50s Retro Ruffled Apron

I'm generally not one to make the same thing more than once.  It seems like once any project is finished, I've been there, done that.  Don't need to do it again.  This is why I will never be a good sales crafter.  Can't handle pumping out the same stuff over and over again. This apron was an exception to that.  I have made this same pattern four times now. 

That wasn't the original intent. It started out as a project requested by my mother.  For the last few years previous to this project, we had done the ugly Christmas sweater thing.  In 2013, my mom said instead of a sweater, she wanted an ugly Christmas apron.  So I asked her to give me an idea of what style she would like and I would do something up for her.  

We went to the fabric store. (The ONLY fabric store.  Actually, it's basically just a quilting addict who sells fabric out of her home in order to support her habit.  Don't get me wrong. Great lady and very helpful.) There were only three Christmas themed fabrics, and they didn't coordinate.  Since we needed three, and it was supposed to be an ugly sweater, we took some of each. When it was done, Mom was thrilled! She couldn't wait to show it off.

Everyone said it was a terrible "ugly" sweater. It was too cute! My sisters both informed me that they were putting in an order for next Christmas (now last Christmas). I had a year, so I figured I could handle it. I started with Tracy's.  I figured Ali would be more... particular... regarding her fabric. Tracy just let me choose.  I loved the Santa in the above picture, so I put together colours that I like.  At this point working at Serge & Sew, I had many more fabrics to choose from.  I got it done right away and it was on display at the store for a while.

Alison came down and chose her own fabric. I had to send Tracy hers, so it had to be taken down from the mannequin at the store.  I replaced it with Ali's as soon as possible.  Both of these samples were met with adoring reviews.  So when I had to send Ali's to her, we were left with no sample for the store.  

So I made one just because, with fabric that required no season.  It ended up being a class in the store.  This is a pattern of my own design and I've done it so many times that I've put it into a pattern. If you would like to try it, check it out here on my Etsy page.  I added tulle to the three Christmassy ones, but not the pink and blue one with the ducks.  I found it didn't really need it and it was much less fussy.  But for an added umph, you can add some tulle to the skirt if you really want to.