Design and Embellish

While out shopping one day, the curvy, imperfect whimsical stripes in this fabric caught my attention! When I read the end of the bolt: 100% Cotton, Made in the U.S.A., I knew immediately it would be the apron to create and enter in the 2012 Creative Arts Competition at the State Fair of Texas. It took over a year to decide how I would design and embellish the apron!

Between each stripe is a quarter inch white space where I machine-stitched white rick-rack on top. I then took green embroidery floss and hand stitched a zig-zag along the rick-rack. Threaded underneath the green, I used a coordinating dusty rose shade of embroidery floss, looping and knotting at each zig and zag.

I created custom made bias trim from complimenting dusty rose 100% cotton fabric to finish the neckline. A button centered yo yo accents the mock closure for a pull-over-the-head fixed apron.  

The fully lined pocket has several embellishment points. Between the dusty rose and a portion of the main fabric is half visible rick-rack. Along the top of this rick-rack, I used green embroidery floss to do a tiny blanket stitch. At the bottom of the daisy horizontal stripe, I added a bit of variegated green and dusty rose crewel embroidery floss to accent the flowers within the 100% cotton eyelet lace. A running stitch of sorts in dusty rose floss fills the holes within the bottom edge of the lace. The larger button centered yo yo on the pocket coordinates with the smaller one at the back of the neck. Two strands of dusty rose satin picot ribbons complete the pocket’s embellishment.

Using a poly/cotton white-on-white fabric, I fully lined the apron. I then top-stitched around the apron’s perimeter.

I’m a happy camper! My hard work paid off! The apron placed 3rd in the competition! It will be on display during the State Fair of Texas from September 28, 2012 through October 21, 2012! Congratulations to the First and Second place winners! I can hardly wait to see their entries and see what they did!