Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Aprons - Sewing for Teachers


Last summer, during my great southern adventure to the South-East corner (of Queensland) I ducked into Ikea for a moment or two. We were driving from the Sunshine Coast to Lismore and had scheduled a quick break to give the kids a chance to stretch their legs and me a chance to check out the fabric. I only ended up buying 4 pieces of home decor fabric. The pressure and intensity of three small children running laps around the displays and climbing on top of everything they could, was all a little unnerving. Luckily for me, this year they'll all be old enough to book into the Ikea creche should (or when) I return.

Anyway, I have somehow managed to sew three out of the four fabrics I bought. The first one was origami fisherman's pants for Paul. The next two were aprons for Meg's prep teacher and teacher's aide. (A fabulous idea inspired my Mary Nanna).  Meg has had a lovely year with these two ladies so I thought I'd whip them up each a snazzy apron. The designs on both are quite whimsical and would look very much at home in a preppy classroom.


I cut the pattern from an apron I already owned. From memory, it came free with a bottle of wine. Bonus! I omitted pockets as I did not want to mess up the picture on the aprons. I added a strip of pink checked bias binding to the top edges. I have not made the neck straps adjustable at all. That would have required a trip to the fabric store and quite frankly, I needed to cross these babies off my 'to-do' list. As groovy as they look, they were a bargain to make. Each one cost me a little over $5. Yay for cheap but groovy gifts!

- Back view-

I still have enough fabric to whip up another two aprons. Maybe, just maybe, I'll make one for myself/teaching partner and our aide. After all, we wouldn't want the other prep class out-doing us in the 'snazzy apron department' now would we?

A message from Meg written on the inside bottom edge using fabric markers.

10 comments:

  1. The aprons are great and having Meg write a message is really sweet. I can't believe how organised you are - I was shocked when I booked a meeting for next week and realised it would be December!

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  2. I want one. Art teachers definitely need snazzy aprons, too.

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  3. The perfect fabric for aprons; tres snazzy, and I love the personal message inside :)

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  4. Great idea! Ikea is a wonderful place for cheap printed fabric.

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  5. Aprons are the way to go I reckon but what to do next year????? I shall look to you for inspiration! Love the print you choose, they are seriously cool aprons. I made my aprons for $1.80 each. I got the fabric for a dollar! So I agree with you that they are very cost effective. I still have 5 more to sew before I finish my apronathon for this year.

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  6. Very groovy aprons. The message from Meg is a lovely touch...I would not have thought of that.

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  7. Fabulous idea - just fabulous - and how cute - the handwritten message!!

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  8. Great gift idea and perfectly appropriate. I make homemade biscuits for my DD's teachers, but now DD1 is at University she has asked me to stop!!

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  9. I love these aprons - very practical but also very joyous, and the little hand-written message means Meg helped make them!

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