Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Winter Projects

On evenings like this, after I've come home from a long exhausting day at work, feeling like something the cat has dragged in, when it is cold and dark and snowing outside and all I want to do is hibernate, it's a really good idea to give my mind over to a project. Having a project ensures that I don't waste my leisure time watching mindless television or losing myself on the internet for hours. The ideal winter project doesn't require too much thinking, but is complicated enough to provide satisfying and productive results. Back in December my project was my gingerbread house. I'd come home, sit myself down and tesselate candy for hours. Now, I've begun sewing a 1940s apron (at least, I think its 40s, based on the wide shoulders and the non-full skirted dresses). I'm not sure where this pattern came from, but my mom decided to send it to me, and so I've decided to use it.

Last weekend I went down to the fashion district, the area around 39th and 40th Streets, where there is just one fabric store after another, each with an even more exotic selection than the last. There are also tassel stores, ribbon stores, and button stores. I needed fabric for something else, but then my eye was caught by the most charming retro printed cotton I'd ever seen! Dove grey with little white bellflowers and red bows. So I'm making my apron out of it. But the pockets will be a contrasting red and white pinstripe. So far I've only got the sides finished, and I'm sort of having to improvise because I refuse to use bias fold tape as the instructions call for, but the whole thing seems to be coming along nicely. I'll post a picture when it's all done!

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