Needles and a Pen » Knitting, Sewing, and Nursing School

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  • Welcome to my blog!

    Hi! I'm Traci. I'm a Registered Nurse who loves quilting, knitting, cross stitch, and the great outdoors. In my pre-scrubs life, I owned Real Photography, and you can still see my old wedding and portrait photography site here .

    I've created a map that shows links to our camping/hiking/general family fun review posts that you can find here. It's pretty much the coolest thing on this site. Thanks, Google!

    I great big puffy heart *love* comments, so please let me know you visited! I try to always reply!

a farmhouse cafe apron

I love this fabric line from Timeless Treasures–it appeals perfectly to my inner farmwife!  This apron is based on this free apron pattern (I love that it uses a fat quarter and a half yard of fabric–it’s a great way to use up any cute-but-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-them fat quarters).  I don’t like unlined aprons, though, so I made it reversible (make two front pieces, sew them right sides together on the sides and bottom, then turn right side out and continue with the instructions).  I also added interfacing to the waistband because I don’t like it when the waistband gets all crinkled and squished by my chub.  Not that the recipient needs this precaution–this is going to my Nana, who weighs 30 pounds soaking wet while carrying a 30lb suitcase.

While I’m on the subject of aprons, are there any A is for Apron book owners out there?  I have been so intensely disappointed in it–the aprons are adorable, but none of the patterns are to scale so you’ll have to scan them in, resize, and print at your own dime (and then tape it all together).  Basically a worthless book.  Anyone have any workarounds to this other than ‘eyeball it and then create your own’?  I took the book to Kinkos (dear FedEx–I will never not call it Kinkos no matter how many times you change the sign on the door), but the girl was clueless and it was going to cost me about $10 to have even a single apron pattern made for a book I already purchased!  Which is why I am all over the free apron patterns right now!

Kati S. - Cute, cute apron. I have seen that pattern before, but never got around to making it. No help on the apron book, though, sorry. I’m not a big apron person, but really should become one since my kids are always stealing my kitchen towels, and I never have them when I need them. My youngest actually raids my kitchen towel drawer and carries around clean washcloths. She even insists on sleeping with them! At least they are clean.

Christie, Describe Happy - Thanks for sharing this!! What a cute apron! I have a party to help with on Saturday (I spend a lot of it pulling things out of the oven for nibbling) and it will be cute to wear an apron like this for the event!

Kirsten Ott - TOTALLY agree about the A is for Apron Book! Love this pattern, I am looking for a mans full size apron, I keep trying to talk them into half aprons and they aren’t having it! I feel the same way ever time I see that Fedex sign on the Kinkos!

Staci - What a beautiful apron. I only have made one apron before and I didn’t really like how it came out…I’ll have to try the pattern you used next time. 🙂

it’s like apron paloosa over here » Stolen Moments - […] reversible cafe style apron, similar to this one.  Will picked out the elephant side, and I got to choose the forks.  Both from metrocafe by […]

i made you a potholder. » Stolen Moments - […] my Nana’s birthday Friday, I made her an oven mitt and potholder to match the apron I made her for Christmas.  I was really excited about this idea…until I was talking on the phone with my Nana and […]