DIY Garden Projects, Yummy Recipes, & Crafty Goodness
The temperature is starting to dip down to where I think about nestling in front of the fireplace. The doors to the garden are no longer left wide open and our living space is just a wee bit smaller now. The perfect time to think about all those ways to conserve energy is when we need it the most.
This cheery garden apron combines the functionality to keep your tools and supplies close at hand while adding a bright lift to early spring days. The vibrant bright pattern will be right at home in the summer but for now–as spring arrives–it provides inspiration for a summer filled with gorgeous blooms.
This apron has large, deep pockets so you can fill them with seed packets, plant labels, and various tools. It is quite wide, so that you can fill the side pockets with all sorts of stuff, and still bend over to dig without getting stabbed in the belly by a weeding fork (!). I also made a loop to hold my pruners off to the side so I can draw them quickly when encountering a showdown with unruly branches. I like my ties to be extra long so they tie in the front with lots room to make a pretty bow.
Here’s how to make your own.
Materials:
Sturdy weight fabric – plain for apron back, pattern for pockets, waistband, and sash cut as follows:
Directions:
1. Cut all fabric to the dimensions listed to make a ladies’ large apron. Adjust size up or down to fit. Hem the two short sides of the back fabric, the top and bottom won’t matter, and hem the top edge of the pocket. Using a glass, cut rounded corner on the bottom corners of both the back fabric and the pocket fabric.
2. Lay the larger pocket cut of fabric on the back fabric, and pin 3 pleats along the bottom edge so that the pocket fabric now is the same width as the back. Sew pleats with a double stitch about 1 ½” up from the bottom.
3. Place the back fabric with hem facing upward, and then lay the pocket fabric facing downward on top. Pin and sew along the side and bottom edges. Turn right side out and make a decorative stitch along the sides and bottom of the apron. Sew two straight lines to create the pocket dividers.
4. To make the sashes, fold the fabric strips in half lengthwise and inside out. Sew the two long ends together making a long tube. Turn tube right side out with a chopstick and some patience. Fold the ends of the sashes inward and stitch to finish the ends.
5. Sew each sash to the top sides of the waistband. Iron the waistband in half, and then fold over each end by ¼”. Fold waist band over the top edge of the back fabric and covering the two sides where the sashes are attached. Sew along the bottom and sides to secure and along the top edge for continuity.
6. Make a loop to hold pruners or other tools by folding a 2” x 5” long cut of fabric lengthwise and folding the edges in. Sew top bottom and sides to secure the “ribbon”. Attach to apron back by sewing the right end to the apron back, then sewing the same end 1” to the right. Loop the ribbon around to the other side, sew the left end near the right end, and then again sew 1” to the left of the third line.
Thanks for visiting for the weekend project!
Now making your own lavender eye pillow is not a unique concept but add linen, popcorn, an ink jet printer, and a just a dash of Seinfeld, and you got yourself a fun & funky Weekend Project, baby!
The concept behind this DIY came from 4 different ideas melded into one relaxing project:
1. The container of lavender that I harvested this year has inspired many a project.
2. I had some left over popcorn from making door socks a few weeks ago. Popcorn has the perfect weight and feel for eye pillows, it doesn’t go rancid like flax and some other fillers, and it’s cheap. Also, you can heat it in the microwave (so I hear) and it won’t pop. Now since I don’t have a microwave, I can only assume that it won’t pop because you won’t heat it long enough. So microwave for only 30 seconds or so and let me know how it turns out.
3. I saw a great tutorial on how to print on fabric on Modern Day Moms that I HAD to try.
Materials for one eye pillow:
Directions:
1. First, fold your fabric in half and print one of the sides following the directions here. That being said, I didn’t follow that tutorial, I just taped the fabric to a sheet of paper and fed it through my printer. Let me be clear, I DO NOT RECOMMEND doing it that way. It worked beautifully for me, but it can really mess up your printer so unless, like me, you want to print on fabric more than you care about your printer, do not try it at home.
2. Fold and iron a hem on the sides of the fabric.
3. Folding the fabric so that the back is on the outside (print inside), sew the long side of the together. Turn right side out and sew one of the ends together.
4. Fill the bag with 1 generous cup of popcorn and 1 heaping tablespoon of lavender. Adjust quantities for your personal tastes.
5. Push all the filling toward the end of the bag, and pin about halfway to help prevent popcorn from creeping towards the open end. Sew the open end closed and you’re all done!
Thanks for visiting for the weekend’s project.
