THE 22 APRONS PROJECT
I finished my apron project! That is what I am most excited about in my life right now. It’s been a project more than two years in the making.
When I retired in 2005, my goal was to sew all the fabric I owned into aprons. I crafted more than 100 one-of-a-kind aprons. I gave away a ton of them, sold a few at a craft center and stockpiled the rest in my closet.
And then I said to my daughter, “I think I will make up a few more aprons and you can invite your friends in and they can each pick an apron.”
“Great idea.” She said.
And so, my project began. Since I had several sewn, I figured six more aprons would be plenty. Verifying the count with my daughter, she sheepishly confessed there were now 20 friends counting on being invited to the apron party.
“Aarrgh,” said I.
I began sewing in earnest. And today, August 7, 2018, at 5:30 PM, I finished #22. I feel like a liberated woman, and that is a great feeling.
I have a body of work that is impressive, both in fabric choices and because there are no two alike. I used several patterns more than once, but when sewn in different fabrics, they are unique. My apron babies live on hangers in my closet. I visit them regularly, know where every mistake is, and generally feel sad that soon they will all go to new homes.
“Aarrgh,” said I.
Anne Dillon is a longtime Washington writing student with Ariele Huff.
SHARING STORIES is a weekly column for and about the 50 plus crowd living in the Puget Sound region. Send your stories and photos to ariele@comcast.net. Tell local or personal stories; discuss concerns around aging and other issues; share solutions, good luck, and reasons to celebrate; poems are fine too. Pieces may be edited or excerpted. We reserve the right to select among pieces. Photos are always a plus and a one-sentence bio is requested (where you live, maybe age or career, retired status, etc.).
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