THE GREAT APRON SWAP 2010... Update

Do you remember way back in MAY/JUNE I particpated in this great Swap?

A big Thank You to  Sarah of Red Gingham for organising it!

My beautiful Apron arrived mid June, just as I was setting off back to London. 

 I took it back,to show off to everyone and to photograph it on my mannequin which is still at my parents.  

I left the apron there and forgot to take photo's grrr...!

This time back in London, I remembered to take the photo's and bring the gorgeous Apron back with me

And now I can tell you all about it! 

Albeit a bit later than anticipated

My Swap partner was FRAN  all the way in Australia

  she is a fantastic sewer and crafter!

Her sewing skills are exceptional.

And her Lovely Little Sweet Peas blog

 is craft inspiring 

You can read all about the details of my Gorgeous

 Amy Butler designed apron and the wonderful Heather Bailey fabric 

here

GORGEOUS

Cabbage Roses and Gingham!

And Girly Frills Too...

I just LOVE IT!

Thank you Fran

~x~

BECAUSE...

I wanted to firstly make sure that Fran was safely in receipt of the Apron I swapped and sent her,

I have not posted any photo's here previously.

I took the easy option and bought an Apron to EMBELLISH from my local charity shop/thrift store/loppis here in Sweden called St Eriks Hjalpern.

It is a pink and white ticking/candy stripe Bread Apron overall.

My neigbour informed me, that in Sweden they used to wear these when they made the daily bread.

Two large pockets at the front, where you kept the flour.

 Handy to  keep dibbing into for more, as you knead the dough... 

I thought that as Fran was a 'full-on' crafter the pockets would be ideal to keep things at hand.

I am glad she thought the same to.

I wanted to keep with a Scandinavian Swedish theme so...

I chose to firstly embellish with a heart as it simply symbolises LOVE and is synominous with Scandinavia.

Most women like a bit of lace, so I found some old vintage lace and that was added to the pocket edge.

In our local DOLLAR STORE

 (which I and the boys love to visit for a cheap tacky bargain when we go to town)

 I found some individual SWEDEN sew/iron on patch

I thought this would be perfect for the other pocket 

The DALAHAST 

a typical wooden, hand-carved Swedish horse from the Dalarna area

 is also very typically Swedish.

I had a pattern and so cut it out in blue felt.

I thought the Apron was complete.

But it looked bare and quite childish to me...

I needed something to make it a bit more retro and contemporary

I then decided on the Birdy's...

Howevery my sewing and sewing machine skills are NIL.

I was getting very daring and actually turned the dial to ZIGZAG

This was a very first attempt...

I was really quite chuffed how they turned out.

I feel it was just what this humble bread apron needed to bring it into 21st century!

It's given me some confidence to experiment more with my artistic side and encouraged me to craft ...MORE 

It has been great Fun!

P.S.

You can also read what Fran, thought and wrote about  the Apron I made and sent to her... here