Wednesday, August 18, 2010


My name is Erika. My friends call me "fler" (pronounced like flair). 

I've always loved aprons. I guess partly because I can be messy in the kitchen and the apron helps me look cute AND keep my hands clean. I'm often mesmerized by the cute designs Anthropologie or local artists will come up with to spice up the basic apron. For the last several years I've been wanting to learn how to sew with aprons being first on my novice agenda.

My dear and creative friend Kera began sewing a year ago. Now that I think about it, maybe a couple years ago...time seems to fly by.  She blogs about her creations and I'm often inspired. I just love all her ideas and projects. I found myself always saying, "One day I'll learn."

Aside from the fact that I have zero point zero of the tools to sew, I'm not really sure why it has taken me so long to try? My mom made all our clothes growing up and is an amazing seamstress. My Aunt Drinda is a magician around sewing machines. My mom Reiner also has the magic touch. Perhaps I was afraid I would not be as good and find my art to look more like a home ec class gone awry. 

My husbando travels quite a bit. I often find myself lost in the house wondering what to do. My mother-in-law knew my boredom and knew my interest in wanting to learn to sew. One evening she dusted off a spare machine, which is older than myself, and took it for a ride to our home. This machine has the original manual and all the working pieces (suuuper cute!). This machine is wonderful and works so well. Our dining room is now "where the magic happens". 

The week "Shirley" (lets give the sewing machine a name) came to our home. We picked out a simple pattern, fabric, some accent pieces and thread. I also received a kind gift of sewing essentials (sharp scissors, seam ripper, ruler and fabric marker). Mom Reiner kept a few steps ahead of my work making her own apron to help me along since the pattern instructions weren't the easiest to follow.

After MANY calls to my mom and a few visits from mom Reiner, I ended up with my very first creation above. 

Threads of Fler was born. 

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