Christmas Bells and Gingham

When I got out the Christmas decorations it remined me that I had picked up a couple aprons at an estate sale in the fall. And one was a Christmas apron! I love the bells on it!

Large bells and tiny bells...… It is a little hard to see the seam, but it has a curved pocket. I love discovering all the small details!

The other two aprons are gingham and well loved with quite a bit of staining. I couldn't decide between the two, so decided I needed both!

I don't think I have ever seen ties sewn this way before. So easy to sew and a nice touch!

Such simple embroidery on the pocket, waistband and hem, but so cute!

Someone really took a lot of time and care making these aprons. There is even handsewn decorative rick-rack on the ties!

I love the use of the two sizes of rick-rack! 

Are you getting ready to tie those aprons on? I have a few things that need to be baked last minute and I think it will be fun to the Christmas bells apron!

May and June Apron of the Month- Free Pattern

Announcing 

May and June Apron of the Month!!

 Marie and Meg

I am so excited about these aprons I don't know where to start! These two cuties are "sister" aprons, if you look closely they are both the same pattern except for the shape (pointed or scalloped) and the finishing (ric-rac or bias tape). They are named after real sisters, my great-great Grandmother Marie and her sister Meg! It is always so interesting to see how siblings can be different, yet so alike.

Does one of the aprons looking familiar? I loved the Brown Striped Apron so much, I took the pattern from it!

I have three separate files for the patterns;
 Meg Apron skirt, Marie Apron skirt, and Pocket, Ties and Waistband.

Say Hello to Meg!

She is the bolder, more adventuresome one of the duo. A statement is shouted out with her dramatic points and eye catching ric-rac. But at heart she is still a pretty simple girl. The Meg Apron is so easy to put together! You can whip one up in about an hour. With three panels of the same piece, waistband and ties it is a piece of cake!

Don't you love this fabric? I total agreed with several comments that I needed to make an apron to match my kitchen curtains! (I thought I had posted about them, but apparently not, Opps!) I am now contemplating putting red ric-rac on the curtains! 

And say Hello to Marie!

Marie is a little bit more demur and ladylike with her scalloped hem and traditional contrasting binding. Just as easy to put together and just as easy to love! (It is a good thing I don't have to decide which is my favorite!) She is constructed just like her sister, a three panel skirt, waistband and ties.

Marie Apron was very much inspired by an apron my Great-great-Grandmother is wearing in a photo. It has been on my list for a long time to make. I love how it turned out, just like I imagined!

The fabric is an old vintage feed sack I have been saving, I don't even remember where it came from. But the minute I came across it in my stash I knew it had to be a Marie apron.

I hope you have a lovely summer weekend! We are suppose it get some sun, finally!

Brown Striped Apron

This is one of my newest additions to the collection. I simply love the way the stripes are used! Horizontal in the center and vertical on the sides.

As I was browsing around the antique shop a little gray haired lady came up and asked to see the apron I was carrying around. We had a nice little chat on the popularity of the apron and how easy they are to make. She was so cute!

The construction is lovely. Double stitching, hidden pocket, ric-rac inserted in the seams.....

A view of how the apron is made of three panels.

P.S. Would you like to see a pattern for this apron? I think it is going to be an Apron of the Month!!

Introducing Apron of the Month!

I am so so excited to tell you about a new feature I am starting!! As I have mentioned before, my dream is to start offering apron patterns. So to dip my toes in so to speak, I have decided to put together one free apron pattern a month, either a pattern from around the web or a pdf pattern I have made! Now I don't want to promise every month the apron will be an Apron History Exclusive, but I am going to try to do as many as I can. My pattern list is already mostly full. I am so excited to share them with you!! I will also post sewing tutorials and tips. So with out further ado, let me introduce the 

January Apron of the Month!

Miss Sews-It-All  One Yard Use-It- All Apron

It was love at first sight when I saw this apron. Isn't the fabric the cutest?! It made me want to go fabric shopping! I love the three rows of rick-rack, the nice roomy pockets and the generous ties that made a perfect bow! All the requirements of a good apron!

Miss Sew-It-All has a tutorial Here and the cutting layout is Here.

 I must confess, I was so excited to make this apron I printed the cutting layout out and dashed up to the sewing room, not realizing until later I hadn't even read through the tutorial! Ah well, in the end I figured it out. The fabric and trim are from my stash. I was determined not to go out in the horrible weather and just use what I had.

 The rick-rack is vintage from my grandma's sewing closet. I have had it forever, just waiting for the perfect project! I love the look of multiple rows of rick-rack. 

If you decide to stitch up an apron please share a link in the comments! I would love to see it!

Danity Aprons

Here are two new aprons to the collection. Both are white. One a picked up at an antique store and I think is late 20s early 30s.

Defiantly a "hostess" apron. Tea anyone?

An advertisement for a similar apron from the early 30s.

A closer look at the lovely detail.

  My Grandma gave this one to me. I am not sure if it is a costume apron or really old, I think really old. The fabric is beautiful! So soft and the stripes are actually woven it. It looks like it was handmade by a very good seamstress.