I don’t love sewing in the same way that I love knitting and crochet, but I do find satisfaction in making useful things. And so, over the past few days I have slowly been working on a gardening apron. I am using the same pattern ( the Beatrice pinafore) that I did for my two kitchen aprons, but this version is lined, so the edges didn’t need binding, and I made the pockets deeper because gardening requires much more transportation of random stuff than cooking does! The benefit of making garments from scratch like this is that I know it wasn’t made by workers who are being exploited and I am able to source fabric that is organic/fairtraded. It’s akin to cooking from scratch, it’s just that it requires more concentration! The downside is that I usually always have to unpick something and I am never 100% satisfied with the result. However, it is finished now, and I’m hoping that the dark purple chambray (which is a rather nicer colour than the photos suggest) that I chose for it will hold up to the rigours of the garden and that I won’t be too sad that the lovely bee fabric is mainly hidden away as the lining (although it is reversible if I don’t mind having the pockets inside).
I do, however, wish that I liked sewing enough to make gorgeous quilts and other complex constructions. That said, there aren’t enough hours in the day to do all the yarny things that I want to, so I mainly just look on in awe at the creations of my fabric-oriented fellow crafters. However, I do occasionally get my hands on a beautiful piece of sewing to treasure, and this has just happened.
Over the weekend there was an online auction to support the Sixty Million Trebles project and I was lucky enough to submit the highest bid for the most fabulous handmade work bag. Barbara, the lady who made it, sent it straight away and so I already have it… and I’m just blown away by her skill. Look:
the skill!
Not only did it arrive beautifully gift-wrapped, but there was a rustle from inside and I opened it to find a matching ‘mug rug’ and a little pouch of sewing goodies. Internally, and somewhat difficult to photograph, there are all sorts of pockets, including some very narrow ones that will be perfect for hooks and knitting needles.
Oh the joy of owning a wonderful creation like this… I am in awe.
The Snail of Happiness 
nothingbutknit2
/ April 4, 2017I love your apron! I too wish I enjoyed sewing as much as I love knitting.
Fantastic bag! So beautiful and well made:)
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 4, 2017but I guess if we did, we wouldn’t have time to eat!
I quite often get asked whether I’d like to learn to spin, but I always feel that it would take precious time away from knitting and crochet!
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Ann
/ April 4, 2017I love your Varks helping you. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 4, 2017They are very good pattern weights, as long as they keep their tails out of the way!
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Ann
/ April 4, 2017Hehe! Pesky Varks!
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nanacathy2
/ April 4, 2017I love the apron and the bag. The bee fabric is just lovely, I was wondering where you bought it from please? You bought a fantastic bag there, clever lady who made it. It’s time I got sewing again, I have fabric for three cushions and for a skirt for my granddaughter. The latter requires a zip which is a bit scary for me. Why do I want to dothese scary Projects?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 4, 2017Both the poplin and the chambray came from the wonderful Maud’s Fabric Finds: https://www.mauds-fabric-finds.com/
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iamsimplyhooked
/ April 4, 2017I am the same about sewing – I can do it, but it feels like a chore rather than a pleasure.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 4, 2017I think that one of my issues is having to keep ironing my work… I really dislike ironing anything! Blocking is a very different matter 😉
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Laurie Graves
/ April 4, 2017Wonderful apron and bag! My skills don’t run to the knitting/crocheting/ sewing end of things, but I sure do love seeing seeing such work. Let’s hear it for the creative life, in all its various aspects.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 4, 2017You, on the other hand, have wonderful words to express your creativity.
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Laurie Graves
/ April 4, 2017Aww, thanks so much!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ April 4, 2017I love your apron! And that bag is a wonder! Like you I love seeing all these pretty and useful things made by clever people. I often think it is as well I decided to live simply else I’d be spending all my pension on unique, handmade items just because I love them and want to encourage the maker 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 4, 2017I don’t normally get tempted by things like the bag, but the fact that the proceeds were going to go to charity tipped the scale for me.
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valeriedavies
/ April 4, 2017That bag is a work of art… and your useful and still decorative apron is a work of craftsmanship… hand-made things are an every-lasting joy…. I search for them in op shops and markets….
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 5, 2017I’m really looking forward to sunny days in my garden, wearing my apron and being a little bit smug that I made it myself!
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insearchofitall
/ April 4, 2017I love the apron. So very practical. The bee fabric is very sweet. But you are right to put the more durable one on the outside. I love the bag. What an extra surprise to find all the goodies inside! I have a bag on my list of things to make. You know that list that just keeps getting longer. I agree that we all have things we like doing more than other things. I like being with quilters and having the finished product but the making of them is often so difficult for me that I would prefer to be able to wiggle my nose and have it done. 🙂 I’m enjoying hand embroidery again after so many years. Love that you are using the Varks for weights. 🙂 So cheerful for sewing.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 5, 2017It’s such a long time since I did much dressmaking, that it doesn’t really come naturally anymore. Plus, sewing machines are noisy and need space, whilst I can curl up with my knitting anywhere.
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insearchofitall
/ April 5, 2017So very true. 🙂
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katechiconi
/ April 4, 2017Now you have a small inkling of what I feel when I see your socks! A well thought-out craft bag can turn into a sort of Tardis, with so much more able to fit into it than it at first appears. Really, the only thing to worry about is how much it weighs once fully stuffed!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 5, 2017Having twisted my shoulder over the weekend, I will be careful how much I load into my new bag.
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katechiconi
/ April 5, 2017The temptation to put everything in can be overpowering!
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anne54
/ April 4, 2017Your apron is beeutiful! (sorry, I couldn’t resist! I am surprised that Kate didn’t say something similar 😊) and will be so practical out in the garden. Well done to the Varks, who look like they are reading the patterns and overseeing the whole job. The red one is definitely the Leading Hand on the project. And your delightful bag is another example of how generous (and talented!) people are.
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katechiconi
/ April 5, 2017I was tempted, but resisted…
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anne54
/ April 7, 2017What has that cyclone done to you Kate?!
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katechiconi
/ April 7, 2017I suppose it’s taken a bite out of my sense of humour… I’m recovering, however!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 5, 2017The vaarks make great pattern weights – I’d always pinned paper patterns to the fabric until recently, but buying a pen for marking up fabric has made life so much easier and little stuffed sock creatures turn out to be remarkably helpful!
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anne54
/ April 7, 2017Marking the fabric makes so much sense. I have always used pins too, but found they buckle the material as well as taking forever to to properly.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 7, 2017I can’t belive the revalation of a fabric marker after all these years!
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Emma
/ April 5, 2017Your apron looks fabulous!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ April 5, 2017I’m hoping it will get a lot of use!
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ April 12, 2017Oooh, look at all this lovely stuff! Your apron looks great, and what a lucky bid on that bag! Nice to see the Vaarks pitching in with your work, too… I wonder if the Beasties will be as helpful if I ever get around to making something out of the dress fabric I bought last summer?
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Agzy
/ May 3, 2017I wish I liked knitting anywhere close to how much I love sewing, but I try to give it a go, albeit quite badly. I’ve never even tried crocheting 🙂 Anyway, the apron is charming and I love the insect fabric!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ May 3, 2017Thank you… we all have our favourite crafts! I only learned to crochet a few years ago (having tried many times before) but now I love it and I do more crochet than knitting.
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Agzy
/ May 3, 2017Well, I keep hearing that crocheting is easier than knitting and that’s what makes it so tempting 😉
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Rachel Smith
/ June 27, 2017The bee fabric! Love it
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 28, 2017Lovely to sew too!
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HeyMommaCasey
/ July 3, 2017That Bee fabric!! ❤️❤️
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 3, 2017It’s great isn’t it?
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ladycraftsalot83
/ July 13, 2017Luv this fabric
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 14, 2017me too!
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pressuredthoughts
/ September 5, 2017Hi, I just typed the word ‘sewing’ into the search engine and your blog came up. I have recently felt the urge again to sew. I tend to knit and crochet( I pick up tips on youtube if I get stuck) over winter in front of the fire. I start getting itchy sewing fingers in the spring. I have just copied off the outline of some favourite well worn simple pyjama pants to make myself a couple of new ones. This should be quite straightforward as i have not sewn for a while. once i complete those i am going to try a summer dress.
I really like your pinafore:-)
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 9, 2017My search engine optimisation is clearly working well! I’ve got so much knitting on the go at the moment, that the sewing is getting neglected… however I think I’ll get back to it with these darker evenings!
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