Grandma's apron

[carmenbeaudry]



My grandmother, Carmen Wilson, lived in aprons. I can’t remember how many times we had to remind her to take off her apron when she left the house, or to have a picture taken, let alone for holiday meals. She had utilitarian aprons, always with bibs and pockets, and they were usually very easy to pop over her head. Grandma’s aprons were not particularly pretty, nor were they very well made; while she sewed a lot, making clothes for her family and all sorts of useful items, sewing was always a chore, not a pleasure, something that she did to obtain a needed item cheaply. Grandma’s artistry was expressed by her needlework and especially her quilts. Her surviving aprons are thrown together quickly, mended often and worn to death.

 When Grandma died some 23 years ago, I inherited many of her aprons. I have used them ever since, and they have served me as well as they did Grandma, protecting my clothes from the mess of housecleaning and cooking, and providing pockets when the clothes I wore had none. Several years ago, I even copied one of them for my sister and daughter as Christmas presents, but for some reason I had never made one for myself. 

 About a month ago, some of my costumes were in an art show in Port Angeles. One of the events the opening weekend was a “Costumer’s Death Match”, in which two teams were given fabric, assorted odd items and a time limit to come up with historically based costumes on their ever patient models. One of the fabrics used was a strangely appealing (or truly hideous, if you ask my husband) double border print involving poodles, 1950’s cars and fashion models, all in shades of pink, turquoise and black on a pink background. I received the leftover 1 2/3-yard piece as a bribe/gift during the “judging” portion of the event. 

Last week I pulled out the fabric and decided that it needed to be an apron. I figured that this would be a quick project, I had apron patterns and all the notions I needed in my stash, and I would have a new apron and get to feel virtuous for using up stash fabric. Well, this project had a mind of its own, and soon became much more than “just an apron”.

I couldn’t find any of the old-fashioned apron patterns that I knew that I had, so after cursing whatever gremlin was hiding them I decided to draft a pattern off of my favorite of Grandma’s aprons. This particular apron I remember Grandma making out of an old white sheet when I was in high school. It was trimmed in shocking pink bias tape, had straps sewn to the waistband in back, pockets and a back waist tie. It also had a bias tape bar between the back straps, evidently added later to keep the straps from slipping off the shoulders. Most important for this project, the bib and center front of the skirt was one uninterrupted length of fabric, which would show off the border print to best advantage.

                

 The apron was not made as unevenly as these pictures show. The waistband on the right side has been mended several times and has torn away again. Where the straps were sewn to the band in the back (they originally buttoned), they have also come unstitched. The buttonholes are unraveling, and while the white zigzag stitching on the pink bias tape was undoubtedly a quick finish; it’s not terribly pretty.
    

This was and still is a work apron, as evidenced by the fact that to make the pattern, I retrieved it from the peg rack in the kitchen, and I last used it day before yesterday when I did dishes. I should be able to knock one of these out in an hour, even if I didn’t zigzag the binding.

 The patterning went quickly. There are only three major pieces: Front, 4 identical side skirt panels and patch pockets. Add straps, side waistbands and ties, and that was it. When I started to lay out the fabric, that’s when I discovered that this would become something more than just a simple work apron.

 First of all, this is a double border print. That means that the print runs parallel with the selvage, and at the center of the width, reverses itself to become a mirror image. That meant that I would have to piece the fabric for the length of the center front piece. I also needed to piece the back straps, and carefully engineer the side waistbands. I didn’t even try to match the pockets, as I didn’t have enough fabric. I also changed a few things from the original. I gathered the side panels to their waistbands, to better show off the print, and I decided to have the straps cross in back and button to the waistband. All in all, it took most of the hour I had allotted just to pattern and cut the apron.

 I used flat-felled seams on the piecing. This is something that Grandma would have considered too fiddly to bother with, even though I learned flat felling from her mother, and her sewing machine had a felling foot. I fell into a rhythm folding the seams to fell them, not bothering to use my own machine’s felling foot. I found myself thinking about the differences in sewing styles between myself, my mother and sister, my grandmother and my great-grandmother. All of us sew/sewed a lot, all of us, with the exception of my sister, learned on a treadle machine, all of us are/were good at making beautiful things, but the concept of what was worthy of taking time is somewhat different for all of us. I have the luxury of not having to make clothes for my children, or myself but of choosing to do so. I channel most of my creative force into clothing and costumes and other sewn items, and it pleases me to make even a simple apron in an artful way. Slowing down and taking my time becomes a connection to my family and mentors, and a form of meditation, as opposed to working as fast as I can to achieve the end result.

 The binding went easily, the assembly was smooth. I had a bit of a setback when I realized that I needed to face the waistband, and that I didn’t have enough fabric to do that and make the back ties. I searched in my husband’s quilting fabric stash, and found just enough of the right shade of blue for the facing, but I ended up using a forgotten package of blue quilt binding for the ties. I don’t think that they’ll hold up to washing, but they can also be easily replaced.

Last night, after several stops to run errands and visit with friends, I had an almost finished apron. This morning, I need to have someone help me mark the button and buttonhole locations and sew the hem, which I will do as soon as my daughter comes to work on her corset.

    

I’ll probably make more aprons to this pattern; they’re fairly easy if you don’t have a complicated print, and I really like this style. Grandma’s apron will be laundered, and then honorably retired to the archival box where other family textiles reside. Someday my grandchildren, if I have any, will hear the story of their great-great-grandmother’s apron. Who knows, maybe someday my descendents will tell stories about my apron.

 

 

Comments

[javagoth.livejournal.com]

You know - I've never really gotten into the habit of wearing an apron - in part because I have a hard time finding one that fits and isn't gawd-awful ugly. Your story makes me want to maybe make an apron at some point...

[jillwheezul.livejournal.com]

Love it! I'm inspired. I could use up some fabric to do it. I could make some for family even :)

[tradarcher.livejournal.com]

Great inspiring tale. Loved it.

[dame-eleanor.livejournal.com]

My Grandma always wore an apron too...and a similar kind...over the head with the bib front. Your story brought back many fond memories. I loved your story and that fabric is wonderful It'a beautiful apron, and I hope your daughter's children will treasure it one day, and perhaps may another copy for herself! Go you. And thanks!!

That apron is certainly . . .

[kathrynmice.livejournal.com]

family story worthy!

I might (inadvertently) have a similar apron. I have washed Mimi's apron once already and still have a Henry the dog print on it. Sigh. It is linen and the Clorox is on the shelf, I guess I am doing a bleach load next.

Rosceline

[abrahe.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the great story.

[krazyfiberkat.livejournal.com]

That is Awesome! I think we should have an apron making day! I would love to have an apron in the Muertas fabric I have.