Gifting the Sam apron — CRAFT & THRIFT

I’ve written before about my love of the Helen’s Closet Sam apron - you can read my previous post here. I’ve made this pattern four times already, prior to this batch of Christmas gift sewing bringing my final total to six. Two have been for me, four as gifts. It’s such a great pattern for gifting, being easy to fit and unisex. Who doesn’t need a good quality apron in their life? Whether it’s for cooking or crafting, most people need some kind of coverall from time to time. This pattern is great for personalising as well, with plenty of options for adding leather or hardware. I love an opportunity to use my Hulk press for studs and rivets.

This version, in burgundy deadstock waxed cotton, was made for me a few months ago. I love it so much, and literally wear it every day when I’m cleaning the kitchen, doing the washing up, and cooking dinner. As the quartermaster of the house, the kitchen is mainly my domain, and I love a good cook-and-clean session, often accompanied by my bestie’s voice notes or a podcast. I recently made this exact replica for my father-in-law for Christmas. The pattern is great for being able to adjust both the height and width. Rod is a few inches taller than me and requires more width, both of which were easy adjustments to make.

I used the special wax cotton lining that came with the burgundy fabric, to stop the wax bleeding through to your clothes. Unfortunately, the lining was a salmon pink colour that isn’t really mine, or my father-in-law’s, style, so I quilted some vintage kimono cotton over the top. I talk about this method in my reusable cutlery roll post (substack link here), for anyone interested. I really enjoy the navy-on-burgundy and the pattern for a pop of colour on the offside.

The cross-back design is, in my opinion, a genius feature. It allows the wearer to adjust the height of the apron, bringing the bib as high up the chest as you like. As someone who is splashy in the kitchen, it’s nice to know that top couple of inches of shirt front are covered from the inevitable oil, water, or red sauce splatters. The standard apron design of a set length of strap in a loop behind your neck, has never worked for me. I’m a short person and they’re always too long, flopping down as you bend over the stove and exposing the top part of your t-shirt. I’d never come across this style of apron before the Sam apron, and now I see them on baristas and waiters everywhere. Such a useful feature!

The towel tab, seen here in brown remnant leather from an interior design sample book, is another revelation for me. I spoke about this over on my first post about the Sam apron, but after watching a scene in The Bear, where Carmy berates a colleague for wiping his hands on his apron rather than on the towel hanging from his towel tab, I had an epiphany. I had always thought part of the purpose of the apron was for keeping your hand clean, but now I see the error of my ways. I hang a fresh tea towel from the towel tab every day, use it for wiping my hands and then throw it in the wash at the end of a cooking session. It’s so much easier to clean than the wax apron, which technically would be wipe clean only.

This second version I made for my brother for Christmas. It’s from selvedge denim, remnant leather and finished with rivets and a Craft & Thrift logo on the chest pocket. There’s not much more to say, other than it was well received! I might, in time, make a matching one for his wife, but in the meantime I need a break from sewing gifts.

Enjoy this selection of additional photos for this denim Sam apron, I’m sure I’ll be revisiting this pattern again in the future.