Handmade Gift Parade Finale

This hostess apron for my mother-in-law was actually the first Christmas gift I made. My friend, Danielle, spent a whole day with me in her charming little sewing room (ocean-ish walls, ric rac in vintage jars, Amy Butler fabrics neatly folded and stacked... totally dreamy) during my longish stay in Utah back in October. I was intimidated by the fact that I would have to gather the waist, but it turns out gathering is the easiest thing ever. Danielle tought me some great techniques for cutting, measuring, pinning, and sewing straight lines. She was a good, patient teacher. And thankfully the 2 babes slept, and Blaine was occupied with the DVD player, Danielle's collection of loose change, and cutting his finger with the rotary cutter (this is the part where you roll your eyes and say, "Nice parenting skills, Anne.")

The exciting thing is that I didn't make those other hostess aprons until 2 1/2 months later, and I didn't have the measurements or pattern with me, so I just did it all from scratch. I was so proud that I could actually figure out how to do it again (with my mother-in-law's help)!

In conclusion--I am a slow seamstress. My work is not great. But I am heaps better than I was a year ago, and much more confident. And it's fun. So...if I can do it, you can do it.