New Apron Discovery!

Lucky for me the woman at the Sabbatus Antique Mall recognized me when she came shopping at Fort Andross. And super lucky for me that, when she leanred on that chance visit that I make vintage-inspired aprons, she put aside a special apron she thought might interest me.

My husband and I are regular visitors at her antique market where there can be found a wonderful variety of vintage and antique goodies. We make the occasional foray further a field to check out other markets but always find that her market is the most fun and has items we would like (and do) buy, all at reasonable prices. I’ve bought vintage aprons from her in the past and have used one to recreate an apron that I currently sell.

Upon walking in her door on a recent rainy Sunday she saw us and immediately said, “I wondered when you’d be back. I have something for you!”  That was an intriguing way to begin our visit. She pulled out a paper bag and first extracted a pile of vintage fabric that turned out to be two unfinished basic aprons. The ties were made, the pieces cut out and they were ready for assembly. Tempting, very tempting. But what she showed me next was the most exciting: an old apron made in a style I’ve never seen before. When I held it in my hand it resembled a pile of fabric more than an apron but once I put it on I realized it’s great potential and one that is totally unlike the other aprons I make. This one should be adaptable to any adult body size because of its fundamental feature: it’s a wrap. Think mink stole (without the dead animal – faux mink stole, please) as if it was hung around the neck. Those two sections that hang down in front make up the apron! Ties on one section secure the apron to tie in the back and the two sections in front can be adjusted to fit just about anyone. Quite ingenious!

I’m calling it Wrap it Up! and if I had to venture a guess, I’d say the original is an apron from the 40’s or 50’s. I love this apron. It’ll be fun to see how it looks made with different fabrics and even more fun to see how people like it. I'd love to know what you think so please let me know.

Warp it Up!

 

A little bit longer....

Swirly and Rick Rack Aprons up for auction at mpbn.net

I am postponing the drawing for the Holiday Swirly Apron until after December 6th. The reason? I have two aprons up for auction on the MPBN Online Holiday Auction and hope to gather a few more people interested in my contest.

You can check things out on the MPBN auction website and consider bidding on my aprons or any other tempting offering, knowing your money will go towards helping to keep our public radio station alive and well. My aprons are featured third from the bottom, #2547.

And if you haven't entered my Holiday Swirly Apron Giveaway, please check it out and know that it will benefit the Good Shepherd Food-Bank by generating a dollar donation when you "Like" my facebook page and leave a comment.

Keep 'em coming!

Thank you new followers of Yo Momma's Apron Strings on facebook.

Because each new friend generates a donation to Maine's Good Shepherd Food-Bank I am doubly grateful. At $.25 a pop, it will take a long time to reach my goal of $100 so I'm upping the ante to $1.00 for each new friend who comments. I counting on reaching my goal so if everyone would be so kind as to share this post, it would give me a better chance of reaching that $100 benchmark.

The cost to friend Yo Momma's Apron Strings 

one comment on Yo Momma's Apron Strings facbook page (I need that comment to differentiate new friends from old)

The benefit

$1.00 donated to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank

The big payoff 

one person will win my Holiday Swirly Apron AND $100 goes towards feeding Maine's hungry this holiday season

Thank you for passing on this information to your facebook followers.

This apron could be yours!

Holiday Apron Giveaway

To help celebrate the coming holiday season I am offering this cheerful Swirly Apron, ready to partner in your holiday kitchen adventures. To be entered in the apron giveaway I ask that you go to Yo Momma’s Apron Strings on facebook, click to “Like” my page and then tell me about the holiday treat you look forward to making every year. Or, if you aren’t a holiday treat-maker, tell me about a favorite holiday goody you look forward to eating every year.

For each new friend of Yo Momma’s Apron Strings I will make a donation to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank, a Maine organization that strives to feed Maine’s hungry families. My plan is to donate $0.25 per new friend up to $100 in total. If, by chance, you are already a friend, tell me about your favorite holiday treat and you’re entered!

So, in two simple steps you can be entered in a chance to win this sweet Swirly:

   “Like” Yo Momma’s Apron Strings on facebook

    Tell me about your favorite holiday treat to either make or eat (or both)

Your entry will generate a donation to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank.

The winner will be announced on the Yo Momma’s Apron Strings facebook page on December 1^st. 

Stay tuned to learn who will be the lucky winner.

(It could be you!) 

Yo Momma's Apron Strings Aprons in Action!

Yo Momma's Apron Strings has made aprons for all ages, from wee walkers to those more seasoned.
What follows are some of my favorite apron models, in no particular order:

How cute is she? 

Never mind, I already know the answer.

My crazy cookin' daughter 

and designer/owner of Anne Bonny's Booty.

All right, I couldn't resist this image but their identities are kept secret 

(even though many already have an idea, a very good idea, of who these two topless chefs might be).

Happy Birthday!  

Now she has an apron in two states:

a summer Michigan apron and a winter Arizona apron.

Totally stylin' in the kitchen.

I would love more images of my aprons in action. 

Anyone want to send some to me?

I should Have field tested that apron!

I was excited about the new apron and rushed it out there after having only tried it on myself. One body shape and that was my mistake. I blogged about it, facebook-ed it and hung it out for sale for all to see.

"So, Zoe," I said excitedly, "try on my new apron.

"Ugh," she said having tried in vain to adjust the bodice to fit her smaller frame.

"But the fit is flexible. All you have to do is draw it up and the wide back will hold it in place so that it can fit any body size," I said desperately. I was beginning to sense that sinking feeling when I know something isn't right.

"I think you need to take this one back to the drawing board," she said kindly.

Ah, me. She was right. An apron with a distinct waistband and bodice will NOT fit any body style as I had so hoped. So that's why all the vintage aprons that have gathered skirts and bodices are sized! Well, any tried and true seamstress would have been able to tell me that obvious fact but I forged ahead thinking the one-sized medium would do it for all. After all, the skirt on the thing could wrap all the way around to the back ties, making that particular fit quite flexible. That bodice fit definitely was not.

So what happens to that new apron in my group of one-size fits all aprons? It becomes a half apron and can still fit anyone.

Tah-dah! (I hope.)

Yo Momma's Aprons & the Common Ground Country Fair??

 Well, I'm seriously thinking about it. 

We made our biennial pilgrimage to Unity this weekend to walk and walk, talk and talk and eat and eat. If any of my readers aren't familiar with the Common Ground Country Fair, I'll summarize in a few quick words: sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA, as it's more simply called) it’s "an event like no other, that brings together so many people from so many walks of life, all in the spirit of celebrating the rural and agricultural traditions of Maine.
Want to learn how a basket is created from log to finished product? You can see that here. What to see to yarn spun, rugs hooked, sheep sheared, solar water created, bees habitat(ed), sheep herded and on and on? You can see all of that here and more. It is a celebration of life and community and is an experience not to be missed. So, we don't miss it. You can get a taste of what it's all about by taking this Virtual Fair Tour.
Next year Zoe and I are thinking seriously about applying for next year's three-day event. There are many crafts people and small business owners exhibiting their goodies and I think my aprons and Zoe's jewelry a prefect fit. A few of my fellow Marketeers are already hard at it and feel it is an event quite worth the time, effort and exhaustion.
Any hesitation I feel is due to the fact that I will have to have a lot of aprons. Actually, more than a lot and the thought how to build a deep inventory of aprons while maintaining my market presence and craft fair participation is daunting. But right now I'm feeling like, "What the heck? Jump in and give it a try."
How to have enough aprons for some unknown percentage of the gazillions of people who will pass by our booth and will want to buy one? 

I need a plan. Gotta think about that.

Adding another apron! Think: Serious Pockets.

Visit Yo Momma's Apron Strings website to see the Super Pocket Apron in detail.

Let me know what you think.

!

Apron Wearers: Do you do this with your apron?

Hmm, interesting that zip-off terrycloth portion (not one of mine).

Once I became an in-the-kitchen apron wearer, I quickly discovered the ease with which I used my apron to wipe my hands when dusty or wet (though I do avoid using them to clean greasy fingers) and to clean off the flour, baking powder - fill in the blank - off utensils.

Have baking powder on that teaspoon? A quick wipe with the edge of my apron and that teaspoon can go back in the drawer. The flour scoop is dusty from dipping in the canister? Same thing and it is ready for a dip in another dry ingredient.  Knife messy from chopping? A quick wipe and you're ready for the next ingredient.

Many customers talk of wiping their hands on their aprons. Do you? What about using your apron to wipe off your kitchen utensils?

R.I.P. Bernina. Welcome, Singer.

I hauled two of my dysfunctional sewing machines to Joy Trott; one my beloved but definitely handicapped Bernina and an older and quite annoying White, to see if anything could be done to keep them operable.

The verdict: yes on one and no on the other. The White works all right but lacks the muscle for what I need. This one I am passing on to my non-sewing daughter to use until she figures out if she eventually will become a sewing daughter - good for light work but don't ask too much of it because it won't carry the load.

The No Decree goes to Bernina (sob) - it's not going to sew for me any longer and I'll donate it to Joy to use as a parts machine, should she ever see another of that age that might need a piece or two.

When I made the decision not to pour anymore money into the Bernina, Joy came to my rescue once again by allowing me to take home different sewing machines until I could find the one that is good enough to pick up where my Bernina left off. Luckily, this took just two attempts. I knew as soon as I threaded up the first one, a very cool looking retro Dressmaker, it was not THE one. Ugh. The second and what came to be the last one, is that Singer I saw weeks ago. Joy allowed me to bring it home, I set it up on blocks so the rocker arm wouldn't hit the desktop I use to sew on, threaded the machine and sewed away. Ahhh, success! This baby will plow through the doubled and tripled seams without a hiccup.

Today I returned to Joy's to pick up the sewing table that goes with the machine. My next step: move my current sewing desk somewhere (!?), rewire the Singer to its original sewing table and get sewing.

A side note: I was able to look up the Model Number on my Singer and found out it was made in1947! How cool is that? I'm in love.

Zaz and Moe. Zowie!

Love Fabric? Love Unique and Creative Wearables? Then check out Zaz and Moe, Susan Delsandro Hellier's website for wearable art. 

I was wowed when I came across her booth at the Yarmouth Clam Festival Craft Fair. The creative designs of her skirts completely took me by surprise with their unique approach to creating a woman's skirt. The simple cut of the common a-line skirt are a backdrop to the cut-through designs (there must be a formal name for this technique, but I don't know what it is), which are hand stitched to the backing fabric. In fact, Susan hand stitches her skirts entirely without any machine work. I get a mellowing and calming feeling about how she approaches her craft by avoiding the "machine." 

Susan had other items in her booth but I can't remember what they were - her skirts loomed large in my memory, I guess. But you can check out her website and see for yourself. I urge you to do that!

Quick Note on Today's Freeport Community Market

For anyone looking for Yo Momma's Aprons Strings or Anne Bonny's Booty on this perfectly lovely Maine summer day, please note that the market hours have been tweaked a bit:

Start: 1 PM
End: 6 PM

This is to accommodate the showing of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" on L.L.Bean's Discovery Park. This is free to the public and, from what I saw of the setup last week, looks to be quite a production. A perfect summer's evening entertainment after our perfect market day.

Come and experience a full day's entertainment in Freeport today.

Time for Aprons and Portland's Picnic Music + Arts Festival!

Long time, no Sew.

A week's recovery after the Clam Festival quickly turned into three weeks of almost zero sewing. I think I managed to get two aprons completed fairly quickly during that first week, still being in that sew, sew, sewing mode. But then came two weeks of working my regular job during the day (my usual hours being from 4-9 PM) and all good intentions to keep up a reasonable sewing pace quickly went out the window. I pooped out once I get home after working during the day and was lucky to manage a few chores before hanging up my apron and calling it a day.

Now that those two weeks of working days are over (hallelujah!) it's time to step up production. August 28th is the 3rd Annual Picnic Music + Arts Festival in Portland and I have some serious catching up to do. In the non-sewing interim I went a bit crazy and did some serious fabric ordering so will have no lack of fun and exciting fabrics to choose from when I get back in the swing of things.

I'm ready now!

Yo Momma’s Apron Strings at the Yarmouth Clam Festival

Aprons on display.

Holy Aprons, Batman!

That ClamFest was one heck of an experience. Prior to this event, Zoe and I sold our wares at local Farmer’s Markets and a very few (two, I think) holiday craft fairs, which were nothing to prepare us for what we were to encounter at one of the premiere craft fairs of the state. We had been given advice and warnings that this is a non-stop, hectic three days and to be prepared, whatever that meant. Well, we found out exactly what that meant and if it wasn’t for the advice and aide of our two neighbors: Allison Bramhall  (festivefish.net) and Arlene Reny Mayhugh (handmade stoneware and pottery), we would have had a much more difficult experience.

All was going along swimmingly until we discovered, upon putting up our brand new, super-dooper King Goliath canopy (I wasn’t going to take any chances with nasty, rainy and windy weather on this 3-day adventure) that the company had sent an extra canopy top instead of the sidewalls. ARGH! With thunderstorms predicted for the next day we scrambled to come up with a solution. To make a long and stressful story short, we managed to get our sidewalls in time to safely enclose our tent in time for the last overnight. In the meantime, we used our extra top and borrowed sides (thank you, thank you Karen Marsden of Bowdoin Baking Co.) to keep our aprons and jewels safe.

A sampling of Zoe's lovely jewelry.

So, my impression? I loved it. Will I want to do it again next year? I definitely do want to do this again. When I hit my bed after that first full day my inclination was to answer no to that question. I was totally exhausted and the thought of two more days was daunting. However, I somehow gained my sea legs and was able to zip through the rest of the fair. Due in part, I certain, to generous the hits of Zoe’s iced coffee.

I do want to mention again how grateful we are to our immediate vending neighbors: Allison and Arlene. Their gentle advice and loaning of a bit of this and a piece of that helped to see us through that first bumpy day and their welcoming spirits made us feel at home and in the company of friends. 

Zoe and I are forever grateful.

Next up: fabulous finds at the ClamFest. 
Stay tuned.

Yo Momma's Aprons Strings at the Yarmouth Clam Festival.

Just a quick post today.

Zoe (Anne Bonny's Booty) and I are setting up our space at the Yarmouth Clam Festival today. Three days of selling and do I have enough aprons and headbands ready for the hords? I have no idea but I have a feeling the answer is "NO!".

I've been sewing steadily, so much so that my poor Bernina gave up the ghost. I borrowed a machine from a neighbor that wouldn't cooperate either so ended up making a late night trip to meet my daughter in Freeport for a hand-off of my old machine. While the old White isn't as perfect as my Bernina (in its prior incarnation, that is) it gets the job done.

My daughter, Nyla, came to my rescue on Monday and we set up a headband production line, managing to increase my total dramatically.

I've made new signage for this sale. Here's a sample:

 I'm off!

Ann Arbor Farmer's Market - Wow!

Ann Arbor, Michigan. Year-round farmer's market.

I was visiting family in Michigan a couple weeks ago and was determined to visit a local farmer's market for a variety of reasons, though what I was most excited about was the opportunity of seeing what other markets have to offer. The best option was 20 minutes away in Ann Arbor. This town clearly values their farmer's markets as there is a permanent structure dedicated to sheltering their vendors, which I was told was built by the WPA during the depression. How cool is that? It was set up as a "T" shape with vendors up and down all the sides (though I notice there were a few spaces empty for what reason I didn't ask).

Being the apron maker that I am, I zeroed in on a vendor who sews and, to my delight, discovered she made unique children's clothing using - get this - vintage aprons as focal points. I wish I had taken a picture of her work as it was beautifully inspired. She used the accent pieces from handmade aprons and transformed them into accent pieces for a child's dress. Simply lovely.

Michigan is the land of cherries and our timing was such that the native cherries were everywhere and imagine my joy when I was able to find an organic option. Super fresh cherries and organic to boot. Man alive! And some vendors had the sour cherries, which are incredibly delicious when made into cherry pie. I remember my mother pitting these tart cherries with an antique cherry pitter and using them in her pies. I haven't had a homemade cherry pie since my childhood and if my family weren't such cherry wimps and if I could get my hands on a cherry pitter, I would have tried my hand at a pie. Somehow the prospect of hand pitting cherries put me off that idea...

Cherries, cherries everywhere!

 I discovered I have great fun visiting other farmer's markets, especially markets in other states. It's fun to see the local offerings and look to see if there is space for me. That would be fun - to be a traveling/visiting vendor to markets all across the country. Hmmm, I think I'll ponder that one a bit.

Sunny and warm for the L.L.Bean Freeport Community Market

...and I'll be there.

It feels like it has been weeks (two, actually) since I was last at Market so am grateful for a sunny Friday forecast. What could be a more prefect setup for a market day than:

1.  Sunny and warm
2.  Beginning of the holiday weekend
3. A perfect location on the L.L.Bean campus

Zoe, in her Anne Bonny's Booty role, will be joining me and bringing along her stunning jewelry.

Be there or be square.

More on Custom Aprons

People ask whether I take orders for custom aprons. While I have many, many aprons in a variety of colors and patterns and styles, there are times when The Right One just isn't there and I'm asked if I take requests. My reply to that is, "Heck, yes!" I love special orders and relish the challenge of making something to fit an individual's personal taste or need.

The process can be quick if I have a suitable fabric on hand or it can take a few days of back and forth communication to nail the right fabric and style that fits my customer's vision. If we can coordinate things just right, I take my iPhone (gotta love it) to the fabric store and send pictures on the spot of the different fabric choices. If my customer is waiting on the other end a decision can be made while I'm still in the store, the fabric can be purchased and I'm off sewing. If my customer needs a quick turnaround because of time constraints, I do my best to accommodate that. With Priority Shipping and if all the stars are aligned, an apron can be sewn and mailed on the same day and the apron is received within a couple days of ordering. That is an ideal scenario, of course, and has happened but if the request catches me at the wrong time (say, when a big fair is looming and I am sewing like a maniac to feel confident I have enough aprons ready) then chances are the custom order takes a bit more time to complete.

A custom order takes me out of my day-to-day apron sewing routine and is greatly welcome.  It puts me in a place where I have the opportunity to take the vision of someone else and make it reality. How fun is that? Totally fun.

Because the nature of my special ordering method demands a certain measure of trust on both sides, I am always willing to take returns of my custom work if, for some reason, we miss the mark. Thankfully (knock on wood) that hasn't happened and all have been happy with the results.

So, does anyone want an apron? Let me know!

Meet BERNINA, a very close companion.

My trusty BERNINA.

She is a vintage sewing machine created sometime in the 50s and continues to be strong and steady and always ready to get down to work whenever I ask. I found her on craigslist, being sold by a man who thought he might like to try his hand at sewing. He never did and rather than keep it unused in a closet, posted it for sale. I learned it was once used by seamstress in California, repaired at one point (detective work: zero - there is a repair slip in the case) and what I learned upon taking it to my local repair shop, extensively robbed of original parts. I can only speculate how and why and under whose watch that happened but despite all the plundering she keeps on going. Straight stitch and zig-zag is all she's capable of and all I need and countless aprons are her current claim to fame.

I like the idea that a vintage machine helps me create my vintage-inspired aprons. It's fitting, I think.

Let us raise a toast: May she continue to accompany me on my sewing journey and stitch many more aprons. Here, here!

L.L.Bean + Farmer's Market + Aprons!

It's looking like clear skies and sun, sun, sun for tomorrow's opening day of the Freeport Community Market on the L.L.Bean campus. Rain was predicted earlier in the week for Friday but I had faith in the changeability of Maine's weather and lo and behold - beautiful Maine weather for us after all.

With Friday heralding the official beginning of the Memorial Day weekend and the "beginning" of summer, the town will be chock full of visitors. And what is the ultimate destination for all those Maine visitors? Why L.L.Bean, of course. And who will be waiting for them when walk by on their way to retail Mecca? Why, the Freeport Community Market members in all their glory, selling an amazing variety of goodies from instant food gratification to plants for your garden and an incredible variety of gift ideas.

We will be in attendance every Friday afternoon from 3-7. It will be rain or shine for many market members but unfortunately, not for my aprons and me. Catch me on a dry day but don't look for me in the rain.

See you there!