This month’s theme is aprons.

I remember my grandmother wearing a kitchen apron – she was not the warm and fuzzy kind of cookie-baking grandma that might pop to mind, her apron was one of her most endearing qualities.

My friend Sanjiban, who was my studio neighbor for many years, encouraged me to use a tool belt worn backwards to hold all my workroom tools when I was running a large production studio.  (Worn backwards, contents stay-put when bending over and moving around.)  I loved it so much – to know where everything was as I sorted, boxed, cut, designed, sewed, and ran around my days.  It became my icon.  Tool belts, a worker’s type of apron, became a supplied necessity in the production studio.  I joked, at the hardware store where I got them, about changing women’s fashion from purses to tool belts – based on function and ergonomics.

When I stopped running a large volume manufacturing company I put my tool belt away – and rarely use it.  Recently, I realized, that my affection of such a practical provision, is resounding in my work.  My Jean Bottom Aprons came about as my friend Bridget, who manages a tony and simply delicious eatery asked me to design aprons for her staff.  I had been recycling denim and corduroy jeans into picnic blankets for years – and had always discarded the piles of bums that ensued – not knowing what to do with all that heavy seaming etc.

As you might know, it is really hard for me to throw things away – most especially textiles of consistent shape and generation.  It is my passion to create something useful with what has been deemed dregs.  As a large pile of jean bums, was staring me in the face, an epiphany happened.  With scissors in hand and mind on autopilot, the first Jean Bottom Apron was born.  A true sense of accomplishment filled my being – that feeling is what I think of as alchemy – magic, turning trash to treasure with solid utilitarian design.

That was last summer.

Since then, some adjustments and finessing of the original design have been made adding silk edging and adjustable waists.

Jean Bottom Aprons are wonderful as a fashion accessory over no-pocket outfits; they are great for gardening, and, of course, waiting tables.  While searching around the Internets, gathering information to write this post I was rather surprised to come across a teaching video.  Take a look.

You also might like to see a really simple T-Shirt Apron I sell that comes with an illustrated how-to page.  T-shirt aprons are wonderful for keeping paint, or cookie dough, off your clothing and are fun to make with kids cause they are so simple.

Thanks for checking in.  You can join the community developing around my facebook page.  Leave an apron related comment below to enter a drawing to win the Jean Bottom Apron of your choice from my shop.  You’ll have to wait til Friday to learn whose comment has been picked at random to win and see the aprons available in my shop.