My mother learned dressmaking/tailoring. from her grandmother in Austria. I am 75 so that was a long time ago. Mom escaped Nazi Germany and came to Philadelphia. Her older sister and my Mom opened an upholstery/custom decorating business and thrived. I grew up with beautiful clothes. I can still feel my Mom’s hands on me as I stood on a chair and she ‘fitted’ me. I loved this video.. Rajiv you are right! Everyone should know how to thread a sewing needle and put a button back on. Repair, reuse, recycle, love you!
@@eily_b I would kill for a proper your of that box! I want to know where he got the box, then what each tool is called, how it's used, and where/when it's from, etc. Actually, I'd just like to poke my nose into every single drawer and cupboard in his apartment 😂
I’m looking forward to give It a try,since I love aprons. Thank you Rajiv. You are inspiring me a lot. I even polished my silver after watching your video 😂
"People be like ,Ugh! Look at his timble!" ha, had me in stitches. Rajiv your a pillar of talent, your educational tutorials along with your charming personality has me captivated. P.S, your hair never looked better.
My granny was a seamstress as a young woman at the turn of the 20th century. She taught me simple hand sewing techniques that I've used for the rest of my life. It is so satisfying (and meditative) to do, and very nostalgic remembering her. I'm going to be hand sewing the hems for my draperies this Fall. Thanks for the refresher, it was excellent!
That is so cool. My gran taught me basket weaving. She, sadly, passed last month, and I miss her so much. Seeing what you have written, I'm going to get back to basket weaving and, hopefully, remember her in happier times.
I call sewing my Granny time. There are generations of people who've already sewn the thing that I'm attempting. I lean into that. The side effect is it takes the pressure off and sewing becomes a meditation. My turn of the last century thimble belongs to a woman named Bertha, which means my thimble has a name... - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
I somehow inherited my Gramma Hrapchak’s sewing box. If I ever needed anything I did not have on hand I would look in there and could find it. Over and over this happened, I started to think she was re-filling it from the other side. Thank you for teaching basic life skills, and thank you for taking your time with your tutorials!
One thing I always recommend is to start off by washing and drying your fabric before measuring and cutting and sewing. That way your project isn’t potentially ruined when you have to wash it later.
@@sangitadutta5637 no but I've been searching for videos about hand sewing an apron I've even bought the fabric and everything this is a bit too big of a coincidence
I love easy sewing projects that give you immediate satisfaction! Though on a technical note, true ticking( as recommended ) is a fabric which has a twill weave, you can only pull a thread on a plain weave fabric. ( the basic over under ) I think this is an important note to make for those who will go ahead and buy ticking, and not be able to pull the thread! Twill weave is what you see on your jeans, the diagonal pattern is how you can tell. Just because a fabric has a stripe doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ‘ticking’ Finding the cross grain is easy with a 90 degree ruler if you can’t pull the thread I hope this helps anyone who will go ahead and try this project!
Interesting note but much modern ticking is actually striped duck in a regular weave. I’ve never tried it but assume you can still pull a thread on a twill since the warp and weft are still perpendicular. Whether or not this is necessary for an apron, Rajiv still taught a useful technique.
I have been sewing clothes for years now and never used a thimble and now I feel so silly 🙃 all those pokes in my fingers were for what?! I have been binging your content all night and you are a natural. I have now bought a calligraphy book and a thimble 😂 thank you. I'll be making your easy dinner next!
Rajiv, you are a detailed and interesting teacher. I am a sewist, myself, but I believe anyone could follow your clear instructions to make this cool apron!
Many people's waistline is not actually at their belly button. A great way to find your true waistline is to bend your body to the side and note exactly where that bend is. That is your waistline. Your aprons are lovely!
The sounds of the iron and the ironing board folding the slightest bit under the pressure of folding the cloth, for me, as the granddaughter of an occasional seamstress, is actually magic. I can instantly hear the radio playing, feel the heat of a 4pm sun, feel the sensation of the fabrics and the cutting table, and smell her sewing room... magic indeed
Thanks Rajiv, all of your sewing techniques here, like folding/ironing the un-finished edge of the cloth, and sewing skills to make the threads unvisible, etc reminded me of my grandma and my mother. Back then, these were essential sewing skills for almost every woman. There were days that I stood beside my mother watching her hand sewing a skirt or alter the length of my pants. Your video brought me back to my childhood. Those days were slow, but sweet! Thank you!
Sewing a new apron was on my to do list this month. Thank you Rajiv for your gentle persuasion to get us inspired! What we do each day with our hands makes our lives a little better by sparking joy in the items we create.
What a lovely and useful video! I learned to hand sew from my grandmother and my aunt more than a half century ago. Those skills have served me well for many years whether I am repairing a seam, taking up a hem, or making a skirt. As a former pastry chef, I have been given many aprons over the years, but this tutorial makes me want to make a hand-sewn one. Traveling to a vacation home years ago, I realized I had forgotten an apron - and I simply cannot cook without one! I bought a nice checked woven tea towel from a kitchen store, then purchased twill tape from a quilting store in town. I attached a length of the twill tape exactly as Rajiv shows to one of the short edges for the neck strap and 2 more pieces of twill tape at where my waist is to form the ties. To make the top portion of the apron a bit narrower across my chest, making it fit nicely over my bosom, I made 2 half-inch pleats on either side of the top. They are like darts, but just stitched at the top and they are placed about 2 inches from the edges where the top strap is sewn. I have had that little apron for at least 20 years. It’s a pretty blue checked pattern that looks like it was made to match the tiny kitchen of my husband’s family cabin. I keep that apron with the things I bring to the cabin every Summer and tying it on the first day always make me feel at home in that kitchen. Great video with terrifically useful sewing instructions. I have a good sewing machine, but I often look for reasons to hand-sew. Usually it is to tailor a piece of clothing. As Rajiv says and so many agree, it is meditative and it is a joy to look at your own handwork for years to come. Mary K.
Yesterday I was missing Rajiv… it had been a while since Rajiv put out a lovely and instructional AND inspirational video… I am so happy that this morning I can have my coffee and enjoy Rajiv make art. Thank you Rajiv!!!❤
My Mom passed away recently at 95 and left me a silver thimble that belonged to her grandmother. It must have been from the 1800’s. I gave it to my niece who loves sewing. It felt good to pass it to the younger generation to cherish. Thank you for this video.
Hey handsome, you are very cleaver! Is there any beautiful thing that you can’t do? It’s taken me 76 years to learn paper crafts , quilting, sewing for my daughters and home, acrylic and watercolor painting, and cooking. I have also made books and two years ago made aprons for my daughters and sister. Love your videos and now I want to make a new apron from ticking! Thanks for the inspiration!
I was given my first sewing kit when I was 4 years old. I’ve been sewing for more than 60 years. I love hand sewing and of all of my siblings I was the fortunate one to inherit my great grandmother’s gold thimble, I do not hand sew without it. I also have her very old (100 years give or take) buttonhole scissors. I do love your brass needle case and beautiful sewing box.
The offcuts from your fabric are great for adding a patch pocket or two, as well. Great for tucking a kitchen towel, cleaning rag, small tools, or other necessary bits and bobs into as you cook/work.
Rajiv, I love your passion for history and the stories of ordinary people who made things. I grew up in a 200-year old farmhouse, growing gardens, milking our cow, sewing our own clothes, chopping wood for the winter, making soap, canning, making our own butter, raising chickens ... My parents also raided thrift stores and antique shops for old tools to use again. Your videos make me appreciate my upbringing even more. And they've reminded me of the magic that's found in daily tasks. Thank you. ❤
How are you real?! Literally EVERY video you make brings me joy. I always get this feeling like I should put on white gloves and sip tea with each video. ❤ Adore you!!
long long ago, when I was in junior high school (7th-8th grade) we (the girls) took Home Economics. We learned hand stitching and even how to darn socks. I don't think anyone today would even think about darning socks. I love watching your videos. Not only informative, beautifully made/edited, but they make me stop, slow down, and enjoy. Hugs.
Thank you very much for sharing. I am sharing back to you with a story that I think that you will find interesting and sympathetic! I began threading needles for my grandmother when she started going blind. Her fingers would sew from memory. I imagined that her mind would see the pieces fitting together just as her eyes had seen thousands of cuffs, pleats, plackets, sleeves, collars, ruffles, and waistbands fit together over more than fifty years as a custom seamstress. It had been her life’s work and she was very good at it. My grandmother was a superb copyist. She would be commissioned to attend fashion shows in order to see a particular dress. She would take notes and immediately upon leaving, sketch the design from her notes and from memory. Her sense of color and ability to sketch and paint were as quick and as keen as her ability to sew. She created articles of women’s apparel that were of a kind and fabric that one would never see in a department store. Like the clothing she made for herself, they would fit like a second skin. Often the items she made would require assistance in dressing because of the close fit and sometimes seemingly countless buttons or other closures. The effect, however, was one of obvious and yet often simple elegance. Once I saw her cut a pattern from newspaper for a tailored fitted dress with no sketch at all. She cut directly, with nothing visible to guide her. It seemed that once an idea was grasped by her mind she could turn and rotate that image in any direction, fold it inside out, and examine it as though a real model was there in front of her. As she cut the pattern she would occasionally stop and gaze off fixedly, her easy wide open. When I saw her do that I knew that the fingers and eyes of her mind were exploring some detail of that imaginary garment. Watching my grandmother work was an experience full of mystery. I am sure that she had no idea of what she was imparting to me. I held my grandmother in awe. She was an impeccable woman with classic taste in everything she did and in all that surrounded her. When she left the house she always dressed as if she was going somewhere important, even if it was just to the corner grocery. She was just barely five feet tall and I doubt that she ever weighed more than ninety pounds. She was the definition of petite. She seldom wore makeup and when she did, to me it made her look strangely theatrical, like an old black and white photograph that was tinted by hand. On occasion, she would smoke Camel cigarettes in a long ivory holder that she would gently grasp in a very elegant European manner. She came to live with us during her last years and it was then that I had the opportunity to experience her. My brother and I fought constantly, as boys will do, and so very often our behavior clashed with this classic woman’s sense of decorum. When we drove her to distraction she would look at us severely and say, “Children are supposed to be seen but not heard”. When she first came to live with us, I would respond rudely by sticking out my tongue at her or, even worse, verbally challenge her authority to direct our play. She would then breathe in sharply in surprise and disgust and reply, “Why you saucy impudent little boys”! By that time our mother would usually be upon us and, never being sure whose interests she was there to protect, we would scatter from the scene like the wild animals that we were. Gradually the relationship between my grandmother and me changed. - - - - - (story abbreviated here for clarity) Not long after I started threading needles for my grandmother, she taught me to sew button holes by hand. She taught me how to baste hems and seams. She taught me how to shirr the waist of a full skirt and secure the waistband. My mother was an only child. There were no granddaughters. Grandmother was doing her best to pass on to me, the accumulated knowledge and sensitivity of a lifetime. I was the oldest grandchild, the first. As far as my grandmother was concerned, my name was supposed to have been Susan. She never entertained a single thought that I would not be a girl. She made beautiful girl’s baby clothes for me before I was born. Still there we were, grandson and grandmother, bent over the task of sewing button holes in the front placket of a blouse. While I finished the button holes I watched her as she sewed matching covered buttons. Sewing covered buttons was also a task that she would soon entrust to me. I was a saucy, impudent, disrespectful, little six year old boy but I was all she had to work with. It was hard for her to see but she read to me. She read with a magnifying glass as her sight got weaker. She read “The Song of Hiawatha” to me several times. The book she read from was bound in embossed leather encrusted with gold scroll work and flourishing script. The pages were thick and crisp, with gilt edges, and filled with meticulous illustrative engravings. Grandmother read from several large anthologies that were visually very similar. These volumes always had a personalized book plate inside the front cover and one or more silk page marks. Pressed between the pages were dried flowers, leaves, photos, news clippings, cards, notes, and locks of hair tied with ribbons. Paging through one of her books was an adventure without ever reading a single word. Her life and the things in her life were layered. There was always something to be revealed beneath or behind what ever I looked at last. Reading with grandmother was a ritualistic, multi sensory experience. A comfortable chair, a footstool, a pot of strong coffee or green tea with milk, a china cup and saucer, and in cool weather a woolen shawl or blanket were the non-literary, but very necessary components. Sometimes, in the evening, she would burn sweet grass or incense and little glasses of sherry would replace the tea or coffee. I didn’t know it at the time but I remember helping my grandmother make the dress she would be buried in. The fabric was a soft, olive green, silk damask. My grandmother often said that if your time was worth anything at all, it was worth buying the very best fabric you could find. The bodice was extremely fitted with a standup oriental collar and the skirt was rather full with two large inverted pleats in the front and one in the back. The hem of the skirt fell midway between her knee and the floor. Twenty six covered buttons and loops up the front of the dress and eleven covered buttons and loops on each sleeve. She taught me how to make the tiny fabric tubing that would become the button loops. All sewing was done by hand. I don’t know if my grandmother ever knew how to operate a sewing machine. Every button and its opposing loop were functional. She wore the dress for a few hours when it was finished. I asked her if she liked it and she hugged me and said, “It fits me perfectly. I love it. I could wear it for ever”.
Omg talk about perfect timing! As I just sat down to hand sew a simple tank top, just to teach myself something new and different, up pops this god sent video! I am so grateful to Rajiv for sharing this video as I just learnt so many things to sewing. Sewing is so therapeutic and so relaxing - just me, my new found hobby and my thoughts ❤ Rajiv you should know that I also told my husband of 35 wonderful years that if there ever comes a time he doesn’t know how to do something just go to CZcams and find Rajiv Surendra! Big thank you for always teaching something with such depth and passion!
Yay, a new video from Rajiv, this makes me happy! I love hand sewing. My mum was an extremely adept seamstress but she has passed now and I've lost my chance to learn the full skill from her...but your video has inspired me to try this project ☺️
Actually, one can do a lot with hand stitch. In india, I used to hand stitch falls for sarees of differentfabrics like cotton, chiffon, georgette, organza and even silk. One can do machine stitch also but the damage will be more if its caught onto something or if the lady trips and tears the fabric at the bottom. Hand sewing will have minimal damage. Wonderful video again from you, Rajiv.
Watching this with the little boy am a private Nanny for. He's nodded off to sleep as your voice is so soothing. Thanks for that. Also going to make both of us a matching set of messy play aprons. Have my 120 year old hand crank singer sewing machine.
I love to sew by hand! It's an invaluable skill for thrift shoppers like me so I can carefully choose good items and adjust them to fit. I'm self-taught by necessity and probably take too many short cuts, but am learning patience along with new skills. Thank you for the inspiration!
Hello handsome. What a wonderful video. I learned to sew in Home Ec class 65 years ago. The very first project we made was an apron. It was a half apron so not as nice as yours. I also learned to machine sew on a treadle sewing machine. I have always loved hand sewing; I find it so relaxing and satisfying. Everyone should learn to sew; it is such a valuable skill. Thank you for your wonderful video.
Rajiv, I have enjoyed your videos for a few months now. They are always a pleasure to watch. You had commented in this video that you purchased the trim for your apron at East Coast Trimming, so being in Manhattan for work this week, and having this afternoon off to explore, I braved the cold and visited East Coast Trimmings. What a jewel box of a shop! Thank you for sharing your resources when you can. I was able to purchase some lovely ribbon to finish up a few projects, and some special ribbon for my daughter as well. Thank you for sharing all of the lovely ways you live your life with the rest of us.
I appreciate you explaining how to prepare the fabric. Only thing I would add is, if the fabric is washable, I wash it because sometimes the fabric has been stretched on the bolt, it can be crooked. I have stretched the fabric diagonally when it was necessary to straighten the grain. I love your attention to detail and establishes good techniques that will benefit beginners for all their future projects.
Great tutorial Rajiv. I have made aprons before, and I use the cloth that I cut out from the sides to make pockets, so I always have somewhere to put my phone.
Rajiv , How many Spirits (Ghosts) did you see at Pioneer Village? You are very Blessed to be so Talented in every aspect of your apartment.. When your imagination roams it always finds a home in your home where all Great things come to fruition!!! Kudos
Thank you Rajiv for inspiring my daughter and I, we have just finished sewing our aprons, they turned out perfect. I am from South Africa and my daughter is visiting from Australia.❤
The first garment I learnt to sew was an apron when I was 9 years old in the 1970’s. Most of it was hand sewn to learn hand stitches and then two lines on a treadle sewing machine. We learnt at school and were taught by an 80 year old nun with a great smile. She was so proud when we lined up wearing them. I still sew regularly and love it.
Rajiv should be a teacher. He explains so well and makes everything seem interesting. I bet he could make watching wet paint dry look interesting. Love this guy
“Hi handsome!” 😉 Thank you for another amazing video 🙏 Not only you’re talented, you’re such a great teacher too 🧑🏽🏫 Love the care and attention to details you put in everything you do, you inspire me to do the same ❤
I found some leftover linen in my stash and thought this would make a great apron - and then this video popped up - and you're using linen to demonstrate! Meant to be :)
👍How about a pocket? Be sure to leave enough neck strap to allow your head to fit through. I like waist straps to be long enough to wrap around to tie in front, then I tuck a hand towel in the waist strap. Nice relaxing sound track. You teach a lot of skills in one project.😊
Hand sewing is definitely relaxing. Sometimes it’s a handy adjunct to modern machine sewing. I wish my hands had younger joints because I do enjoy the control that hand sewing offers.
My mother was a dress maker and this has brought back memories from my childhood. This makes me want to buy a thimble and some delicate ticking material. What a meditation.
Aaah Rajiv, Perfect timing! I can never wear store bought aprons, they always seem uncomfortable to me. I made my first apron in white cotton at school in home economics class and it served me for a long time afterwards. Now I can make one out of ticking which I already had for mattress, didn't think it could be used for an apron😍
Rajiv I just saw your Ted talk. Handsome its time you write your book of your acquire talents. Time to write screenplay of your life so you can win your Oscar. 😊 Life goes by quickly. SHINE and blind them!
I need to go to our 1923 thimble store ... :) Nothing more rewarding then using a wonderful tool perfect for its job ... I always liked the "Sailors Palm" or Sail Palm for heavy sewing like leather work ... Erica has a potters apron she just loves to use . It works great in the shop .. :)
All these things I do without thinking so naturally you made le realize so much technics behind it. Im glad to have the knowledge from my grand mother who was a seamsterss, studying clothes design on London and working in Haite Couture in Paris
I’m so happy I came across this video! Now I feel more confident to hand sew. . I would love to watch a video on how to put together a beautiful sewing box like yours. Much love from Canada 🇨🇦
Wonderful... I have some small blue check linen material in my stash. Thank you HANDSOME for your clear instructions. You inspire me each time I watch one of your videos. I wash dishes as you do. I clean my sink every night and when I wash my whites I use the blue, wow what a game changer to launder whites that way. I own a 1920's home and I have learnt so much from you re decor and house cleaning for which I am so grateful. G'day from Australia. 🦘🐾
Thank you for the sewing lesson. I am in my late sixties and never knew about pulling the thread in the fabric to make a straight cut. A waist apron with pockets was my first sewing project in school. It was machine stitched. I bought a finished apron at a thrift store and plan on restyling it to cross in the back instead of wrapping around my neck.
I was taught to simply rip the cloth in order to achieve the straight line. Your method works no matter how thick the fabric is though, or how little you want to trim off. Thank you for always making lovely content Rajiv.
I love the leather bound Smythson of Bondstreet notebooks and diaries… but the paper is blue and really thin… it is Nile blue… the advantage is that the notebook have many pages and are light weight… they are rather expensive but they also have notebooks on sale twice a year or so… Btw… i love your videos… you are such an inspirational person… i love that you aren’t afraid to take on a chalenge. The Pippi Long Stocking quote ‘I have never tried that before, so i think i should definitely be able to do that’ suits you so well… 😊
There ! How could anyone not love this. I always loved hand sewing. Even though I have a machine that feels more time efficient, the imperfections of hand sewing make it more personal, beautiful - so much beyond time considerations.
I LITERALLY said, “Aaahh! Look at his thimble”! I said something similar about the needle case. Just beautiful! I sew, and yet I was captivated by every minute.
I loved it, I followed the tutorial and managed to make one for myself, I used an old sheet from my great grandmother and I really liked the result, I love being able to use old things that would eventually end up in the trash and make them beautiful again 💖
I also love to hand sew. I have done a couple of cushions and it is the most satisfying feeling when I use them! I am going to have to make an apron this year 🙂
Beautiful work! I’m sure watching you do it is more peaceful than trying to hand-sew it myself, though. 😄 I do cross stitch and needlepoint, and it is actually meditative quiet time. I can’t do the tiny stitches I did when I was younger because my eyesight is not so great anymore. Floral designs are my favorite. I did once machine sew an apron out of upholstery fabric, just winging it basically, no pattern, but your method is much nicer, and I may give it a try with ticking. I love ticking and all fabric with woven designs. You have to be careful these days to get WOVEN in designs if you have to order online because nowadays the stripes or checks may be PRINTED on the fabric. Very disappointing.
Your video today is serendipitous!! I have been thinking of making an apron for a friend that is having a new kitchen installed! She would need an apron to complete her project! I cant thank you enough.! If not for your video her apron would not be of the quality I would desire! Have a wonderful day!
I've done my apron in a white linen apron just need to get it going in my she shed house 🏡 and start with my soap 🧼... Let's keep the inspiration going... Take care and hope you visit New Orleans soon!
I'm coming to this video a bit late but wanted to share a little upcycle project that I made: I hand sewed an apron out of a jean pants leg because it naturally had a good flare at the bottom for my waist to legs coverage and has a nice bib width at the top. if you're interested, I can send you a pic. it's not perfect hand sewing but very very functional. happy new year!!
I'm always so fascinated by the beautiful everyday things you have. I know it takes a while to curate such beautiful things! The apron turned out very nice!
Sewing boxes need to contain old tins etc. Mine is not so fancy but I inherited it from my grandma and it was painted in a fainted red and the handles and knobs were black, not a very pretty combination and quite used, so I painted it again. It's one of those who can be folded out on both sides. Don't know if they are known in other countries. So I still use the old baby cream tins that contain needles now and the very pretty old bed linen buttons that are coated with fabric etc. It's like a little treasure box. One of the old Nivea tins says proud on the front "Formaldehyd" which they would not mix in today, I guess! I love it!
Bonne idée 😊😊, et suggestion : pour eviter le gaspillage de ce joli tissu ,je vous suggère de confectionner une poche ventrale dans le tissu de la découpe ✂ ❤
My mother learned dressmaking/tailoring. from her grandmother in Austria. I am 75 so that was a long time ago. Mom escaped Nazi Germany and came to Philadelphia. Her older sister and my Mom opened an upholstery/custom decorating business and thrived. I grew up with beautiful clothes. I can still feel my Mom’s hands on me as I stood on a chair and she ‘fitted’ me. I loved this video.. Rajiv you are right! Everyone should know how to thread a sewing needle and put a button back on. Repair, reuse, recycle, love you!
Your sewing box is indeed beautiful! And your Victorian brass needle case is exquisite. Love everything you do, Rajiv.
I would love to see a tour of that sewing box and what all the little things are used for.
@@eily_b I would kill for a proper your of that box! I want to know where he got the box, then what each tool is called, how it's used, and where/when it's from, etc. Actually, I'd just like to poke my nose into every single drawer and cupboard in his apartment 😂
@@eily_b I concur!
@@eily_b Just popping in to say the same thing...
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
I’m looking forward to give It a try,since I love aprons. Thank you Rajiv. You are inspiring me a lot. I even polished my silver after watching your video 😂
"People be like ,Ugh! Look at his timble!" ha, had me in stitches. Rajiv your a pillar of talent, your educational tutorials along with your charming personality has me captivated. P.S, your hair never looked better.
My granny was a seamstress as a young woman at the turn of the 20th century. She taught me simple hand sewing techniques that I've used for the rest of my life. It is so satisfying (and meditative) to do, and very nostalgic remembering her. I'm going to be hand sewing the hems for my draperies this Fall. Thanks for the refresher, it was excellent!
Your granny gave you a wonderful gift. It's priceless.
That is so cool. My gran taught me basket weaving. She, sadly, passed last month, and I miss her so much. Seeing what you have written, I'm going to get back to basket weaving and, hopefully, remember her in happier times.
May it bring you comfort. btw, I weave yarns, and LOVE baskets! @@emi62507
I call sewing my Granny time. There are generations of people who've already sewn the thing that I'm attempting. I lean into that. The side effect is it takes the pressure off and sewing becomes a meditation.
My turn of the last century thimble belongs to a woman named Bertha, which means my thimble has a name...
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi
I somehow inherited my Gramma Hrapchak’s sewing box. If I ever needed anything I did not have on hand I would look in there and could find it. Over and over this happened, I started to think she was re-filling it from the other side. Thank you for teaching basic life skills, and thank you for taking your time with your tutorials!
One thing I always recommend is to start off by washing and drying your fabric before measuring and cutting and sewing. That way your project isn’t potentially ruined when you have to wash it later.
Just when i was thinking about starting to learn sewing .....this video.....out of the blue .....pops up.....
I was also thinking the same
@@sangitadutta5637 no but I've been searching for videos about hand sewing an apron I've even bought the fabric and everything this is a bit too big of a coincidence
Same here - perfect timing!
Love Rajiv!
We’ve all been sucked I to the Rajivosphere! Hooray🎉
I love easy sewing projects that give you immediate satisfaction! Though on a technical note, true ticking( as recommended ) is a fabric which has a twill weave, you can only pull a thread on a plain weave fabric. ( the basic over under )
I think this is an important note to make for those who will go ahead and buy ticking, and not be able to pull the thread! Twill weave is what you see on your jeans, the diagonal pattern is how you can tell. Just because a fabric has a stripe doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ‘ticking’
Finding the cross grain is easy with a 90 degree ruler if you can’t pull the thread
I hope this helps anyone who will go ahead and try this project!
Interesting note but much modern ticking is actually striped duck in a regular weave. I’ve never tried it but assume you can still pull a thread on a twill since the warp and weft are still perpendicular. Whether or not this is necessary for an apron, Rajiv still taught a useful technique.
Also, only woven stripes can be counted on to be straight on the grain. I’ve had printed fabrics that were wildly off grain.
i could literally get lost in that sewing box. so cool! you should do a video tour of just that! thanks for all your inspiration, rajiv.
Yesssss I would kill for a proper and detailed tour of that sewing box, or really any and every drawer and cupboard in his apartment 😂 I am nosey
Just here for the vibes ❤
I have been sewing clothes for years now and never used a thimble and now I feel so silly 🙃 all those pokes in my fingers were for what?!
I have been binging your content all night and you are a natural. I have now bought a calligraphy book and a thimble 😂 thank you.
I'll be making your easy dinner next!
Rajiv, you are a detailed and interesting teacher. I am a sewist, myself, but I believe anyone could follow your clear instructions to make this cool apron!
Many people's waistline is not actually at their belly button. A great way to find your true waistline is to bend your body to the side and note exactly where that bend is. That is your waistline. Your aprons are lovely!
I’ve been perplexed by this! 🙏🏼🦋
That cut out piece would make a couple of nice pockets for the apron.
The sounds of the iron and the ironing board folding the slightest bit under the pressure of folding the cloth, for me, as the granddaughter of an occasional seamstress, is actually magic. I can instantly hear the radio playing, feel the heat of a 4pm sun, feel the sensation of the fabrics and the cutting table, and smell her sewing room...
magic indeed
I was thinking the same thing, remembering the sounds and smells of the iron and fabrics as my grandmother worked in her sewing room.
Thanks Rajiv, all of your sewing techniques here, like folding/ironing the un-finished edge of the cloth, and sewing skills to make the threads unvisible, etc reminded me of my grandma and my mother. Back then, these were essential sewing skills for almost every woman. There were days that I stood beside my mother watching her hand sewing a skirt or alter the length of my pants. Your video brought me back to my childhood. Those days were slow, but sweet! Thank you!
Sewing a new apron was on my to do list this month. Thank you Rajiv for your gentle persuasion to get us inspired! What we do each day with our hands makes our lives a little better by sparking joy in the items we create.
You remind me of all the times in my life when I’ve had a great teacher. What a wonderful thing it is.
What a lovely and useful video! I learned to hand sew from my grandmother and my aunt more than a half century ago. Those skills have served me well for many years whether I am repairing a seam, taking up a hem, or making a skirt. As a former pastry chef, I have been given many aprons over the years, but this tutorial makes me want to make a hand-sewn one.
Traveling to a vacation home years ago, I realized I had forgotten an apron - and I simply cannot cook without one! I bought a nice checked woven tea towel from a kitchen store, then purchased twill tape from a quilting store in town. I attached a length of the twill tape exactly as Rajiv shows to one of the short edges for the neck strap and 2 more pieces of twill tape at where my waist is to form the ties. To make the top portion of the apron a bit narrower across my chest, making it fit nicely over my bosom, I made 2 half-inch pleats on either side of the top. They are like darts, but just stitched at the top and they are placed about 2 inches from the edges where the top strap is sewn.
I have had that little apron for at least 20 years. It’s a pretty blue checked pattern that looks like it was made to match the tiny kitchen of my husband’s family cabin. I keep that apron with the things I bring to the cabin every Summer and tying it on the first day always make me feel at home in that kitchen.
Great video with terrifically useful sewing instructions. I have a good sewing machine, but I often look for reasons to hand-sew. Usually it is to tailor a piece of clothing. As Rajiv says and so many agree, it is meditative and it is a joy to look at your own handwork for years to come.
Mary K.
Yesterday I was missing Rajiv… it had been a while since Rajiv put out a lovely and instructional AND inspirational video…
I am so happy that this morning I can have my coffee and enjoy Rajiv make art.
Thank you Rajiv!!!❤
Thanks for watching!
This man can do anything, and well done. ❤
My Mom passed away recently at 95 and left me a silver thimble that belonged to her grandmother. It must have been from the 1800’s. I gave it to my niece who loves sewing. It felt good to pass it to the younger generation to cherish. Thank you for this video.
Hey handsome, you are very cleaver! Is there any beautiful thing that you can’t do? It’s taken me 76 years to learn paper crafts , quilting, sewing for my daughters and home, acrylic and watercolor painting, and cooking. I have also made books and two years ago made aprons for my daughters and sister. Love your videos and now I want to make a new apron from ticking! Thanks for the inspiration!
I was given my first sewing kit when I was 4 years old. I’ve been sewing for more than 60 years. I love hand sewing and of all of my siblings I was the fortunate one to inherit my great grandmother’s gold thimble, I do not hand sew without it. I also have her very old (100 years give or take) buttonhole scissors. I do love your brass needle case and beautiful sewing box.
Some people are truly multi talented, Rajiv is one of them!
The offcuts from your fabric are great for adding a patch pocket or two, as well. Great for tucking a kitchen towel, cleaning rag, small tools, or other necessary bits and bobs into as you cook/work.
Definitely 👌
My Grandma told us that if you cut too long of a thread when hand sewing, that is called a “devil’s tail”, because it causes nothing but trouble.
I didn’t realize aprons are so awesome until watching this video. It can be beautiful and utilitarian at the same time!! Can’t wait to make one :)
Rajiv, I love your passion for history and the stories of ordinary people who made things. I grew up in a 200-year old farmhouse, growing gardens, milking our cow, sewing our own clothes, chopping wood for the winter, making soap, canning, making our own butter, raising chickens ... My parents also raided thrift stores and antique shops for old tools to use again.
Your videos make me appreciate my upbringing even more. And they've reminded me of the magic that's found in daily tasks. Thank you. ❤
How are you real?! Literally EVERY video you make brings me joy. I always get this feeling like I should put on white gloves and sip tea with each video. ❤ Adore you!!
long long ago, when I was in junior high school (7th-8th grade) we (the girls) took Home Economics. We learned hand stitching and even how to darn socks. I don't think anyone today would even think about darning socks. I love watching your videos. Not only informative, beautifully made/edited, but they make me stop, slow down, and enjoy. Hugs.
Thank you very much for sharing. I am sharing back to you with a story that I think that you will find interesting and sympathetic!
I began threading needles for my grandmother when she started going blind. Her fingers would sew from memory. I imagined that her mind would see the pieces fitting together just as her eyes had seen thousands of cuffs, pleats, plackets, sleeves, collars, ruffles, and waistbands fit together over more than fifty years as a custom seamstress. It had been her life’s work and she was very good at it.
My grandmother was a superb copyist. She would be commissioned to attend fashion shows in order to see a particular dress. She would take notes and immediately upon leaving, sketch the design from her notes and from memory. Her sense of color and ability to sketch and paint were as quick and as keen as her ability to sew. She created articles of women’s apparel that were of a kind and fabric that one would never see in a department store. Like the clothing she made for herself, they would fit like a second skin. Often the items she made would require assistance in dressing because of the close fit and sometimes seemingly countless buttons or other closures. The effect, however, was one of obvious and yet often simple elegance.
Once I saw her cut a pattern from newspaper for a tailored fitted dress with no sketch at all. She cut directly, with nothing visible to guide her. It seemed that once an idea was grasped by her mind she could turn and rotate that image in any direction, fold it inside out, and examine it as though a real model was there in front of her. As she cut the pattern she would occasionally stop and gaze off fixedly, her easy wide open. When I saw her do that I knew that the fingers and eyes of her mind were exploring some detail of that imaginary garment. Watching my grandmother work was an experience full of mystery. I am sure that she had no idea of what she was imparting to me. I held my grandmother in awe.
She was an impeccable woman with classic taste in everything she did and in all that surrounded her. When she left the house she always dressed as if she was going somewhere important, even if it was just to the corner grocery. She was just barely five feet tall and I doubt that she ever weighed more than ninety pounds. She was the definition of petite. She seldom wore makeup and when she did, to me it made her look strangely theatrical, like an old black and white photograph that was tinted by hand. On occasion, she would smoke Camel cigarettes in a long ivory holder that she would gently grasp in a very elegant European manner.
She came to live with us during her last years and it was then that I had the opportunity to experience her. My brother and I fought constantly, as boys will do, and so very often our behavior clashed with this classic woman’s sense of decorum. When we drove her to distraction she would look at us severely and say, “Children are supposed to be seen but not heard”. When she first came to live with us, I would respond rudely by sticking out my tongue at her or, even worse, verbally challenge her authority to direct our play. She would then breathe in sharply in surprise and disgust and reply, “Why you saucy impudent little boys”! By that time our mother would usually be upon us and, never being sure whose interests she was there to protect, we would scatter from the scene like the wild animals that we were. Gradually the relationship between my grandmother and me changed. - - - - - (story abbreviated here for clarity)
Not long after I started threading needles for my grandmother, she taught me to sew button holes by hand. She taught me how to baste hems and seams. She taught me how to shirr the waist of a full skirt and secure the waistband. My mother was an only child. There were no granddaughters. Grandmother was doing her best to pass on to me, the accumulated knowledge and sensitivity of a lifetime. I was the oldest grandchild, the first. As far as my grandmother was concerned, my name was supposed to have been Susan. She never entertained a single thought that I would not be a girl. She made beautiful girl’s baby clothes for me before I was born. Still there we were, grandson and grandmother, bent over the task of sewing button holes in the front placket of a blouse. While I finished the button holes I watched her as she sewed matching covered buttons. Sewing covered buttons was also a task that she would soon entrust to me. I was a saucy, impudent, disrespectful, little six year old boy but I was all she had to work with.
It was hard for her to see but she read to me. She read with a magnifying glass as her sight got weaker. She read “The Song of Hiawatha” to me several times. The book she read from was bound in embossed leather encrusted with gold scroll work and flourishing script. The pages were thick and crisp, with gilt edges, and filled with meticulous illustrative engravings. Grandmother read from several large anthologies that were visually very similar. These volumes always had a personalized book plate inside the front cover and one or more silk page marks. Pressed between the pages were dried flowers, leaves, photos, news clippings, cards, notes, and locks of hair tied with ribbons. Paging through one of her books was an adventure without ever reading a single word. Her life and the things in her life were layered. There was always something to be revealed beneath or behind what ever I looked at last.
Reading with grandmother was a ritualistic, multi sensory experience. A comfortable chair, a footstool, a pot of strong coffee or green tea with milk, a china cup and saucer, and in cool weather a woolen shawl or blanket were the non-literary, but very necessary components. Sometimes, in the evening, she would burn sweet grass or incense and little glasses of sherry would replace the tea or coffee.
I didn’t know it at the time but I remember helping my grandmother make the dress she would be buried in. The fabric was a soft, olive green, silk damask. My grandmother often said that if your time was worth anything at all, it was worth buying the very best fabric you could find. The bodice was extremely fitted with a standup oriental collar and the skirt was rather full with two large inverted pleats in the front and one in the back. The hem of the skirt fell midway between her knee and the floor. Twenty six covered buttons and loops up the front of the dress and eleven covered buttons and loops on each sleeve. She taught me how to make the tiny fabric tubing that would become the button loops. All sewing was done by hand. I don’t know if my grandmother ever knew how to operate a sewing machine. Every button and its opposing loop were functional. She wore the dress for a few hours when it was finished. I asked her if she liked it and she hugged me and said, “It fits me perfectly. I love it. I could wear it for ever”.
Omg talk about perfect timing! As I just sat down to hand sew a simple tank top, just to teach myself something new and different, up pops this god sent video! I am so grateful to Rajiv for sharing this video as I just learnt so many things to sewing. Sewing is so therapeutic and so relaxing - just me, my new found hobby and my thoughts ❤ Rajiv you should know that I also told my husband of 35 wonderful years that if there ever comes a time he doesn’t know how to do something just go to CZcams and find Rajiv Surendra!
Big thank you for always teaching something with such depth and passion!
Wow!! I just bought a curtain at Goodwill YESTERDAY, because I wanted to make an apron with it. Woohoo!!!
I love this idea and i have the perfect fabric from goodwill!!!!!
“Pulling the thread to find the grain”-excellent explanation!! I’ve never understood this concept until now.
I love your sense of humor and share your love of fine, old, things.
Yay, a new video from Rajiv, this makes me happy! I love hand sewing. My mum was an extremely adept seamstress but she has passed now and I've lost my chance to learn the full skill from her...but your video has inspired me to try this project ☺️
Actually, one can do a lot with hand stitch. In india, I used to hand stitch falls for sarees of differentfabrics like cotton, chiffon, georgette, organza and even silk. One can do machine stitch also but the damage will be more if its caught onto something or if the lady trips and tears the fabric at the bottom. Hand sewing will have minimal damage.
Wonderful video again from you, Rajiv.
Watching this with the little boy am a private Nanny for. He's nodded off to sleep as your voice is so soothing. Thanks for that.
Also going to make both of us a matching set of messy play aprons.
Have my 120 year old hand crank singer sewing machine.
I love to sew by hand! It's an invaluable skill for thrift shoppers like me so I can carefully choose good items and adjust them to fit. I'm self-taught by necessity and probably take too many short cuts, but am learning patience along with new skills.
Thank you for the inspiration!
I love hand sewing. I just hemmed 5 pair of pants for my grandson who will be attending prep school this year. It's so satisfying.
I lived in a fifth wheel. I had no room for a sewing machine but I had room for a spool of thread and a needle.
Hello handsome. What a wonderful video. I learned to sew in Home Ec class 65 years ago. The very first project we made was an apron. It was a half apron so not as nice as yours. I also learned to machine sew on a treadle sewing machine. I have always loved hand sewing; I find it so relaxing and satisfying. Everyone should learn to sew; it is such a valuable skill. Thank you for your wonderful video.
I have been missing my apron that I used so much that it fell apart - this has given me inspiration to try to make my own!
Rajiv, I have enjoyed your videos for a few months now. They are always a pleasure to watch. You had commented in this video that you purchased the trim for your apron at East Coast Trimming, so being in Manhattan for work this week, and having this afternoon off to explore, I braved the cold and visited East Coast Trimmings. What a jewel box of a shop! Thank you for sharing your resources when you can. I was able to purchase some lovely ribbon to finish up a few projects, and some special ribbon for my daughter as well. Thank you for sharing all of the lovely ways you live your life with the rest of us.
I appreciate you explaining how to prepare the fabric. Only thing I would add is, if the fabric is washable, I wash it because sometimes the fabric has been stretched on the bolt, it can be crooked. I have stretched the fabric diagonally when it was necessary to straighten the grain. I love your attention to detail and establishes good techniques that will benefit beginners for all their future projects.
Great tutorial Rajiv. I have made aprons before, and I use the cloth that I cut out from the sides to make pockets, so I always have somewhere to put my phone.
Hey Handsome, you have an amazing personality. You truly have the "it" factor and you light up the room. Thanks for a relaxing tutorial.
If the whole world would slow down and take the time to do these things, we would be much happier and better off.
Rajiv , How many Spirits (Ghosts) did you see at Pioneer Village? You are very Blessed to be so Talented in every aspect of your apartment.. When your imagination roams it always finds a home in your home where all Great things come to fruition!!! Kudos
Thank you Rajiv for inspiring my daughter and I, we have just finished sewing our aprons, they turned out perfect. I am from South Africa and my daughter is visiting from Australia.❤
New Rajiv video. Today is a good day.
The first garment I learnt to sew was an apron when I was 9 years old in the 1970’s. Most of it was hand sewn to learn hand stitches and then two lines on a treadle sewing machine. We learnt at school and were taught by an 80 year old nun with a great smile. She was so proud when we lined up wearing them. I still sew regularly and love it.
Rajiv should be a teacher. He explains so well and makes everything seem interesting. I bet he could make watching wet paint dry look interesting. Love this guy
“Hi handsome!” 😉 Thank you for another amazing video 🙏 Not only you’re talented, you’re such a great teacher too 🧑🏽🏫 Love the care and attention to details you put in everything you do, you inspire me to do the same ❤
I found some leftover linen in my stash and thought this would make a great apron - and then this video popped up - and you're using linen to demonstrate!
Meant to be :)
👍How about a pocket? Be sure to leave enough neck strap to allow your head to fit through. I like waist straps to be long enough to wrap around to tie in front, then I tuck a hand towel in the waist strap. Nice relaxing sound track. You teach a lot of skills in one project.😊
I love that you keep the little “imperfections” in your video production. It makes you even more relatable.
That intro was the best ever, Rajiv!
You took a simple project and taught so much. Good job. One little tip, cut off the 1/2” selvage. It often shrinks more than the fabric.
Hand sewing is definitely relaxing. Sometimes it’s a handy adjunct to modern machine sewing. I wish my hands had younger joints because I do enjoy the control that hand sewing offers.
Loved your video! I have a question though … if the side that has the selvage isn’t turned over for the seam doesn’t it make the apron uneven?
My mother was a dress maker and this has brought back memories from my childhood. This makes me want to buy a thimble and some delicate ticking material. What a meditation.
Aaah Rajiv, Perfect timing! I can never wear store bought aprons, they always seem uncomfortable to me. I made my first apron in white cotton at school in home economics class and it served me for a long time afterwards. Now I can make one out of ticking which I already had for mattress, didn't think it could be used for an apron😍
Rajiv I just saw your Ted talk. Handsome its time you write your book of your acquire talents. Time to write screenplay of your life so you can win your Oscar. 😊 Life goes by quickly. SHINE and blind them!
I need to go to our 1923 thimble store ... :) Nothing more rewarding then using a wonderful tool perfect for its job ... I always liked the "Sailors Palm" or Sail Palm for heavy sewing like leather work ... Erica has a potters apron she just loves to use . It works great in the shop .. :)
All these things I do without thinking so naturally you made le realize so much technics behind it. Im glad to have the knowledge from my grand mother who was a seamsterss, studying clothes design on London and working in Haite Couture in Paris
I’m so happy I came across this video! Now I feel more confident to hand sew. . I would love to watch a video on how to put together a beautiful sewing box like yours. Much love from Canada 🇨🇦
Stunning sewing box, needle case, thimble and of course your apron. Thanks so much Rajiv!
Wonderful... I have some small blue check linen material in my stash. Thank you HANDSOME for your clear instructions. You inspire me each time I watch one of your videos. I wash dishes as you do. I clean my sink every night and when I wash my whites I use the blue, wow what a game changer to launder whites that way. I own a 1920's home and I have learnt so much from you re decor and house cleaning for which I am so grateful. G'day from Australia. 🦘🐾
As a long time sewist, I am amazed at how much you know about sewing. I am impressed!
Thank you for the sewing lesson. I am in my late sixties and never knew about pulling the thread in the fabric to make a straight cut. A waist apron with pockets was my first sewing project in school. It was machine stitched.
I bought a finished apron at a thrift store and plan on restyling it to cross in the back instead of wrapping around my neck.
I was taught to simply rip the cloth in order to achieve the straight line. Your method works no matter how thick the fabric is though, or how little you want to trim off. Thank you for always making lovely content Rajiv.
Love your antique thimble and your sewing box!!!
You brighten my day whenever I watch one of your videos. Thank you!
I love the leather bound Smythson of Bondstreet notebooks and diaries… but the paper is blue and really thin… it is Nile blue… the advantage is that the notebook have many pages and are light weight… they are rather expensive but they also have notebooks on sale twice a year or so… Btw… i love your videos… you are such an inspirational person… i love that you aren’t afraid to take on a chalenge. The Pippi Long Stocking quote ‘I have never tried that before, so i think i should definitely be able to do that’ suits you so well… 😊
- Making an apron right now and using your instructions to guide me. TY. Love your channel! Very inspirational.
Yay! I've been learning how to hand sew, and believe it or not, my first project is making aprons for an art studio!
There ! How could anyone not love this. I always loved hand sewing. Even though I have a machine that feels more time efficient, the imperfections of hand sewing make it more personal, beautiful - so much beyond time considerations.
Eeeek, so excited about this. Going to make one for my little boy and I....MATCHING, of course. Thank you Rajiv! XXXX
such a great beginner sewing tutorial! ❤ also gonna need the backstory of your sewing box and everything in it ASAP plz! 😂
I didn’t know I needed to make myself a striped linen apron until seeing how wonderful yours are. Now I have to make several!
I LITERALLY said, “Aaahh! Look at his thimble”!
I said something similar about the needle case. Just beautiful!
I sew, and yet I was captivated by every minute.
I loved it, I followed the tutorial and managed to make one for myself, I used an old sheet from my great grandmother and I really liked the result, I love being able to use old things that would eventually end up in the trash and make them beautiful again 💖
I also love to hand sew. I have done a couple of cushions and it is the most satisfying feeling when I use them! I am going to have to make an apron this year 🙂
I wear an apron every day! I have a ton of ticking. I know what I will be making for friends and family!!
Would love to see more hand or machine sewing!
Beautiful work! I’m sure watching you do it is more peaceful than trying to hand-sew it myself, though. 😄 I do cross stitch and needlepoint, and it is actually meditative quiet time. I can’t do the tiny stitches I did when I was younger because my eyesight is not so great anymore. Floral designs are my favorite. I did once machine sew an apron out of upholstery fabric, just winging it basically, no pattern, but your method is much nicer, and I may give it a try with ticking. I love ticking and all fabric with woven designs. You have to be careful these days to get WOVEN in designs if you have to order online because nowadays the stripes or checks may be PRINTED on the fabric. Very disappointing.
look for fabrics that say they're yarn dyed! merchant and mills has nice yarn died linens
@@dorothyward5656 I do now! 😊 Thank you. 💖
Hi handsome! It’s great you found that linen tape. It is beautiful.
Even good as a gift for someone. Love it
Rất tuyệt vời cảm ơn bạn đã chia sẻ video
I wasn’t planning on making an apron but of course I’m going to watch Rajiv’s video. The man is an artist.. even with aprons
Your video today is serendipitous!! I have been thinking of making an apron for a friend that is having a new kitchen installed! She would need an apron to complete her project! I cant thank you enough.! If not for your video her apron would not be of the quality I would desire! Have a wonderful day!
I've done my apron in a white linen apron just need to get it going in my she shed house 🏡 and start with my soap 🧼... Let's keep the inspiration going... Take care and hope you visit New Orleans soon!
I'm coming to this video a bit late but wanted to share a little upcycle project that I made: I hand sewed an apron out of a jean pants leg because it naturally had a good flare at the bottom for my waist to legs coverage and has a nice bib width at the top. if you're interested, I can send you a pic. it's not perfect hand sewing but very very functional. happy new year!!
I'm always so fascinated by the beautiful everyday things you have. I know it takes a while to curate such beautiful things! The apron turned out very nice!
I like your hair line cut tip!! Wow of course it is straight!!
Thank you!!
Thank you for teaching us that good things take time and patience to create.
My mom’s a seamstress and I’ve been sewing for 30+ years, but I watched this entire video riveted by your instructions.
Sewing boxes need to contain old tins etc. Mine is not so fancy but I inherited it from my grandma and it was painted in a fainted red and the handles and knobs were black, not a very pretty combination and quite used, so I painted it again. It's one of those who can be folded out on both sides. Don't know if they are known in other countries. So I still use the old baby cream tins that contain needles now and the very pretty old bed linen buttons that are coated with fabric etc. It's like a little treasure box. One of the old Nivea tins says proud on the front "Formaldehyd" which they would not mix in today, I guess! I love it!
Bonne idée 😊😊, et suggestion : pour eviter le gaspillage de ce joli tissu ,je vous suggère de confectionner une poche ventrale dans le tissu de la découpe ✂ ❤