Catching Up on Apron Swaps

Boy, life sure seems to get in the way sometimes...or maybe it's WORK that gets in the way! At any rate, I'm retiring on August 31, so maybe then I'll have more time for sewing AND blogging (although if all my retired friends are a gauge, I'll be wondering how I ever managed to work!). So here's my latest apron I sent out - this one was for Yarni Gras' Hot Mama Pin-Up Apron Swap. I had this Michael Miller fabric already in my stash and the colors turned out to be exactly what my partner wanted. I love this Simplicity pattern 4692, even though the faced scallops do take a bit of time to make them nice. 

I also made this potholder, with a unique hanging loop that I dreamed up:

 

I prettied up a dishtowel to go along with the theme:

 

And made a little recipe card folder, and included recipe cards. I added some Seattle Chocolates, and a journal and matching pen to complete the swap. The picture didn't turn out so well...but I have to tell you a little story - I was doing "Show-and-Tell" at work, and I untied the bow on the recipe card folder to show the inside to a coworker, and when I re-tied it, she said "What did you just do?" She had never seen anyone tie a bow by making the loops and then tyeing them together. I think I learned that trick from Martha years ago and have been tyeing bows like that ever since (not sure I can tie a bow the "other" way anymore!). So she learned something new and I'm sure she went right home and went bow-tyeing crazy :-)

This will go in the mail on Monday because I didn't get it sent when I had it all completed (like a week ago), and my partner is moving, so I had to wait to get her new address. I hope she loves it!