Repurposed Apron

The benefit of being broke

Her little red ponytail bounced up and down as I prodded pins through the strap around her neck. It was 10:28 at night. The time when all good sewing projects are inspired to start.

I’ve been homeschooling for 2 weeks now and hit my first breaking point. My heart and soul were demanding for wine- the whole bottle at that, and a therapist- two things I don’t have access to right now with the current condition of the world.

In attempt to distract my gritting teeth from placing my toddler back in her bed 27 times, I pulled the sewing machine out of our crap closet- the one that makes you contemplate wearing your child’s bike helmet when you open the door in fear of what will avalanche on top of you. All the shit visited the floor.

“Oh good one more thing for MOM to clean up and take care of,” I said especially loud to broadcast to my husband that I’m over this quarantine jail and longing for my day job again.

I got me a big to do list with my sewing machine. However, I don’t have any of the material on hand, not to mention the funds to frivolous spend on an afternoon craft.

Being broke forces us to be creative and make something out of nothing.

So my Plan B. I resorted to digging this jumper skirt out of a tote of clothes I saved for my daughter and started chopping it into pieces to transform into an apron for her. This skirt was always one of my favorites. I had a coupon code for Baileys Blossoms and bought it for around $10.

I also bought this headband from there too.

Sewers gonna sew

I envisioned this ruffled chambray skirting tied around her dinky waist with a farmhouse touch of linen fabric fashionably tacked on like a chest protector in the front collecting the splash of a cracking egg and half a bag of flour.

I tried to salvage as much as possible from the skirt by cutting off the criss cross suspenders and relocating to the waistband making the tie.

The suspender straps were made adjustable with a button on the inside of the skirt. I wanted this apron to grow with her even though it’s itty bitty sized. I chopped 6 inches off one strap and utilized the already made button holes into an adjustable neck strap that would harness room to grow.

Dear Daughter,

I know your eyes carefully watch my hands motion through bread dough being pressed against the counter. Your hands joyfully join the measuring spoon as we level off a heaping cup of sugar. I see you discretely slime your battery hands into your shirt in attempt to clean them up.

This is the mess. These are the days.

Lord, please let me savor all the sugary sweet and spilt milk moments in life that come with raising you.

Because that’s the mom I hope you grow up to be too.

For now, wear this apron like a cape of confidence to dance in the kitchen and live up to the volume of happiness God intended for your little Elsa wanna be heart. Sing, “Let it Go,” like all the little girls do in America and feel my love through the threads that weave the hems of memories we’ve gathered together. In our aprons.