New Blue from Practically Necessary

I had a very productive trip to TROY fabrics last week. I was primarily looking for fabric to make my next "Caroline" type apron: easy care cotton, vertical stripes, small print, lots of contrast. I looked at this fabric briefly, then I looked at what seemed like 1,000 bolts of fabric. I came back to this one and decided it was the one. I also picked out a sweet novelty fabric, and another that I think I will return for a second bolt of the blue stripe. This fabric reminds me of the fabric in my favorite full apron - a thrifted number that was well worn when I got it, and is still going strong.




I hope to update the PN website in the next week or so. I'll include this apron in the update, along with 5 or 6 new styles. I'm still working on a name for the New Blue, If you have any ideas please leave them in a comment - if I choose your suggestion I'll send you something special from PN.

iMac 20 Cozy

The minute I took the styrofoam cover off my new iMac I knew I needed to make a cozy for it. It's reflective black screen shows every spec of dust and kids fingerprint. I considered a few different barkcloths before I decided on this games cloth. I thought the target was just perfect. The backing is black denim, and I made slits for the vents.

I used the styrofoam cover as the pattern, which I will hold onto in the event that someone sees it and realizes just how much they need a computer screen cozy too.

Valentines

I really love to make my own valentines. This year I scored at Paper Source, they had a big selection of red papers and envelopes at 50% off. Each valentine is different and I used 2 of my fabrics: the Who's Counting fabric from one of my aprons, and some vintage car fabric I made a blouse out of a few years ago. I spent a few hours this weekend working on them. I just love to push the little elements around until I am happy with the results, glue it all down, and then move onto the next one. Yesterday it hit 60 degrees - so I rode my Schwinn to the post office and mailed my funny Valentines.

What a Weekend!

I took these pics of our garden house. It's so nice to have a dog to watch the baby, and I sure hope the hazmat guy was able to rid the house of all the asbestos!

A warm weekend in Chicago in February is such a gift! Marc worked in the garden and on the patio slate, Leo and I payed catch on the front sidewalk, and Mae walked home from the movies [she saw Coraline with a friend and loved it!]



Leo after some good "catch".

Marc got alot of prep work done in the garden. We are going to plant vegetables this year so he had to move a lot of rocks!

OMG it's supposed to be 60 tomorrow!!

Little Red Hen #3

I have finished Little Red Hen #3. It's impossible for me to really capture this apron in a photo - this is my best attempt yet. This version has the "Who Will?" in yellow at the request of the buyer - the yellow does read off of the blue better than the red and I'm happy with the way it looks. I hope she is too! I showed my brother-in-law Mike the finished apron last night - he recited some of the lines from the poem, it made my day to see him "get it"!

Those naughty animals! They will get no bread!

Spring Update Preview

Well it's only February 3rd and it's really cold in Chicago today, but I am thinking spring via some new apron styles! I love the way my label looks on the back of "Maryanne".

Maryanne - there will be 2 of these available, she was made from a tablecloth cut right down the middle!

I was working on a new pocket for Mae, when I noticed how perfectly it went with my sewing machine cover! I quickly put together an apron made from the same fabric and I just love the way it looks with the new Mae pocket. I will be able to make about 10 of this one - I call her "Jenny".

"Mae" with her updated pocket, also the pocket for "Jenny"

"Cocktail?" is a one of a kind. I have had the hand-embroidered cloth in my stash for so long (I added cocktail?). It will be part of Collection 2 on Practically Necessary very soon!