Apronalong - Scrapron or Mapron?

Well I made it - I was looking really iffy on taking part in Karen's Apronalong over at Did you make that? but then had a eureka moment.

I made myself a promise that I wouldn't buy any more patterns until the New Year (things might be getting a little out of control on the pattern front!) and after a craft show and fabric buying frenzy in Japan I had to impose a fabric ban too.

So I saw all the fab apron patterns and fabric choices and couldn't join in. To be honest, my creative mojo left the building. I have plenty of fabric but it's earmarked for other things - I have plans.

This week, nothing like cutting it fine, I turned to the bottom of my fabric filing system:

I have zero experience with patchwork, and the bits were odd shapes and sizes but by the power of Youtube I started a crazy patchwork shape ...

I always planned to try patchwork, the kids bought me the cutter and ruler last Christmas, and who needs a fancy template when you can cut up a gift tag?

Embracing the 'use it up' mentality to the full I even finished up odd coloured threads on my bobbins - I'm forever buying new bobbins, I've liberated 8 making this apron. It felt really wierd using mismatched thread but none of the fabrics matched so I think it worked.

Look at these tiny, weeny scraps for the bin - love it!

And here is Doris strutting her stuff. P says this is a Scrapron because of used up all my scraps ...

... even the tie is made of bits.

But I think it's a Mapron, as it charts the things I've made this year. The square above is made of the dress I made for my daughter, 2 Sorbettos, 2 A line skirts, 3 dresses for me, a beach cover-up, a craft bag for Auntie S, a dress for Little A's rag doll and some lavender bags! I love that, I can see lots of patchwork in my future - I probably need to learn how to do it properly first!

Definitely a cleaning apron, it's not glamourous like some of the beautiful baking aprons other people have made. But I love it. Thanks Karen.

X

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Christmas Gift Planning

I know, the 'C' word twice in 2 days, I'm not even going to apologise.

If I don't get my head around gifts now I will be stressed to the eyeballs. Anyway, I like lists, in fact I love lists. And September through to December are really busy birthday months for friends and family too - just bad planning all these people being born in the autumn/winter!



I have a Christmas system (who'd have guessed?). I have a little notebook that I carry with me and I list who I'm buying for and jot down as I pick stuff up. Immediate family in the back of the book, everyone else at the front - basically I work towards the middle. This means I have several years worth of info in there and can ensure we don't inadvertently repeat an idea. I guess this sounds overcomplicated but we buy for lots of children, little ones get stuff passed down from older siblings - it's no good buying a game for Little A if we bought it for her big brother 3 years ago. And our Stocking gift model requires it's own rule book - makes sense to me but new inlaws have been mind boggled so I guess it's evolved over a period of time and it helps if you were in from the beginning!

I'm trying to move to using my iPad but am struggling, I do love notebooks, some kind of stationery fetish obviously.



To add an extra level I come from a big family, we gave up buying for everyone years ago. We each buy for one other person (little children get dispensation - for me Christmas is about the children, I love that they believe in the magical aspects of it, we keep that going as long as we can manage). This really works for us, we mix it up, try to make sure it's not the same person we're buying for every year, share ideas and aim for each of us to get one thoughtful gift parcel from 'the Tribe' and minimise the financial impact, it's all about the level of thought and effort.



Now is the time for this to be planned, it's a feat of negotiation but all part of the build up for us. And the master list goes in my book - yes, we did have one year when P and I ran round on Christmas Eve because somebody (Star Wars name Lando Calrissian for exactly this reason, cannot always be relied upon in a tight spot!) forgot who they were buying for - good grief.



Thanks to some travelling this year I already have a pretty good stash of novelty stocking gifts - result. I am planning to make some things too but I need to be realistic about what's achievable. So I'm going to keep a check on myself by listing on here, a combination of motivation and realistic expectations, not an easy balance for me.



I'm starting by signing up for Karen's Apronalong at Did You Make That? The Pyjama Party was great fun earlier in the year and I've got several potential recipients for aprons, and not insignificant amounts of fabric! I'm not going to buy the pattern Karen is using, I have promised myself I won't buy any new ones unless I stumble across a total bargain in a charity shop (ie under £1).

This is my 'No Buying Patterns until after Christmas Pledge'! It's out there, I'm sticking to it!

X

PS - yes, I am the eldest sibling, I know, textbook case!

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