Tea Towel Aprons

Not so long ago, I took a class for sewing. I did enjoy the class, and after checking a few of the local advertising websites, I found someone who no longer needed their machine and I bought one for 50 Euros. Since then, I have been working hard to make “friends” with it.

I’ve hemmed up a couple pairs of trousers, and then I started looking online for some simple ideas for beginning users of sewing machines. One of these was to make tea towel aprons. The great thing about the idea is that I already had a few adorable “corn” themed tea towels (a set of 3) which I had gotten from Ikea earlier and had been saving as my “good” towels. Well, I thought, I hadn’t used them because I adored the fabric pattern – and I didn’t want to get them dirty or stained. This was the perfect chance to convert them into something that I would actually use, practice my sewing, and which would also end up in the corner of my kitchen – instead of hidden in the drawer.

For this project, you need 3 tea towels to make 2 aprons, some binding or ribbon for straps (I used 1 meter & 1/2 per apron or 3 meters total). (Since doing this, I have discovered there is an easier way – but this is how I made mine).

Step 1: Ironing the aprons. I had to iron the aprons to get them nice and neat. Once ironed, I folded them in half (short end to short end) and ironed a crease in the middle.
Step 2: Choose two aprons for the bottom “skirt”, and one that will be cut in half for the top. You’re going to make these into a “T shape, where the long part of the T intersects the short “half” of the other piece.
Step 3: Cut the tea towel in half. Hem cut end.

Step 4: Pin the 1/2 tea towel now hemmed to the full towel in the middle to form a T type shape. This will form the basic shape of the apron.
Step 5: Sew together

Step 6: Now that you have the “T” shape you have the basic apron. Cut 3 – 1/2 meter lengths of the binding or ribbon. Attach one piece to either of the ends of the apron skirt to tie around your waist.
Step 7: Cut the remaining 1/2 meter ribbon or binding in half (1/4 meter) and sew onto the corners of the top of the apron to tie around your neck. (You could also measure and make it a loop if you didn’t want to “tie” it together)
Step 8: Press.

Step 9: repeat with the other full towel / remaining piece of apron.

Step 10: model your creations!

Notes: Notice that I did the necklines two different ways. This is because the one apron had the “drawer” hang on it. I thought that rather than sewing the ribbon on, it might be easier to use that and loop the ribbon through. The second one, I decided that I prefer it – because of how the ribbon was sewn into the corners of the top. It just felt more secure. I may eventually go back and re-do the one (and not bother with the hang loop) but we’ll see.

I think I’m going to be making a few of these as Christmas Gifts, as part of my homemade holiday goals.

Pottery Experience

Back when I was in high school, I did a 9 week segment in clay, pottery building, and sculpture. As part of this, we learned the basics of slab and coil construction as well as using a potter’s wheel. Earlier this year, when there was a Groupon deal for a “pottery experience” at Artworks Cafe in Portmarnock including tea, cake, 1 painted item and a basic lesson in making a pot on the wheel for two people (45 Euro) I couldn’t resist. This past weekend, I used my voucher and here are the pre-fired results.

When I first arrived, we were seated at a bunch of tables and given a choice of a plate with rim, a plate with no rim, or a mug to paint and fire. I chose a plate. From there, they gave us the option to draw a design or use a bunch of books (or various internet sites) to search for our own design for the pottery. Halloween is near, and after flipping through several books, I found the inspiration for my design:

Because everyone else was busy with the tracing paper, I figured I could free hand draw it on the plate (the picture itself was way too big) and I added some of my own touches. Long before the others were started painting, I picked up the brush and started on with my design. First, I mixed up the green, and then I painted the black hat.

Meanwhile, A chose his mug and began drawing a simple design on his as well. Shortly afterward, we were invited over to the landing and shown the basics of potting on the wheel. I was the only person who had done it before – and went first after the teacher.

I managed to quickly center my little slab of clay and began shaping. I think I forgot how much strength this can take – and just how messy it is, but the basics from my art class still remained.

Adding water, I continued to work the clay into a rounded bowl shape.

Eventually, I worked it up into a bowl, and added a lip. Sadly, though, when I turned to have a picture made – I nicked it – thus, you see the dent in the corner –

In the end, however, after a little more working, I decided to let the “nick” be a feature, added some stripes with one of the clay working tools and called it done. (It was easier than destroying the entire piece and starting over). It will take 3-4 days to dry, and then will be dipped into green before being fired and glazed.

Next up it was A’s turn. He’d never done this before, and it took him longer to get the clay centered. (I recall this took the longest time to learn for me as well). He did eventually get the piece centered and started out making the little bowl too.

He raised the sides and, as is common when trying to make a pot on the wheel, found that the pressure has to be exactly even – or the pot goes wonky and off center.

He kept working at it though, and while still off kilter, it did become a small bowl shaped piece, and one which as a first time attempt is quite good.

When we were both done, we went back to painting.

About an hour later, my “magic” plate was finished being painted

as was A’s mug:

We both had such a nice time, that we’re for sure going to have to go back and paint / play on the wheel more. At this point, we’re just waiting for the projects to be fired – This happens every couple weeks – and then for them to text and let us know that they’re ready. I’ll post the pictures when they are done. Otherwise, I would recommend taking the chance to do some pottery painting (I think even the kids will like it as it’s quite hands on) and/or get messy with the wheel. Also, if you’re in the area, I would recommend the Artworks Cafe, for sure.

Father Ted House – aww go on!

Sometimes, one of the greatest things about living in Europe is that I get to see and experience cultures different than my own. The USA can be very insulated, and with relation to today’s blog post, this means that we make our own Television programs and have our own “cult classics” which we then proceed to export around the world and introduce into the “collective consciousness” of society. There are very few great comedies (or other TV shows) that make it over to our collective memory from outside the USA. It’s just a fact of life that most of our broadcast into the home entertainment coming from “outside” the USA is few and far between. If you want to have something “international” you really have to go hunting for it. Today, I can think of a handful of shows – Red Dwarf, Doctor Who, Keeping up Appearances, Masterpiece Theater – that were on consistently as a child growing up – all of which were made by the BBC – and all of which only were shown only on PBS (not the main larger TV stations). This saddens me because there are so many great writers out there – both in the USA and abroad – which are in the “European” or individual country collective consciousness but which we as Americans simply miss out on.

One of these programs that never made it to the States is a show that aired in the 1990’s called Father Ted. When I first moved to Ireland, I was told that this was a “must watch” show in order to help fit in. Here in Ireland, it is one of the best comedies (reruns are still on TV) which almost everyone at any age can enjoy. It’s about a couple of Priests (Father Ted, Father Dougal, and Father Jack) who have been exiled to the fictional Craggy Island (off of Ireland’s west coast) because of some questionable incidents. The three priests live together and have a housekeeper named Mrs. Doyle. As the series progresses, “wise” Father Ted takes on the role as the “dad”, Father Dougal (sweet but really quite naieve) takes on the role of the son, Mrs. Doyle takes on the role of the bumbling mom (and excels at physical comedy) who serves Tea (aww go on, go on!) and cleans through it all, and Father Jack as the grumpy drunken relative. The whole thing is quite hilarious as they have adventures (in one episode, Father Ted is asked to host a beauty contest, in another, Father Dougal takes on a milkman who has been “serving” the entire community, and in a third, Father Ted & Father Doyle have to break Father Jack out of the retirement home – to name a couple) and everything goes wacky. The show tackles a certain loveable “Irish” standpoint and also has some questionable (scandalous!) themes that have caused me to laugh near to tears with each passing moment. All told, there were only 25 episodes made, but by far, the culture here loves their Father Ted.

Out of this TV show and the recession, enter an enterprising American lady. At the top, I posted the opening sequence of the Father Ted show, courtesy of Youtube. As we fly in over the coast of County Claire, you zoom across the fields and then are flown around the house where the entire show is supposed to take place. Well, this house has been owned by a ex Pat American lady and her Irish husband for the last 25 years. They bought the place when they first got married (before the TV show) and once the show became a big hit, began noticing that people would come from all over Ireland to drive by the house and have pictures made with it. One day in the last few years, the American lady was laid off. As the job search continued, she had a great idea – I have a house that people come from all over to see – let’s use it to my advantage. And thus, Tea at Father Ted’s house was born. This lovely lady, from New York state, by appointment (it’s a 3 hour drive from Dublin) invites people into her home (aka Father Ted’s home) and puts on a full spread of “tea” to about 10 – 14 people. There’s tea, homemade cakes and scones, and some fun conversation about all of the people that she gets to meet. While she’s not Mrs. Doyle, she is a lovely, enterprising lady, who has figured out that for 10 Euros a person, and selling some additions (postcards, Tea, scarves, etc that are “related” to the show) she can have a little extra cash in her pocket.

So, where am I going with this? Simple. For A’s birthday this year, the unmentionable #30, she decided she wanted to go to Father Ted’s for tea. And so it was, one fine Saturday last April, that we found ourselves (2 cars packed full of A’s friends) driving the 3 hours from Dublin, across on the motorway and into the rural county Claire Burren region to visit Father Ted’s house. It was neat to see the house, and to see the inside. The best part was getting to see the American running the place (I was quite amused to realize she was American – and she was rather amused that I could point out some of the items from various episodes and appreciate her efforts and entrepreneurial spirit) and her fine family.

Phoenix Rose's Blog

The Chronicles of a Girl, Her Dog, and a Lifelong Journey…

fun

Tea Towel Aprons

Pottery Experience

Father Ted House – aww go on!