week?

What has made you do the happy dance?

Do tell - we want to whoop right along with you!!

This week's linky party will stay open until Sunday night...

Be there or be square!!

Hugs!

Sarah

19 comments:

  1. Adorable apron! Congrats Rebeckah!

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  2. great apron -- I would suggest a small button to hold the phone in the pocket with a simple loop catch (I am not a clothing seamstress so I don't know the technical terms here). It wouldn't potentially damage the phone and it allows access to the headphone port and would be easy to open if the phone started ringing. I love that retractable lanyard for the snips -- I am thinking of investing in about 5 more pair of snips just so I can keep up with them in different areas of the room -- but this seems more cost effective.

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  3. I love your apron! I'm not much of a cook, but I love the idea of a cute apron for the quilt room and a great way to use up some of my sewing notion novelty stash.

    I have started listening to audio books on my iPhone the last month and love it... I'm on my 4th one. My library just started a download option and I hope they keep expanding it.

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  4. Great new goodies! Your etsy shop looks great! I hearted & shared on my FB wall yesterday :)

    have a great adventure in PA!

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  5. That apron is a great idea. I wear black often and often end up covered in white "fuzz" from batting. Maybe once the pattern is complete, you could sell that in your shop, too!

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  6. Love your new apron. I always seem to have my apron on already because I'm usually Cooking and sewing at the SAME TIME!! LOL!!

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  7. Sarah, you do come up with the cutest things! I would suggest just a little tab with velcro to hold your ipod in its pocket. And I LOVE that cute bag you put in the shop! It reminds me of a cute dress pattern, with the peekaboo fabric in the pleat. Loving it so much I just HAD to buy the bag & the matching wristlet keychain so my mum can bring them over next month. Yippee!! Thanks!!

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  8. Congrats Rebeckah! Hope Sarah is having a blast in Lancaster!

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  9. You thought of everything for that apron even ties in the front to keep Lilli out:) Just wonderfully thought out.

    I didn't know you had a shop---that is great!

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  10. Fantastic new apron! I love that you designed it for all the things you need it to do. I wear a lot of fleece, so you can imagine the thread and fuzz it collects, but I sort of wear it all as a badge of honor. It means I've been doing what I like to do.

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  11. Rally like your apron. I just use one that ties around the waist, like a carpenter belt. I'm too lazy to make one, but I do like that yours covers the whole front and gets rid of that pesty batting that always sticks to you.

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  12. Love the adorable quilters apron. Great idea! You have been busy. Have a great time at the APQS. I attended one in Paducah a couple years ago and enjoyed it tremendously. It's wonderful you have a supporting hubby!

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  13. Cute stuff. I like the idea of a sewing apron but probably wound not be comfortable sewing and wearing one to tell you the truth.

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  14. A quilting apron is a great idea! Love it! Smart to have it tie in the front and the pocket for your iphone is ingenious.

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  15. LOVE the apron. You should put some of those in your shop :) Awwww what a great husband to go with you. Can't wait to see what you learn at the class.

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  16. Your apron looks great! I need to make one for myself. Yes, I have thread all over myself...and it doesn't help that I'm wearing black yoga pants.

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  17. Love the apron . Congratulations to the winner.

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Comments make me smile!! If you want a PDF of a pattern, PLEASE leave your email address in your comment, or email me directly at salliesue57 (at) gmail (dot) com!