Seven Days of Aprons--Wednesday's I Heart Stitching

Wednesday's Apron is stitched with love. Decades ago, Monday was Wash Day, Tuesday was Ironing Day--revised to be Gardening Day--and Wednesday was Sewing Day. I like to call it I Heart Stitching to celebrate all those hand crafts: sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet and sew on! I can't help but think it would still be fun to go to one of those old-fashioned sewing bees, stitch with my gal pals, drink gallons of ice tea and eat pies. When you think about it, the sewing bee was really the first girls' night out--they just devoted a whole day to it, and made cool stuff.

Wednesday's work week apron began with the topiary fabric that just makes me happy! This finished off what I had left of it (previously I stitched up tall adirondack chair pillows with it).  I did cut a few squares for a little quilt though. Then I used ticking for the apron skirt, and patched on an angel, leftover from an ornament cross-stitching frenzy of 1997. Kinda funny, it has the year on there. I had made the purple polka dot pocket the other day with the word "homemade" embroidered on it and finished with a button, and a pretty purple heart completed the appliques. On the non-finished side of the ticking, instead of hemming, I stitched on a trim of heart lace, just for fun. I like a little mismatching.

Like gardening, stitching is pure therapy for me. Lately I've heard that treadle sewing machines are making a comeback. I do have memories of my mom's old black Singer treadle sewing machine from the 1960's. Wish I had it! I would love to try treadle sewing--a little workout while you stitch.

I think this is my favorite apron so far--but I have some interesting plans for the next four aprons--celebrating a chore a day. (Am I crazy? Who celebrates chores?!!) I absolutely have to clean house today--and I can't say I'm looking forward to it. Then I'm making a casserole for dinner, from the chicken I slow-cooked yesterday (I'll post that recipe Monday). After all that, I'd love to have some time to cross-stitch. It is actually my favorite kind of stitching. I guess you could say I'm a cross-stitch-aholic and have been for the last 20 years. Here is a cross-stitch pillow I made for my daughter--I loved this pattern and although it's more challenging to stitch with, I love the sparkling DMC flosses. I am rambling today, but I think I could talk about stitching, all day. Guess I need either a good sewing bee or a girls' stitch-n-bitch night out!


Eat, Write, Dream, and Stitch Yourself Happy Today!