Gorgeous, thick organic cotton apron, milky cream denim with stripe denim details. Super comfortable crossback design, split leg skirt and 3 roomy pockets. Now in Folksy and Etsy shops. Something about it reminds me of the old days of dairies and milkman, my Mum’s first job, in 1960, was as a milk analyst at a dairy in West London!
Author Archives: lisabenn
Brookmill Park waistcoat project – update
Finished drafting the making instructions and paper patterns for the ‘Brookmill Park – volunteers waistcoat’; they are keen to get going with sewing their own waistcoats!
A NEW apron, yellow, blue & stripey!
Finally got the first No23 apron in the Folksy & Etsy shops, it’s been a long time in development. The adjustable crossback design combines the comfort of a crossback apron with the snug fit of a tie apron, or, you can leave the ties knotted for an easy fit!
This apron was developed to be able to use smaller pieces of fabric and combining different fabrics in one apron, with the idea of reducing waste, upcycling and recycling. I’m currently making samples of a split skirt version with cargo pockets, which I’ve already sold to clients making custom orders.
Brookmill Park Volunteers waistcoat update
The sample is now made up in a wonderful thick canvas, I had some lovely organic cotton tape (in my stash) which works perfectly for the ties!
The next part of the brief is to draft ‘making instructions’ , so the Brookmill Park group can make their own waistcoats! As I made the sample I photographed all the stages (here are just a few), to help me improve the instruction notes and diagrams I’d made for myself. You can see that the waistcoat is made inside out and turned through a gap in the facing seam on the back, so it’s all ‘self neatening’ and reversible.
Apron innards!
This is the making of the new No14:2 apron I posted yesterday. All the pieces, bib, pleated skirt, ties, come together in the waistband.
NEW fabric for the pleated potters apron.
A really flattering and versatile apron, now in a tough cotton canvas! Good protection, coverage and movement. Very cheery warm ochre yellow colour, planning a few more colours before Christmas.
New blue denim apron No4:6
‘Apron photography’ is the bane of my life, especially in the summer months, when the 2 big trees in front of the house block out light…. but managed to take some photos yesterday afternoon of 3 new apron designs. This is a soft drape denim, crossback apron, with a split skirt and asymmetric bib – it’s incredibly comfortable!
Brookmill Park Volunteers Waistcoat
During these last few months I’ve been (distanced) working with a local community group, Friends of Brookmill Park.
The gardening volunteers wanted waistcoats that had big pockets and space to print ‘Brookmill Park Volunteers’ on the back, and, they wanted to be able to sew the waistcoats themselves! – I’m really impressed by that part of the brief; but it does mean I have to provide really, really, good instructions, which is an extra challenge – but really enjoying the process. Five toiles and paper patterns later, we’re getting close to finalising the design!
Follow the Thread on Folksy
I’ve just opened a new shop on Folksy, called ‘Follow the Thread’. It stocks handmade kids aprons, t-shirts with handstitched appliqué designs, Christmas decorations, textile jewellery… things I made for my original Folksy shop (A Dog Like Sparky) and for school summer fairs and ‘making experiments’… which have been in stored away while I concentrated on the ‘In The Making – Aprons’ shops. Listed 17 items so far, more to come!
folksy.com/shops/followthethread
In The Making – Aprons Poster
Got my act together and made posters – they are being put up in local artists studios today!