Category Archives: Studio posts

Design update

I’ve been working on this design update to the No4:5 cross back aprons (see photo) for a few months, it offers a more personalised fit. I’ve made the straps adjustable using slider buckles, like the ones you’d find on bags like back packs. Making the straps longer or shorter means you can adjust for taller or shorter height person, or larger or smaller body types… and for extra layers of clothing in a chilly studio!

There’s always something new to learn.

An Etsy client asked if I could make an adjustable neck strap with a slider buckle for a No14:3 – this is my experimentaI version. I’ve never used one of these buckles before and I thought the canvas might be too bulky and unwieldy but in fact it works quite well…

The client also wanted an angled split skirt. It looks great, love all the different shapes … but there is less leg coverage than my standard apron skirts.

Kit Bag Boro

The newest addition to my ‘Boro Collection’ The Kit Bag 002, it’s not an apron!!

I’m very economic with apron layouts trying really hard not to waste fabric, only throwing away the smallest slivers of fabric, the rest I keep… piles of it! Some can be sewn together in a patchwork to make individual one-of-a-kind aprons for the ‘Boro Collection’; but some fabrics don’t lend themselves to that, the canvas for example becomes too stiff to drape. As canvas is a traditional fabric for bags I’ve begun to experiment. To understand the size and shapes involved, my first bags are made with larger remnants of fabric, before I move on to making pieced patchwork bags.

The 002 Kit Bag is made from two pieces of ochre canvas leftover from cutting out two No14:2 pleated split leg aprons (see photo – one rectangle is next to me partly under the ringbinder etc). It’s a large bag (56cm x 43cm) easily accommodating an A3 sketchpad, has a drawstring top with orange cord and black cord lock, and dark grey soft herringbone tape straps which are sewn securely with 12 bars of orange stitching.

£78In The Making Aprons online shopEtsyFolksy

Working on a new apron

Lately I’ve been working on this calico toile and pattern, following an enquiry about making a split leg tie apron like the pleated No14:2 but without pleats.

Pleats help give a lot of fabric coverage, so without them the apron needed a much bigger skirt overlap – but it does give lots more space for a much bigger skirt pocket, an angled pocket with sections for tools and a loop to hang your cleaning cloth!

Waistcoats for park volunteers – update

Last year during lockdown I worked with the Friends of Brookmill Park (St.Johns, Depftford, SE London) to design a distinctive waistcoat for the volunteers…and here they are hard at work! Following the design consultations I drafted sewing patterns, making instructions and samples. One of the volunteers made the waistcoats and another made the prints for the back.

The park is a few minutes from from my house. It’s quite a narrow park along the banks of the River Ravensbourne between Eleverson Road DLR station and The Stephen Lawrence Centre – it has gardens, a lake, childrens play area and diverse wildlife. Find out more about the park and volunteering at brookmillpark.deptfordcreek.net

A special one

I made this apron last month, a birthday present for my niece, she needs aprons for her job at a little restaurant in Seattle. It’s made with 8oz denim with pockets made from different shade denim remnants. It needed to be a versatile but simple design, that is very easy to wear – ideally forget you’re even wearing it! I’m keen to expand on this design to introduce more colour/fabric combinations into the range and use fabric remnants to make one off pieces for the ‘Boro Collection’.

Designing & pattern cutting new apron

Yesterday I started work on a new apron that I’ve been thinking about for a while. A strong simple shape with a large skirt pocket and small bib pocket – something that could be crossback or tie, have colour combinations, or use upcycled fabrics for my Boro collection, plus offer a lower price point in the range. The first pattern is drafted – just waiting for some more calico to arrive, so I can get going making a toile.

Custom apron for a glass designer

Work apron commission from ‘Robyn Coetzee Glass Designs’ finished and delivered this week. A split skirt, crossback apron in dark denim, with a waterproof fabric bib. Robyn was keen to have her logo on the bib; this was neatly resolved by having Robyn’s logo printed on to waterproof fabric, that I stitched to the denim bib. I used ‘Contrado/Bags of Love‘, a UK company that prints any image you supply, on to a huge range of different types of fabric, (eg. jerseys, canvas, silk, velvet, cottons…) within a couple of days!