Two Aprons

I'm still trying to catch up on posting all of last month's Christmas gifts and that's where these two aprons come in.  Both of these aprons come from The Perfect Apron by Rob Merret.  There are some really cute apron ideas in this book, but I bought it after The Great Apron Surge of 2007-2008, where it felt like I was making aprons every other week, so I haven't really had a chance to make anything until now.

The first apron is called "China Doll" simply because it was inspired by a vintage tourist shirt with some dragons on the back of it.  It also has a gathered waistband and is edged in bias tape.  Anyway, I needed to make an apron as a hostess gift last month.  I chose some Alexander Henry fabric with half-naked men (similar to this fabric, but with a white background) and I paired it with some red and white woven gingham:

It came out pretty nice, but my one major complaint about the pattern instructions is that they tell you to bind the edge using the most asinine method ever.  They tell you to stick the raw edge in between the two layers of bias tape and then stitch, thereby catching both edges as you sew.  This is a lazy way to bind edges with bias tape.  Sure, it takes a lot more time to do it the right way (stitching one side, folding it over to encompass the edge, and then sewing around again), but it's worth it.  Since I was semi-short on time, I went with the book's method.  Bad idea.  I missed the edge again and again...and again.  And then there was the time spent pulling out stitches and trying to shove frayed fabric back into bias tape.  Blah!  Even after I thought I had finished it (and taken its photo), I noticed some edge sticking out:

Argh!   More re-stitching!  What a stinker.  I am vowing to never again try to cheat the bias tape system.  I just don't have the patience to redo things that many times.  But in other news...how about a gratuitous butt shot?

Ooops...covered by the bow!  Oh well...maybe next time.

For the second apron, I chose the "Safari Style" pattern.  This is a man's apron made out of fabric, grommets, bias binding, and rope.  I needed to make an apron for my friend's kid...an eight-year-old boy with super-tall genes.  He'd outgrown his little boy apron (made out of sock monkey fabric!) and needed a new one.  I decided on an adult-sized apron so that he could grow into it.

I went with this pattern, specifically, because I figured that his mom could adjust the rope neckline to fit him, if needed.  I like the red and white striped fabric, which my mom calls pillow ticking.

The only thing I did not anticipate was how much this apron looks like a giant face.  I just need to draw in some nostrils and some teeth, don't you think?

Also note that I did NOT use their method for binding the edges with bias tape.  I did it the correct way.  Stupid directions.