Urban Home Goods Swap

I'm participating in the Urban Home Goods Swap on Flickr and I thought an apron with Anna Maria Horner fabrics would work nicely as her big item.  Half aprons are a much quicker (and cheaper) project, but I just think a full size apron is more practical.  I know when the spaghetti sauce pops on me it always gets on my clean white t-shirt, not my dirty blue jeans.  I have no need for another apron since I have three, but this one, by far, is my favorite.  This is the Emmaline pattern from Sew Liberated.  I modified the straps a bit since I heard it would be better to have them adjustable (they're supposed to be one solid halter piece).  This made total sense to me--everyone is a different shape and height, I doubt one strap length would work for everyone.  So I knew I was going to make two pieces to tie around the neck.  After reading the instructions on finishing the bodice with homemade bias binding......lets just say I got a little lazy.  I decided to leave an opening at the top of the apron to turn it--the instructions say to leave the opening at the bottom.  Then, I made straps from the bias binding I had cut by folding it in half, sewing 1/4" seam down the open side and turning them right side out.  Oh, before I sewed the straps, I angled the ends to mimic the ends of the apron back tie.  Next, I put the unfinished ends in between the top of the two bodices (remember I left the top open),  in the far corners.  Pin. Pin. Pin.  Then I top stitched 1/8" and a 1/4" seams across the top to close the bodice and secure the straps to the apron.  You do lose the aesthetic of having the solid color along the sides of the bodice, but frankly, my way was SO much easier, faster, and required no hand sewing.   I don't regret it in the least!!!

As a side note, while I was making the apron a friend asked me to make her a sewing machine cover.  I asked if she disliked any colors so I wouldn't put them in her cover.  She said red and purple.  ha ha!  I guess I can't use the leftovers from this apron!

Anywho!  Back to the Urban Home Goods Swap...I haven't decided on the second item yet.  Any suggestions?  Pot holder?  Something for her sewing room?  I'm actually glad this swap group has limited the items sent to two--I'm one of those people that goes overboard without meaning to.