Etsy Seller Diamondmeenah's Aprons

These aprons on Etsy caught my eye. Not only does the seller make them from scraps, one of my favorite materials to work with, she sews them completely by hand, which boggles my mind. A couple are even made of recycled clothing.

I asked Julie Ann about her aprons, and she had this to say:
"I don't believe in things that can't be used for the purpose they were intended for. If all you can do with something is look pretty, to me it's pointless (with very few exceptions, since I've got a rather large collection of other wise pointless ceramic frogs). In the case of aprons, the reason most people wear them is to protect their clothing. With this in mind, my aprons are designed for people who craft with messy stuff as well as cooks who cook like me; I wear as much as I get into the pot or onto the plate.

The aprons are all made of scraps of fabric literally quilted together as you would a quilt for your bed. They are normally a bit irregular in their shape due to using scraps and a homemade pattern, but the are very durable. More often than not, you'll tear the fabric before you'll rip out my stitches. I use two pieces of thread when I sew instead of one like a sewing machine does. I also do what I believe is called a blanket stitch on the edges of the fabric to prevent it from fraying. I'm not sure of the stitch name because I taught myself to sew by looking at clothing seams and copying what I saw. I simply call the edging stitch a 'no fray stitch' because the fabric doesn't fray when I do it.

The aprons are designed as wearable art that you can take off and clean the counter or floor with if you need to. Any stains you acquire just add to the aprons charm, and they are designed that way. They are also designed for those with physical limitations like arthritis or a disability of some sort. Most of my apron ties will wrap around and tie in the front of most body types. So, if you've got arthritis, you don't need to strain yourself trying to tie the apron in the back when you can much more easily tie it in the front. This also works great for wheelchair users who find knots in the middle of their back as uncomfortable as I do. The straps are wider than the standard apron straps to make it easier to grip with arthritic or wet hands. The neck straps are also wider so that they don't cut into your neck with extended periods of wear and it's also easier to get over a freshly done head of hair, or not tangle in really long hair."

I like her philosophy on things being useful and practical. I know it is something I try for in my store. I don't have anything of purely decorative function. I don't consider toys purely decorative, since play is important for children, and sometimes for adults. :) Click on the apron to visit her shop and see the other aprons available.