Sewing

Sewing: Let's start with the basics....

I think sewing is a great skill to have.  You do not need to be making wedding or prom dresses or sewing suits for the office board meeting, but just some basics can make you feel really accomplished.
I will skip the sew on a button, sort of thing here.  But I think aprons are a great place to start and then you have something useful when you are done.
I have made many aprons, some that I just made up as I went and some with patterns.  I'd like to show you one today with a quick and easy pattern that you can buy at your local fabric shop.

This is Simplicity pattern 2010. It is what I call a basic cleaning apron.  It is useful in so many ways!  You can use it while cooking of course.  It will help keep your clothes cleaner, but really with the pockets it is awesome for cleaning.
What happens when you are taking a few hours to really pick up after everyone and clean up the basic areas of your house?  You get run ragged going back and forth to put the toys up, then grab a rag to do some dusting, then back to the kitchen to grab the broom, oh there's a Lego I missed, back to the play room.  Well with these great pockets, let's try grabbing a rag, stuffing it in a pocket and grabbing the broom.  Head to the living room again.  Now, dust, stuff the rag back in a pocket, sweep, grab that Lego and stuff it in another pocket, oops dust that over there.  Take everything back to the kitchen with you.  Don't go to the toy room unless it's on the way.  Wait, there will be other little things, or you will go back there for something in a moment, then drop off that wayward Lego.  It's like having extra hands!
Okay, okay, back to making that apron.
Let's assume you picked some nice cotton fabric that you like (this pattern calls for about 1 5/8 yards) and some coordinating bias tape.
First, READ THE PATTERN IN FULL. All the instructions.
Second, I cut out all the pieces that I need for the style I am making.  In this case there is only one and there are only 4 pieces.

Check the layout on the pattern instructions, layout the pattern pieces on the fabric, pin and cut.
On the really straight edges I like to use a quilters ruler and rolling cutter, but scissors work just fine.

The instructions have you putting the bias tape on the top of the pocket first.  I did not have any pre-made bias tape in the color I wanted, so I had to make mine, but that is a different lesson.  Then sew the pocket to the apron body and trim.  Turn to the outside.  (Sorry the flashed really bounced back on this picture).  At this point you sew down the pocket to make it into 3 smaller pockets.  They are not however, "small" pockets.  You are welcome to adjust these lines.  I sometimes add a very slender pocket or two for pens/pencils.  A smaller pocket that would hold a small bottle or tool better than a big pocket might.  You can even add these extra lines later after you have used the apron and decide what you use the most while wearing it.

Next you finish the sides up and get ready to gather the top.  This pattern does a great job explaining the steps along the way. I am not giving seam allowances measurements and all, because that is in the pattern instructions.  However, I do not think it explains gathering very well, especially if you have never done it.
It tells you to sew the two lines along the top between the two dots. Then it says to gather it.  That's it.
Well you do sew those lines, BIG stitches, with no back stitching at the ends (you don't want these stitches to stay in place), then you PULL.  The best way to know how much is to make the gathered area the same length as between the notches on the waist band, so I laid it out on the cutting table to check against.  Pull gently on the two threads from the same side of the fabric.  You will have to pull a little from each side.  You then need to work the gathers out to look even.  You can tie the strings together when you have them to the right length, to stop them moving while you work the gathers.  This is kind of like working curtains onto a rod and then making the gathers even across the rod.
Next you will pin the waist band to the apron matching the notches and circles.  You will notice before that the notches were no where near each other, if you gathered right (this doesn't not have heavy gathers which also makes it good for beginners), your notches now match up perfectly and so do your circles just to the outside of the notches.  Sew together between the circles.
Your waist band is then sewn together to the outside of the apron (not across the actual apron part), right sides together, then turn and press.

Then turn down the middle part of the waist band (where you did not sew) over the gathers and pin.  When pinning with gathers, lots of pins work well, as does sewing very slowly to keep it together and straight.
I like to go over that with a top stitch from the front instead of sewing by hand.  If done slowly, it will be straight and look neat and clean as well as be sturdy for all the pulling it will take during use of tying and untying.
A good press on the waist band and all over for a neat look and you are done!
Here is the finished product and in this case, a gift for a friend that I cook with a lot!

Enjoy.  I hope your cleaning routine just got some extra help and simplicity!