Protect Yourself!

Got your attention?

I really am talking about protecting yourself, but not from anything more sinister than splashes, spills and (my favourite word) schmegglies. What am I on about? Aprons. Yessiree, step right up and check these out.

Those are two of my favourites but I've been a busy little bee and there are plenty more where that came from. Detail shots (money shots?) below. I've been working on some matching potholders and oven mitts as well but those are not as well established a pile as the aprons are.

I don't know about you, but I need an apron. Well, perhaps need is a relative term here - if I wore one all the time, how would I know what to purge from my closet if it weren't for the sploodges and stains adorning all those clothes that didn't get protected by an apron? Making new clothes is one way to keep the fabric stash under control but it's not a favourite one.

Here's the story. A local shop (I won't name names but the owner is related by marriage) opened last year and I went to support it and do some shopping. Strolling around the shop, cute and kitschy abounding, I saw a rack of aprons. Thinking perhaps I'd bring one home, I riffled through. Horrors! First, they were badly made. Really badly made. Cute at 10 ft but wouldn't manage the washing machine more than twice. Second, sticker shock!! $50. Holy frog legs! Hrm, thought I, I wish she'd asked me to supply her. We'd both make healthy margins and both be excited to share with others. More importantly, they would be quality goods. That is something so important to me it sort of makes me irrational at times. Your goods represent you, the maker/owner/seller. Crappy goods says crappy maker/owner/seller. Your reputation is hanging on that poopy thing! Does that not make you squirelly just thinking about it?

It's one thing to say 'customers are our most important people' but without quality goods you are half way to proving that false. I'm from Winnipeg - I love a bargain just as much as the next 'Pegger, but at the same time quality and value are a part of that hunt. Your stitching should at least match up, be secure, look good even!

So, after I left the shop with my sackful of reasonable kitsch, I went home and looked at my stash. (If you are a sewer/yarn worker you'll know the deep satisfaction that this can bring!) Looking at the colours and fabrics it hit me: make some anyway. If you feel this way about it, someone else does too. Of course being a total newbie this rather looked a lot like jumping in at the deep end and waving/drowning but it went. I teamed up with a fellow craftswoman and we coordinated efforts and took our wares to a small, seasonal boutique. Just as I thought, we were selling stuff! It felt good to have that vindication. Then I looked to Etsy. I put a few things up on my storefront (not the aprons) and made a sale and had some contacts. The aprons languished. There were new shiny things and they were set aside temporarily. Now they are back - full frontal! I'm working on the photography as we speak but I'm going to put them up anyway. They really are so very cute.

One of my classmates at the pottery studio was complaining about getting dirty while she was working and that she needed an apron. Suddenly my ears perked. An apron you say? Well, have I got a deal for you! (Ok ok, I wasn't that cheesy - I just said I still had a few on hand if she'd like to see them) She did. She bought one. She loves it.

If you think a getting a glurg of olive oil out of your t-shirt is hard, try red clay. Damn near impossible. 'Near' impossible is just code for the shirt disintegrating in the wash before the clay stain comes out. She bought the only other apron like this one. Protected AND pretty. How can it get better?