Pocketful!

Pockets  - I love them!

There are bulging pockets in all my coats and trousers...an often used phrase is 'There's something sticking out of your back pocket'

 I can leave the house without a bag sometimes - just filling my pockets with copious amounts of essential items! 

Then there are the precarious piles of tiny pieces of paper, change and tissues that are unceremoniously plonked on surfaces when the said stretched pockets are evacuated!

I am a huge admirer of Hesta's style over at Bodkin - and loved the way she gently pulled fluff to spin on her drop spindle from her pretty floral pocket!

When crafting I spread out - oozing over every possible surface - and often have several items on my knee (or in the case of tapestry needles disappearing between my thighs...and crochet hooks down the side of the settee!) when there is  a distraction requiring me to stand, everything has to be  laboriously decanted to another area - often at a distance as the near spots are already occupied. 

In summer there are  several seasonal issues -
 the excitement of al fresco crafting: the need to remember to take with you everything you possible could require, to eliminate the 'putting down of project matter, striding  back inside just as you had got started' manoeuvre.
Juggling to try to keep everything off the sometimes damp lawn.
Also the occupied sofa factor - its great having RW Jnr home in the holidays - but it cuts the crafting surfaces down by more than half - long legs straying over into my half....(which has to be the left hand side so I can crochet!)

To solve some of these niggles I have tried trays and biscuit tin lids in the past but had pictures of Hesta's flexible soft fabric pockets in my head.

A flash of inspiration one day led me to ask my mum, who has an eclectic collection of all sorts of practical gadgets, if she had a tie round the waist apron.

She did have a spare - one she beautifully handmade for a Brownie Pack Holiday

with gloriously 70s fabric,  brown (very apt for its destination) trim, practical pocket, and compulsory name tape!

 I imagine the kit list had specified an apron with a pocket...and everything had to be named!

I remembered this apron well - and was keen to give it a go in another role - 

it nearly reached comfortably round my waist!

Then the other day mum gave me a specially commissioned apron - made by a friend of hers! 

 It has a HUGE voluminous pocket - with two openings...

beautiful fabric: inscribed appropriately with

 'Oh what tangled threads we leave when first we practice to stitch and weave'

As its adult size it covers my knees with ease - and is very comfortable round the waist!

I set about making sure I would always have essential necessities to hand  - adding scissors and needles,

attaching them with a crochet cord 

fastened to the apron with a pin brooch.

Well, You've got to pimp a pocket or two boys!!

The plan is to gently cram the current project in the pocket whilst on the move, 

to spread out on my lap whilst creating,

 and to gather the corners up and transfer the contents safely from my knee when I need to stand up!

Now I am looking forward  to trying  it out!!

Thanks to Hesta for the inspiration

to mums friend for the amazing apron

and to mum - for the original apron,
all her encouragement and for gathering and wrapping me in pocketfuls of her creativity!