I spent days four and five (today) out of my Crafty 365 cutting apron pieces. So unglamorous! But really, I have to have five together by Saturday, and if I don’t do them assembly-line style, they’ll take over my life!

Since another pile of fabric next to my rotary cutter is the last thing you want to look at, here’s the apron I’m submitting for Tie One On! The theme was polka dots, which was easy for me, because I’ve been going through a big dot phase for about two years now. There are dots on BOTH these fabrics:

I know, I know. I have gone dot crazy! I actually like this for Valentine’s Day: no enormous, obnoxious hearts, just plenty of sweet stuff and a touch of pink. Yay!

Hi, my name is Jennicakes, and I’m a fabric addict.

I can quit collecting fabric any time I want to, only I don’t want to! So I’ve been spending some of my holiday down-time organizing my giant stash, and using some of it up so that I can get more!

I know, I know. It’s a vicious cycle. But I MUST have some of this yellow chandelier fabric to make myself a spring dress:

So I’m doing my best to make room for it!

Here are a couple of aprons I made yesterday that are a birthday present to me, from me, made from fabrics I couldn’t bear to part with:

I’ve also been weeding out some prints that I’m finding I’m just not all that fond of, and trying to match them with quilt tops. That’s one thing that’s great about being a quilter - if a print ceases to be useful, aesthetically, it’s still, at the very least, yardage!

I was able to back this quilt, which is about 4′ x 4′, without even touching my muslin! I’d like to show you a picture of the piecing I did, but as you can see, the quilt is occupied:

Other ideas for stash reduction:

- Wrap gifts for crafty family and pals with anything you realize suits their stash better than yours!
- Use it as wall decor, a la The Purl Bee.
- Swap! Granted, trading fabric for fabric doesn’t really constitute a proper purge, but you may wind up with some yardage you’re more likely to use.
- Make cloth napkins for yourself or others. They take about five seconds! This is my favorite thing to do with cute fat quarters I can’t bear to cut up, and it’s a great way to practice rolling hems.

I hope these ideas will help you out from under that mountain of fabric - and, if not, feel free to share your own!

At Hambone's suggestion, we spent much of New Year's Eve cleaning the kitchen(???).  We made wonderful progress, in spite of the fact that I am a terrible straggler.

It has become abundantly clear, for example, that if I'm to have the clean kitchen of my dreams, my apron collection can no longer be stored in a shapeless pile next to the washing machine.

Which leaves me with way more ironing than I want to do… 

The Tie One On Pinafore Challenge got extended once or twice, so it's really kind of sad that I just finished this afternoon.

Okay, the WHOLE truth is that I finished the same apron in different fabrics a good while ago, but when Janet of Primrose Design sent me these scrumptiously coordinating vintage fabrics, I knew I had to use them to make this pattern.
(Watch this space for the fate of the other apron.)

This apron is a pain in the behind to make, but I think it's totally worth it. The instructions left a lot to be desired, which means the first time I made it, I felt like I was winging it. The second time was easier, but still time-consuming.

Nonetheless, this is a hot apron. The proportions are a bit teeny, though - look how massive my shoulders look! Or did I just strike a body-builder pose in my haste to show of these cute little pockets?

Anyway, Tie One On = DONE. This may be my favorite entry yet

Do you love my swap apron from Erin? How fantastic is that fabric?
And the contrasting straps? Why don't I ever use contrasting fabrics? Contrast RULES!

She also sent me a pot holder in the cutest fabric ever, and some awesome recipes. How did she know I'd be interested in something called "Hillbilly Hummus"?

I guess when your business name is "Hambone and Jennicakes," it's kind of a no-brainer.

I do wonder if it's kosher to post the recipes we got in the swap, because some of these cocktail concoctions are begging to be shared. The Scarlett O'Hara? The Dirty Girl Scout? These are too funny!

So thanks to Erin, and to everyone over at The Apron Swap!

This month's Tie One On theme is "A smock to wear out," and I couldn't think of a better way to make an apron that can double as clothes than to use some old clothes. This is made from a halter top that I love, but don't wear because finding bras to go under it is a real bother, and the bottom of an apron whose top I just loathed, but saved because I love gingham. It has two sets of ties in the back, and doesn't cover TOO much, because I really like to have access to the pockets of my jeans. It really comes in handy, though, when I need to wipe glue off my fingernails when I'm in the middle of Blythe cosmetic surgery!

Filled out at the request of the What's cookin'? hostesses.

1. first apron (that you can remember) : I had a few very fun, frilly hostess aprons from my great-grandmother when I was little. I used to play dress-up with them, and I wish I knew where they were now.

2. last (most recent) apron : I'll be submitting to Tie One On this weekend! Watch this space!

3. dream/favorite apron : I love this halter apron I bought at Bazaar Bizarre from HouseWears

4. dream sewing machine: Probably a Singer Featherweight.

5. what do you put in your pockets? or what strange thing have you ever found in them? My apron pockets? At home, nothing. If an apron has big pockets, I wear it to craft shows and use it to hold my change.

6. condiment(s) you can't live without : Does olive oil count? I don't use a lot of condiments, although I have a real fondness for Heinz ketchup, because I grew up in Pittsburgh.

7. do you wear more showy aprons or dutiful ones? Both.

8. favorite cooking gadget: I think my cheese grater.

9. cooking gagdet that promised the world but didn't deliver: My hand chopper from Pampered Chef. It's easier and less messy just to use a knife.

10. a recipe that you know by heart and any stories behind it: Probably just freeform stuff like cola ham and marinara sauce and soup. And if I mix a drink once, I seem to remember it forever.

And this isn't even all of them! I can't even fit them all on the table I made them on!

And here I am modeling one so you can see the style: