Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! In this post I want to share with you the handmade aprons for adults I have been busy making. These make a great gifts for a housewarming or just to give to anyone that enjoys spending time in the kitchen.
These aprons are a fun and quick sewing project you can make in one afternoon. I love how creative I can get with matching up different prints and colors. I think the part that takes me the longest is in deciding what combination to make. It’s my favorite part, I find it so interesting when I finally get the right combination the colors, they help each other to stand out.
For this project I use approximately one yard of fabric for the front and back of the body piece. The pockets can be the size you wish, I usually go with an 8” x 8” square. The straps for the waist and the neck can be between 4” to 4.5”, whichever one you prefer. The width is also up to you, you can make them as long as needed.
I’m having so much fun making these aprons, I can probably make three in one day. All aprons will be available for purchase at my Etsy shop. With the holiday season coming up I will be making more for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. These handmade aprons make a lovely gift to anyone that loves to cook or bake. These handmade aprons can also be a great gift idea for teachers! Especially those that teach younger grade, this can be helpful during art class.
Here I’m sharing a short video of some of the handmade aprons for adults that are ready to ship and on my Etsy shop. I hope you enjoy seeing what I’ve been up to lately and that you are able to visit us soon at https://www.etsy.com/shop/2cuteofalife
Who could forget Inauguration Day? There was a new president, a sense of hope in the air and of course there was Bernie’s mittens, inspiring the cutest pattern so far this year! This is not a political post, but rather a recognition of creativity.
Pattern by Tobey Time Crochet handmade by me
January 20, 2021 we see the mittens!
There was a lot to remember from January 20,2021. It was a day of speeches recorded into history. Beautiful dressed people and of course there were those mittens! With all those celebrities present there the one person who stood out was Bernie! Bernie Sanders was himself and that is one quality I admire in people. It was a cold day and he dressed according to the weather. He wore handmade mittens and that shows how much he appreciates the hard work people put into their handmade gifts. I think it was such a refreshing site to see him there on this historical day and not letting his ego get in the way. Then came all the items with his image. There were shirts, masks, stickers, memes everywhere.
Creativity at work
After that day one very inspired lady got to work on this cute crochet pattern. Tobey King from Corpus Christi Texas got to work right away. She wrote the cutest pattern so far this year. Of course, since she posted her pattern on Etsy there have been people that took advantage of this. I bought the pattern from the original creator, however there are other people who are selling the pattern as theirs. This is unacceptable! We need to respect the work of others and give them credit. Ms. King’s pattern clearly states that the buyer is free to sell the finished product but can not resell the original written pattern. It is understandable that right now everyone is struggling financially, but we need to respect others.
Show your support
The pattern is available for purchase at Etsy. I will provide the direct link to the original author here (affiliate link) https://tidd.ly/3bNxspL There are so many talented crochet designer out there, we should respect everyone’s work. It takes courage to write a pattern and present it to the world. Of course there are some that will criticize our work, but that shouldn’t stop us. There will be a lot more supporters and critics. I hope each of you feel confident in your creativity and allow the world to see it. Enjoy making your very own Bernie’s mittens doll!
Here we are in May 2020, how’s 202 treating you? We are almost half way through with the month and looking forward to summer. However, things are not the same are they? While everyone seems to be adjusting to the new way of doing things how have you been through all of this?
Many have changed their routines drastically, while others I see seem to be doing the same. The routine at my house has changed in many ways. My husband was noted as an essential worker, so he has been working throughout this whole period of time. Our children are now finishing up their school year at home, and I have to say they have a positive attitude about the change in their daily routines. I have had the biggest adjustments of them all. Which is probably why I have not been posting any blogs lately. You can see my last post was about New Year’s Resolutions. Needless to say those resolutions seem to have taken a back seat.
What I’ve been working on.
I am still crocheting and sewing away. Like many other people out there I started to make homemade face masks. I wasn’t really going to sell them to make a profit, I was asked to help out and so I did. That took up much of March and all of April. I didn’t count them, but I’m sure I was getting close to 500. I also started making the frontline crochet bears and those were in high demand as well. You can find the free pattern here https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/frontline-hero-bear
Frontline Hero Bear- pattern by Yarn It Darn It
What’s next…
I’m not sure what to expect from the future, all I know is that I’m trying my best every day as it comes. I have to admit that I do get scared of what is to come, but then I realize that many moms out there might be scared too. We must put on a brave face in front of our children, but know you are not alone. I know that there are things we can’t control, but each one of us must do what is best for our children. I’m making sure they are safe, with our youngest having an immune disorder we are all very concerned about him. I am sure other mothers can related on how emotional this time is. We can only do our best for our family.
I wish all of you the very best and hope your time with your family is fun! We will continue to work hard and stay healthy. Hopefully next time someone asks us “How’s 2020 treating you?” we can say “It’s better!”
New Year’s resolutions can be very overwhelming don’t you think? Everyone deals with New Year’s resolutions differently, for me I try not to follow the crowd. Yes, in the next days we will see all of our friends post their resolutions and see a couple of pictures of them actually working on them. However, how long do those pictures and updates last? A week, a month, or for those really committed three months? This is how I deal with New Year Resolutions.
Not the same New Year’s Resolutions for all
I really have never been one to follow with the newest trends for New Year’s resolutions. Just because one year there is a solid diet method, doesn’t mean it will work for me. And honestly I am not going to go out a buy a $2,000 exercise machine just because it’s the latest thing. I have realized that I have to keep my resolutions true to me. Keeping it simple and something I can probably work on daily will be best for my situation. You really don’t need to follow everyone with the same resolution, keep it true to your lifestyle.
New Year’s Resolutions I can manage
Many will have a great resolution of traveling more or just being more adventurous. This can be a wonderful resolution, however in my current situation I really can’t afford to travel and who will look after my small children while I’m off trying to have these adventures? I supposed that my kids could come along, but really it might not be the adventure I had in mind. More than likely we will end up going wherever they want to go. If you are like me with small children take them into consideration when planning these great trips, remember they more likely will not be able to keep with an adult pace.
Don’t try to change too much
There are things we all need to improve, whether it be to quit smoking or eat healthier. These are changes that are actually very important and can make our lives better. However, if you are going to make changes in your life, let them be to improve your life and health; not to impress others. For example, I’m a very reserve person and have my own hobbies that make me happy. I’m not going to stop creating and making handmade gifts to pick a new hobby that might be more impressive to others. Resolutions should help us improve our own lives, not to be a show off and make us unhappy.
Be true to yourself
I have some resolutions in mind, a couple of things I can change but still be true to myself. For example, one of my resolutions to be more resourceful, not to waste so much. This is one of my resolutions I can handle on a daily basis and will help me improve not only my life but others as well. If you choose to eat healthier that is a great way to improve eating habits with you and your family. Don’t loose focus during the year, I know it can be very easy to forget, but if it something you do each day it will become your new way of life. Also, I don’t try to put too much pressure on myself, take it day by day. Soon we will be conquering your New Year’s resolutions and feeling healthier.
Whatever your resolutions might be, I wish you all the very best! Remember, this is to improve your life, be healthier, and stay positive!
I have to admit… I’m an emotional crafter! Crocheting is my main craft, Amigurumi is my favorite. For those of you not familiar with Amigurumi it is a Japanese art of making stuff dolls with yarn. When I’m crocheting a doll I place so much hard work and love.
There are always customs orders, and sometimes I’m excited about them. However, it has happened to me that I get requests that don’t catch my enthusiasm. I will complete the order, if I’m able to make it, however, I won’t have as much fun. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes customs order present a challenge which is always good! Makes me grow as a crafter and learn a new technique. And of course, it’s a sure sale; no waiting around for a buyer.
Showing the world my creations
Putting in love means so much, it really does make all of the difference. I can tell with the finished items, whether I just rushed through it or took my time. I would love to crochet all day long and then have others see the beauty in my items. Making every project that catches my eye and sell them on the same day; that would be perfect! It doesn’t work that way, unfortunately. Sometimes I create a doll that I absolutely love and no one is interested in it. That breaks my heart every time! Other times I post a picture thinking it’s not good enough and it’s a hit on social media.
Branding my work
When I began to crochet I was so scared of placing my name on anything I sold. I had this unexplained fear of letting people know what I do. It must have all been the same fear of rejection. I kept worrying about things I couldn’t control. For example. what if someone somewhere didn’t like the eye color I placed on a doll? Of what is someone somewhere didn’t think the doll as tall enough, or worst yet too tall? This can be a very common fear, just with any other piece of art there will people who won’t like it. But, for every one person who can’t appreciate it, you will find ten who will fall in love with it.
I enjoy creating handmade items that will bring a smile to someone’s face. In my little way I hope to make someone feel good after a bad day or make a special occasion extra special. Even though I do place a lot of emotion in each item I create, all that shows in the end. So yes, I am a emotional crafter and love every second of it!
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This question has crossed all of my minds at some point.. where to find great fabrics? There are plenty of places to go to or order them online. I, personally love to go the stores and see all the beautiful fabrics, however, it is always possible. We live in the border town with not that many fabrics stores to select. Well, in fact there are no fabrics stores, just whatever they may have available at our local Wal-Mart. Not that you can’t find great deals there, but at least at my local store prints selection are limited.
Here are some of favorite places to find great fabrics and great deals. I could pick just one place to shop, I have found amazing prints in all these places.
Jo-Ann Stores
Anytime I can I love to make a trip up to a Jo-Ann store. Yeah I can get into a lot of trouble if left unsupervised. Not only do you have a great selection, but they also have a great system to customized your own fabric! When on their site select the tab for My Fabric. You can do these steps from you lap top in three steps. First, choose and customize your design. They will even mail you a small swatch so you can see it for yourself before completing the order. Second, choose they type of fabric you want. It can be anything from sheer to upholstery. And finally, submit your order and that’s it! If you have a project that needs a totally original design this is the way to go!
Hobby Lobby
I have to admit I love the fat quarters bundle I find at Hobby Lobby! I have found some great deals in their clearance section. Last time I found fat quarters for $.50, how can you beat that deal! Since we are already in the holiday season, you will find the print you need for any project. Their Fall and Christmas prints are so adorable. Hobby Lobby always have sales going on, and all the stores I have visited have everything so neatly organized.
Marshall’s Dry Goods
I recently discovered MDG, my mother-in-law told me about them. If you ever get a chance to go to their store, don’t pass the opportunity by. It might be a bit overwhelming (huge selection) but their staff are so helpful, you will find what you need. You can also order from them online, shipping is not too high. You will need to type in specifically what you are looking for, ex. color or team name. Last time I was looking for a specific print and found it in several online stores, however it was cheaper with MDG
Etsy
Yes Etsy has fabrics as well! I know that a lot of people think of Etsy as only for handmade items, but you can a lot of fabrics on there. Granted it might be a bit more expenses than other stores, but if you haven’t been able to find that perfect print try them out. My recommendation is to check out the seller, see if they have reviews, how long they have been selling. If you still more information on the fabric piece you are looking at, you can always send the seller a message. In my experience sellers are more than willing to work with you on your order. That’s the great selling point with Etsy you have direct contact with sellers.
Wal-Mart
Yes Wal-Mart made my list. Even though in my local store their selection is limited, I have visited others locations with more. The great selling point for Wal-Mart is, of course, the price. You can find the same prints at other stores but more than likely Wal-Mart will have them cheaper. They have saved me several times when I urgently need fabric, and find a good deal. I have order online with them, but to be honest sometimes find their shipping to take too long. Every week they have prints on sale and seem to be getting new prints. Word to wise, if you find a print you like but not necessary need it yet, buy it anyways. It has happened to me several times where I go back to buy a print and they don’t have it anymore, it sold out.
Gone Quiltin’
Finally, there is a little shop in Bandera Texas called http://www.gonequiltinintexas.com. I have gone there several times and every time I wish I could buy more! Not only do they sell amazing prints, but they have classes almost every weekend. The staff is incredibly helpful and very knowledgeable. If you have a doubt on how much material you will need for a project these ladies can help you out. They can also help you in matching up different prints.
I hope this post has helped you find new ways of getting great prints. Always look for deals and stores websites, they usually have coupons. The most important thing to have fun and love the fabric you are working with. And remember we can never have too much fabric, there will always be a special project that requires it!
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When my children were babies they would always have a crochet baby lovey close by. I remember they would hold tight to them during nap, it was very much a security blanket for them. Recently made three crochet lovey which turned out to be so adorable. My children actually picked out what animal I should make. The first choice was this sock monkey, I have crocheted a sock monkey toy before. I made one for my husband last year, he wanted one to place in his car. Check out that post here Sock Monkey couple I chose this really great dark gray and wanted to add some color so I went with a burgundy and white. the colors really turned out great together.
Baby security blanket
Next we went with a puppy, on this one i had to say I couldn’t decide on the colors to use. At first i had thought about a nice blue, however i was concerned that it might end up looking like a another very familiar blue puppy. So, we went ahead with a brown puppy, for extra splash of color I used a little but of yellow. The complete lovely turned out to be super cute with an adorable smile.
Now it was time for a more girly lovey, so my kids picked a bunny. Granted the ears might be a little too short, but that can easily be adjusted by adding more chains. Of course, the bunny must be pink! I had thought about making it white, but as mom I know that white will get dirty really fast.
Granny Square blanket
These crochet baby lovey are really easy to make, if you have knowledge of granny squares it will be a snap to make. All of these patterns I found in a book from Leisure Arts. For the yarn I used Paintbox Yarns. Hope you enjoy making these as much I did. If you interesting in purchasing any of these lovey please check out our Etsy shophttps://www.etsy.com/shop/2cuteofalife
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It would have been helpful while I was growing up to know how to make these handmade scrunchies. When I was younger, scrunchies were very stylish! Everyone had them and we wouldn’t just use them on our hair. I’m pretty sure that many of you can relate having them around the wrists as well.
These scrunchies are so much fun to make and a fast project. Adding the bunny ears gives the scrunchies an extra little touch, which looks so adorable!
If you need a little visual help, check out this video from Hair bow Supplies Etc. This video is very helpful and it is important to remember how to fold the fabric for the bunny ears. I love working with fat quarters fabrics, and this project is perfect for them. These pieces were in my stash and looked cute when matched up. Since I don’t have too much room right now, working with fat quarters is great for me.
I hope you enjoy making your own handmade scrunchies. For me, I think I will be making more of these. With so many beautiful fat quarters, I’m going to have a difficult time deciding which print to use first. Keep an eye out for all the sets we make over at our Etsy Shop 2 Cute of a Life
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Moms already have a lot to deal with, but the major question to all of us is can I be a work from home mom? Having a profession that you love is very important, it helps us feel we are contributing to our community. We all have to work, have a job, but do something that you love. My work path started when I was a senior in high school. After school I would help out at an accounting office. Filing and basic office duties, but I learned how to be organized. At the end of each day I felt productive, helpful and appreciate.
As I grew in knowledge I also grew in responsibilities. Finding a job in banking I learned even more and made several lifelong friendships. It was an interesting field, however after several years I moved to insurance. This is where I really put my organization skills to the test.
During all these career moves my personal life was changing as well. After years of being single I met Michael. We fell in love, got married and started a family. Our two boys are everything to us, but our life did change in every way.
We were blessed to have my mother help us take care of the boys so I could go back to work. I’ll always be grateful for that, however I did miss out on many things.
I wasn’t there when they took their first steps or said their first words. Even though I was told everything, I had mixed emotions. On one hand I was so happy that they were growing, but I wasn’t there. Many nights I would cry and my husband would try to console me. I felt guilty about being a working mom.
Crochet changed my life
I learned how to crochet and it was like a whole new world opened up for me. At first I would crochet only at nights and on the weekends. I was able to make a few sales but was concerned I wouldn’t be any good. Even though I placed pressure on myself, I was scared about putting myself out there. One day I decided to open my Etsy shop, and let the world see what I could do.
Stressed was a major factor, how could I keep doing what I love and be at an office job for eight hours a day? My anxiety disorder was not under control and I broke down one day. While at work I had a horrible panic attack. That’s when I decided this couldn’t continue and a choice had to be made. What was going to be my priority… my office job or my crochet business? After talking with my husband, my mother, my doctor and my spiritual advisor it was clear.
Making changes in our expenses and living under our budget, I could quit my office job. Several months later I was turning in my resignation letter and was a work from home mom.
It is uncertain how long this arrangement will work, but for now I’m enjoying it! I love knowing that I’m there for my kids and my husband. Working from home means working all the time, however it’s not the same stress.
At the end of the day I can look back and see how productive I have been. Making handmade gifts is wonderful, knowing an item will bring a smile to someone’s face is the best.
I hope you will join me on this adventure and share with us your journey was well. Would love to hear your story!
I have to admit I’m not a wiz in the kitchen, but perhaps this half apron could help. This pattern is from Debs Days and I have found my new favorite sewing project!
Simple Handmade Apron
This is a simple half apron with pockets. The best part is you decide how many pockets you want it to have. The first one I made with four, however I decided to go with just two afterwards. Even though four smaller pockets would give more storage space, I found it was difficult to fit my hand into the smaller ones. I would rather have two larger pockets then having trouble reaching for items.
If you need practice with binding this is a great small project to work on. For the back and front prints I used fat quarters, it’s the perfect size. The trim on top of the pocket is actually a jelly roll cut to size. The binding around the apron and waist ties are cut from a solid print, for this I purchased a yard of precut fabric.
Mixing up prints is my favorite part of the process. I love to mix up the colors and prints, so for my next apron I went through my stash.
On this second half apron I wanted the flowers to really pop out. The orange caught my eye instantly, the green seemed to mix with it well. Digging through stash I found pieces to match and the completed design turned out beautifully.
I was surprised on how many uses there is for this item. Can be used in the garden, in the kitchen, or while having arts and crafts time with the kids. This little apron can also be very helpful for dog groomers and hairstylists.
More of these will be available for purchase at our Etsy shop, they make great gifts. I am having so much fun making these aprons, can’t wait to make some amazing Christmas gifts!
