Saturday, July 14, 2012

Countrygirl Chore Apron...

My goodness, but it's been a windy bugger of a day here today!  And hot too -- 105*.   Once we got past 8:00 a.m. the wind has raged all day long.  It's so frustrating to work with gale force winds when you're trying to hang out the laundry.  On Saturdays, I always try to wash work clothes and bath towels and while I was out trying to pin the clothes to the line, my bag was whipping and ducking around on the line until I finally just took it off and put it down on the grass.  All the while I was thinking, "If I had a clothespin apron, I could do this job in no time with no bouncing clothespin bag to deal with.  So after most of the laundry was done, I went to work at my sewing machine and came up with this number. 

I knew I wanted to repurpose a pair of old jeans for this project as the base.  I used Hubby's jeans since men's jeans always have such good-sized pockets.  I cut the legs off, cut the seat out, and saved the frontside.  As you can see, all I did was to add a large pocket across front, doubling the fabric to make it a more durable pocket.  (I wish I had interfaced one side, but I didn't.)  Then I made two 3 x 45" wide ties and attached them right near the front belt loops and also stitched them along the top of the waistband.  This way I could loop them back through the belt loops after wrapping it around my waist and tie it in front.  I did tack the pocket at the top-center on either side of the fly.  I could have sewn a divider down the middle, but it would have had to start at the zipper and that wouldn't work.  Besides, if the apron is filled with clothespins, it will work just fine.  I added a little bit of cotton lace on the bottom and on the edge of the pockets.  What I love about this apron is that I have the large pocket in front, but also two large jeans pockets as well.  I could put my jackknife and some gum in one pocket and my camera in the other.  This apron would also work for gardening and everyday choring.
 
One more thing about clothesline drying that's been bugging me all summer.  I must get myself the right kind of clothespins.  Last year I picked up some random brand and ever since, I've been frustrated with how un-pinny they are.  They just don't grip like the good ones.  And the good ones, by the way, are Diamond brand. If you're hanging out the wash on the windy prairie, settle for no other brand.  (end of commercial)  Have you ever tried the peg-style clothespins?  I never have.  Maybe they are even better.  No springs flying.  Let me know what you think.


(Ewes)
We worked sheep early this morning and weaned the lambs.  I can hardly believe that they are five months old already and they're as big as their mothers.  We turned the ewes out to the range and left the lambs to graze on the alfalfa field regrowth.  The menfolk set a new water tank in the hay field for them yesterday.  It reminds me of the Good Shepherd leading His flock to green pastures and good water.  Those lambs are going to get so FAT out there.  We will likely sell the wether lambs in three or four weeks, depending on the markets.  It was so wonderful to work with those beautiful woollies again.

(Ewes & Lambs -- can you tell the difference?)

We have a good chance of thunderstorms this evening and tonight.  I'm saying a prayer for rain.  I know there are lots of you who live in states that are in drought like we are.  It's hard.  I'm praying for rain for you too.

19 comments:

  1. Now that's a good work apron for sure!! Ugh about that heat...

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  2. Love, love love your apron. I like that it has girly touches with the lace and flowers. Sometimes being practical can also be upgraded with a bit of pretty!

    And yes, I grew up using both spring and peg clothespins! I preferred the spring ones, because sometimes I would try to put too much fabric under the peg clothes pins, and they would snap right off (they wouldn't break, but they would sort of fly up in the air, kind of like a Bic pen cap that is squeezed).

    One thing I DID like about the peg clothes pins was that I could easily make them into dolls and have an entire dolly family in no time. :)

    Loved seeing the lambies, too. It is amazing to see everything grow up so fast! Praying you have rain, too. We have had it VERY hot as well, and often have droughts. This past week we've been blessed with rain every day, but that was after a long spell without rain.

    Take care! - Ruth

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  3. Hi Jody! I love your apron! It's cute and functional! Doesn't it feel good to whip up something so useful in a quick afternoon?
    Our grocery store sells wimpy clothes pins. I have to find some Diamonds!
    I hope the weather cools soon!
    Love the sheep, as always!

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  4. How cute! And serves a good purpose, too. The good thing about the heat is that clothes dry quick, but it must be miserable. I hope you get some alleviation soon. :(

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  5. Thank you, thank you for the tip on the clothes pins!! I cannot find anything that will do here in town...they all fall apart and have no "bite" to the clip. In the wind, you really need something that will hang on!

    I LOVE your clothes pin apron!! What a cute idea and so handy!!

    Praying you get some rain! We have had major thunder storms here, too.

    ~Julia

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  6. G'day Gumbo Lily. Love that peg bag. What a fabulous idea you have come up with. Take care. Liz...

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  7. Great apron and I'm with you on the clothes pins; so difficult to find a really good brand. The peg style is good but I prefer an excellent quality spring type. The wind in this valley is fierce so good clothespins are a must.
    We've been having cool, rainy, overcast...beautiful!...weather. I think we're back to hot hot hot this week.

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  8. What an adorable apron! That's clever, Jody. Have you ever tried to fix a sprung clothespin? What a tedious chore! I've never tried the old fashioned kind, but I'd like to. I don't even have a clothesline right now, unfortunately.

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  9. Love your apron. What a great idea. With that wind your clothes must dry in no time.
    Your sheep look so healthy. It's amazing how fast they've grown. I remember all the many bummers you had just a few months ago! Wow!

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  10. That is such a cute apron, I would love to make something like that just to be out in the garden or doing anything. It is so cute. I hope you get rain too.

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  11. Your apron is cute, colorful and very useful! Nice job!
    I can just feel the wind whipping your wash around.
    Glad to hear the contentment in your "voice". Ranch life agrees with you! :D

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  12. Oh, my gosh, that is darling! I agree about quality clothespins - I had to give a bunch to the thrift store because they made me so mad; I hadn't noticed when I bought them that they were smaller and wimpier than the good old-fashioned ones.

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  13. Neat apron! I use the peg clothespins to anchor down the end line of my string of laundry - the first tow and last two items are pegged down, the rest with the spring pins. I join all my laundry in one line as it seems to stay on the line that way.

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  14. What an adorable apron! I love re-using jeans -- denim just looks so great with every coordinating fabric. Very, Very CUTE!!!!

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  15. What a good idea for a clothespin apron. My bag is about at the end of its rope and I was thinking about what I should do to replace it. Now I know! No bag blowing off in the wind and the dog chewing up all my pins! Thanks for the idea.

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  16. Diamond brand? Check! I don't like the peg ones at all.

    Love the cutie pie apron, love it that you mention a jackknife & gum in the same pocket. you are my favourite!

    I was lookin through your blog the other day, I remember a post you did, maybe last year, about how to properly hang clothes out. I hang mine out all willy nilly and your post stood out in my mind because of some contraption you had to put a crease in jeans. :)

    Hope your summer is treating you well.

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  17. Love the apron! I was pinning clothes to the line this morning and could have used something like that!

    I hope the winds and high temperatures have subsided. We had a couple of super-hot weeks and they were miserable. The upside is, now 95 degrees feels quite reasonable.

    xofrances

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  18. Very clever with the apron! I'll remember that brand for clothes pins - hope they have them up here. Mine are always breaking. It's quite windy here on the Island.

    we need rain too - probably not as much as you folks but we're having the driest summer since '99. We're supposed to get some tonight. I'll say a prayer for you folks too.

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  19. You know, Jody, I used to be so jealous of how you got to hang out your clothes, but now I can hang mine out too, and I must say that standing out on my balcony in the sun, pinning the clothes out with those nice sturdy (wooden, like yours) pins is one of my favorite parts of the day.

    That apron you made is *way* cuter than the old Strand Bookstore apron I wear on my balcony to hang out clothes. But I stick my clothespins in my apron pockets, too.

    And with those high winds and temperatures, I bet your clothes were dry in a jiffy! I really hope you get some rain, though.

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