Aprons away, my boys! Aprons away...

Lots of water for kids to play in. Of course men are BIG kids when it comes to water. Never met a man who didn't like to trench and direct rivulets of spring run off. We woke to water dripping off the frozen eaves troughs as the rain fell. So the snow will be fading away much quicker than I'll be ready for.

But the kids can get on with their cooking class because I have delivered the 25 aprons. I was one hour ahead of schedule. Yay! These aprons are reversible with a bias binding on all the edges. It seems easier for me to apply the binding than do hems. So I do the short top piece by feeding all the tops into a long prefolded bias strip in the style of chain piecing. Then I cut lengths to do the rounded bottoms. Long strips of the bias (about 8') are folded in half, then 12" from that centre fold is where I pin it to right top and 12" from that centre I pin it to the left top. I pin one apron side in place. Then I begin to sew from the end of one tie to that pinned apron edge and on up the apron side, around the neck band bias strip, down to that other top pin, down the other apron side and down to the end of the tie. I think there is about 12' of bias binding per apron. Whoa, times 25 aprons! Good thing I don't do math! 8^)

I found the edge foot a great asset. I sat to sew the aprons but stood for all the joining of the bias strips. The bias tool is helpful but two pins in the ironing board surface work just as well. I lay the iron flat and pull the bias with the folded in edges thru with one hand and guide the flat strips with the other. Steam really makes it a sweat shop and I lift the iron every once and a while to prevent over heating the surface. But it works slick. I finish the binding by pressing them in half, folded edges together and I'm ready to apply them to the apron.

Now I have a couple more things jumping up and down on this week's list and they aren't even for dear daughter! vbsigh I can't believe it is the middle of this month already. sheesh!