OK, Ready Now!

I just updated Practically Necessary tonight! I spent most of the weekend photographing the new aprons, and preparing the Illustrator files (that's how my site was created - with pages in Illustrator imported into Dreamweaver as jpegs. In Dreamweaver I just add all of the hotspots (links). Updating the site can be a little cumbersome, but I can do it myself, and I'm pretty happy with the results.

I really wanted to get the new Who's Counting apron on the index page - I was so focussed on getting it just right, that I failed to notice that two of the aprons on the home page have black pockets! A little design redundancy - still, I like all of those images for the homepage, so I'll leave it for now.

New Styles - Almost Ready!

This "calorie" fabric is a reproduction of a print I have on a vintage hankie - it's exactly the same, though the colors are a little different. Seemed like perfect apron fabric!


The original batch of Kitty-kitty aprons (there were 6) all sold. I think this black and white fabric does the trick for version 2. It's tricky to find a print that goes well with the ric-rac (not too big, not too small).

So many people have asked me if I have cherry fabric - I finally found one I really like! This one has such a pretty gray background with lemons, and lemony drinks - Perfect for summer entertaining! I embroidered cherries on the pockets–it's available without them too. I think I need to find a spot on the site to point out that I can embroider on almost any apron I offer. A few people have emailed and asked about embroidery on other styles - that's how the monograms on Barbara Ann and Libby came about.

Folks Dance

I have finally caught up with the orders I received from the Daily Candy post. We all recovered from the nasty virus that is going around, so I have had a little time to get some new aprons working. Part of the fun with each new apron is designing the page for the website. Each apron page is a little different, designed to highlight whatever is special about that style. I love the border on this gray fabric. I only have enough fabric to make two of these - I wish I had more so the page would have a longer life, but I love this apron so I want to get it out there!

Next on the agenda is to finish the aprons I am designing for a pie shop called PIE in downtown Chicago. They would like aprons to sell in the shop, and possibly aprons for the employees to wear. I have a couple of cute half aprons, but I still need to design a full apron for a man to wear. I went to Vogue fabric yesterday and found a beautiful butterscotch color cotton with a little heft to it - I think it will work nicely for that one. Will post those designs soon.

Evelyn's Order

Practically Necessary was featured in the Chicago Edition of Daily Candy last Wednesday - Wonderful news! The wrinkle was that I came down with the worst cold that day - and it just got worse and worse. I was sitting at my computer Wednesday morning (most of the orders came in berfore noon) with just enough energy to monitor the orders and update my site as the one-of-a-kinds sold. By the weekend the ENTIRE family had come down with it - it was almost funny (but felt so AWFUL!)

A gal named Evelyn ordered 3 of my favorite aprons - I was so delighted when I found the "E" hankie in my collection in include in her order - I hope she loves it!

I let most of my customers know what happened, and everyone was just fine with waiting a few extra days for their order. Today the kids are still recovering so I'm getting some orders finished and ready to ship. I can't work tonight though... it's DERBY NIGHT!

Derby Lite Embroidery

Here's the Derby Lite logo (thanks to Coco BangBang for designing it) I just finished embroidering on my jean jacket. Rollerskating with this great group of women has been the best thing to happen to me in a long time - we are all having so much fun! Thanks so much to my friend Queen B, a former Windy City Roller (she skated with The Fury) who started Derby Lite.

I'm still undecided on my Derby Name - but I think I'm going with "Screamin' Mimi" - I'm such a screamer!

Here I am at Derby practice - working on my skills!

I might get really ambitious and embroider another image on top of the logo - a akating gal, or a winged skate - not sure yet.

Emily's Pillow

I made a pillow and pillowcase for Emma, a good friend of my son Leo. Emma has an American Girl doll named Emily.

That's the quilt I made for Emma's doll Emily last year. (pictured here with MY Emily!)


I used vintage pillow ticking to make the pillow, and I hand embroidered the case. I had so much fun embroidering the pillowcase, that I started another project I'll be ready to show off in just a few days - it's an embroidery of the logo from my Roller Derby group on the back of my favorite Levi's jean jacket - roller skating has made me feel so great - and I'm pretty sure wearing my jean jacket adorned with embroidery will REALLY take me back!

Hand Pieced Doll Quilt - Vacation Project #2

I went home (Saginaw, Michigan) for a holiday visit - and I made it two days before I had to rush to Joanne and buy some fabric - I just had to MAKE something! My mom does not have a sewing machine so I pieced it by hand - something I loved to do when I had hours of free time (B.C.) I used flannel rather than batting and I machine quilted it. I took it over to Piper's house last night, her Mom Sara just bought a doll bed at a church sale, so my timing was really good!

Detail of Piper's Doll Quilt. I used a few of my fancy stitches to quilt the solid squares.

The pillow-ticking print was the first fabric I found at Joanne - I picked the other prints to go with it, but it ended up as the backing only - too busy to really go with the other fabrics. I embroidered Piper's initials on the back.

Christmas Vacation Project #1

I started this capelet on Christmas Eve. The plaid fabric is from an extra large men's Pendleton shirt I thrifted last year. I used McCalls # M5006 view G. I had hoped to make the whole front out of the plaid, but I just didn't have enough so I used the gold velvet I had in my stash for both the sides and back (the fabric I used to make this hat). The pattern called for a ribbon tie, but I substituted a button with a tab. I used some of my Chinese lantern lining fabric for the lining, and I thought it needed interfacing so I used white flannel for that purpose.

My husband Marc thought is was goofy right off and just kept looking at me funny while I was working on it - he's usually a good judge so I was unsure of myself until I wore it on a visit home. It was a good traveling garment: it kept me comfortable on the train ride from Chicago to Ann Arbor (and back again), and I got a lot of compliments - one man on the train said "what is that you're wearing - what do you call it? - I love it!" After all of the positive feedback I got from Wardrobe Remix, I think Marc just doesn't get it!

Crown button from my mom's button stash.

Custom Kitty Complete!

I finished the Custom Kitty-Kitty on Friday morning. Delivering the finished product is one of my favorite things! Tracey (the client) is so excited to give it to her sister in-law Sharon for her birthday. Sharon's birthday is New Years Eve. I hope she likes it! The pictures I took of the back didn't come out, but this one has black ties to go with the waistband. The waistband has one of my Viking decorative stitches at the top. The kitty faces are lined in black and white gingham.

Each one of my aprons comes with a tag with it's story and care instructions, see the Kitty-Kitty tag below. (Click on the image to
see it full size).

Custom Kitty-Kitty

I'm making a custom apron for the sister in-law of a woman I work with named Tracey. Tracey liked my Kitty-Kitty apron but she wondered if I could customize the pockets to look like her sister in-law's cats. I made simple appliques of the cats orange splotches and then embroidered the faces. Next I lined the pockets with an extra piece of creamed colored fabric because I wanted to face them with black and white gingham. I'm pretty pleased with my progress so far. The red fabric will be the body of the apron, and it will have a black waistband with red topstitching. Tracey and I will collaborate on the name and the story of the apron - that's always part of the fun, and a big part of what makes a custom apron special.

It Was A Very Good Year (1965)

I just finished this one of a kind apron. The pockets are made from a vintage Vera linen calendar. It was unfinished on the rack when I had my sale last week, but it sold to a gal named Marian who I met at a house sale this summer. Marian had a bag of notions in her hand and when I asked her where she found them she handed them to me and told me I could have them! When we met later in line we chatted a little I told her about my apron business. She saw the article about me in the Wednesday journal and came by the sale with her daughter Rosie. Marian bought 2 of my one of a kinds, and Rosie bought 2 holiday aprons. It really made my day! I am off to deliver "1965" this afternoon.




The back view. I like to use contrasting ties whenever possible.


I cut the calendar in half to create 2 roomy pockets.

Puglyfeet's Purchase!

One of my flickr friends, Puglyfeet, posted about my change purses in her blog - unfortunately they were sold out at the time, so she couldn't order one. I made a bunch in preparation for my sale but only sold one so I put them up in my etsy shop and sent her a note to let her know I had posted some more. When I checked in with my shop just a little while later, she and her boyfriend had bought them all! I posted a few more the next day, and they snapped those up too! It's going to be a Practically Necessary Christmas for Puglyfeet's friends and family!

Finding Inspiration in Laura Ingalls Wilder

I just read "These Happy Golden Years" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It tells the story of Laura's teen years, her first time teaching, and her courtship with Almanzo. There are so many passages in the book about sewing, and the many wonderful clothes that Laura made for herself. The descriptions are fantastic, and really make me want to go on a pilgrimage to the various Ingalls Wilder museums. I immediately followed with "The First Four Years", the story of her first years as a married woman. What a wonderful book. The manuscript was found with her papers after her death and wasn't published until 1971 (28 years after Those Happy Golden Years). How wonderful it must have been for the people who had read her books and thought they had read them all!

I think I have found the story for my next narrative quilt. It's just starting to form in my mind. I think I will focus on her life from 13-20. Beginning with the trip to the Shores of Silver Lake. I have some ideas for images to include - but no real plan yet. Just the thought that the story is interesting enough to me, and full of enough imagery to justify making a quilt from it - I'm excited by that alone!

Pa bought the sewing machine as a surprise for Ma (and all his girls).

Mae's Busy Weekend

Mae made 3 softies from Therese Laskey's book Softies this weekend. She made the Treeling yesterday, and the Lonely Dollop and the Cross pin cushion today (I love her use of color on that one!) We highly recommend the book - the directions are clear, and the projects are super-cute. I searched the internet for wool felt and found Colonial Crafts - their 12x18 pieces 20% wool and 80% rayon, and are $1.25 a piece. Well worth it when you compare it to acrylic craft felt. Mae had cut out a couple of leaves from some craft felt and brought them over to me with a leaf cut from the wool felt and said "we can't use this - look how thin it is!" The colors are rich and they make softies with really nice body. I hope she makes the whale next!

Craft Sale Update

My first craft sale went pretty well. It was a long day, sitting there behind that table from 10-4 was a little more than I bargained for. Many thanks to my friends who stopped by, it made all the difference. Kerri, the first person to purchase "Cockadoodle" bought the 3 remaining wishing well change purses. The wristlets were a hit too - good thing I made 3 more on Saturday!

Afterward we went out to our favorite Italian Restuarant - Ambrogio's. It's in the 6700 block of Belmont in Chicago. Great food, a real family restaurant (with a bar), but cash only - you'll need to remember that if you go (there's a sign on the front door in case you forget!)

At the craft sale I decided there is enough interest to have an open house at my studio (our living room!) the Saturday before Thanksgiving - that was a good day for me last year. If you are in the area (email me for specifics), I hope you'll stop by - November 18th from 11-3.

Craft Sale Tomorrow!

I'm participating in the Oak Park Women's Exchange Art & Craft Fair at OPRF high school. The school is at 201 N. Scoville in Oak Park. I will have many new apron styles (including the one above, called "April" - thanks to Mae for the name!) I have a lot more full styles this year - including "Florence", which was designed for people who like to bake (and appreciate 70s kitchen textiles - check out that print!)

It has a small pocket, and a divided pocket on the body - with a slot for a spoon. I also have a mother daughter set of my skull apron Callie.

I have a Christmas apron this year - Noelle seemed like a good name for that one!


You can see more pictures on my flickr page. If you are in the area, I hope you'll stop by and see me at the Craft Fair at 201 N. Scoville in Oak Park tomorrow. It runs from 10-4, and there is a $3 entry fee - which I will take off your order if you mention this offer on my blog!

We Love Halloween!

I had to miss the school parade this year - working freelance and just can't justify a day with no pay! I did get to take Mae and her friends trick-or-treating. (Leo went with his friend Craig). I made Leo's costume this weekend, and gave him a mohawk last night. Marc is responsible for the simple but effective make-up job. By 6pm all of our candy is gone - a typical Halloween night!

Mae took care of her costume this year. She found the perfect boots at the thrift store - and we got the white blouse there too. She did her hair, make-up and styling. Go Mae!

Hat #2 on Girl #1

Bethany's hat size is a full inch smaller than mine, so Mae is my model for her finished hat. She chose the pagoda print for the lining. I'm very happy with the way it came out. I gather the sides of the hat, but not on the front panel - this keeps it looking smooth. I also line the band with the lining fabric, rather than the hat fabric. I find this makes the hat more comfortable.

Mae will be 10 tomorrow - I can hardly believe that it's been 10 years since she was born! She was a sweet easy baby, and her first 2 weeks are still the happiest days I have ever spent. I know there is a little bit of rose colored glass viewing going on - but I really was hormonally over the moon. I remember where I was (walking her in Lincoln Square, our old neighborhood) when I realized that the extreme happiness was fading into regular life. Regular life has been pretty good to me since then too...

My First Commissioned Hat!

I finished Beckress' hat this weekend. I'm really happy with the way it came out. I had never used twill for one of my hats, but it's not so different from the fabrics I have worked with. Because of the relative firmness of twill, it has a less "floppy" look, for this reason I didn't use any topstitching - I liked the tailored look, and was afraid the topstitching would distract from the clean lines. I posted 2 ribbon choices on flickr - B chose the polka dots, my preference too. I am sending it off to tomorrow, and will anxiously await word - I hope
she likes it!

Practically Necessary Woven Labels

A lot of people have asked me about my labels lately. I ordered them from Cruz Label in LA. When I started building my business last year I was able to do much of the work: I designed the logo, built the website, and obviously create the product. I felt that the look of the label was critical - I take so much pride in my sewing that I wanted a label that reflected that. That's a long way of saying that they weren't cheap - they cost more than than my precious sewing machine!

The process went like this: Cruz will send you a sample card with all of the different weaves and styles they offer. I chose one and then sent them an Illustrator file and specified PMS (pantone matching system) colors. Cruz will give you a woven "proof" to make sure it's just right. My first try with colors was a little off (the cream had a green cast) and I tried another color. That color was just right - I got exactly what I wanted and I am still thrilled with them.

My Best Work

This is my best hat yet. The fabric (a wool linen blend) is perfect for a hat - it has body and a nice drape. It has good shape and takes to pressing beautifully. I am especially pleased with the interior on this one. It's my bird fabric again, with some wonderful plaid ribbon trimmed with red ric-rac (Vogue Fabric). When you make something from fabric you have never worked with you never know how it's going to turn out. This wool made a beautiful vest and hat, but the skirt pattern I chose was not so successful. It fits in with my "2 out of 3" ratio for success. For every 2 successful garments, there is usually 1 failure. I take these failures more in stride than I used to, I figure it's just par for the course. Usually I let myself think that it might work out afterall, that when I wear it I'll see that I was wrong - but this almost never really happens. The skirt is on my in progress rack (unhemmed), and I am still hopeful that when I hem it and put it on it will look better than I remembered. We'll just see about that...

Vintage Lining/Hats in Progress

I finally made it to Vogue Fabrics to get the twill for the custom hats I am making. I took samples of the vintage lining fabric I will be using so I could coordinate the ribbon bands, and to show my fabric guy. He figures they are from the late 50s, early 60s (the realism of the art combined with the colors) and was impressed - exactly the reaction I was hoping for! I found these 2 lining fabrics together at a thrift store in Evanston - about 5 yards of each for $12 total. I did use a good bit of the birds as the back for the vest shown above. I still have about 2 yards of that one. The pagoda print is still at about 4 yards. I pay as much attention to the inside of the hats I make as I do the outside, so I love to find vintage linings. I am looking forward to finishing these 2 hats (hopefully by Friday), I will post before I ship!

Here's the front of the vest in case you were curious!