Patra's Embroidered Aprons

Amazing collection of aprons!

2012-01-09T08:23:00.000-05:00

Recently I received an email from a lady in NSW who wanted to know more about the reversible apron I featured on here some time ago. Unfortunately I couldn't supply any details as the apron was given to me by a friend who found it in an opshop, and there is no way of telling whether it was handmade or mass produced. This person told me she makes aprons as well as collecting them, and provided a link to her Flickr site. I've asked her permission to post a link to it here, but I'm doing it anyway, as I don't think she will mind! All you ladies who read this blog MUST check this Flickr site out - you will be gobsmacked by the vast array of gorgeous aprons!
The site is http://www.flickr.com/photos/pavlova_is/

Two aprons added to the collection.

2011-11-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

I found these at the newly opened Waverly Antique Bazaar today. I took these photos before I washed and ironed them, so they are a bit creased. The white one is particularly interesting; I've not seen an apron done in whitework like this before. It is difficult to see on this pic, so I'll try for a better one after I've ironed it.
Isn't the orange and black apron a cute design! It made me laugh when I picked it up for a closer look.

Another green gingham half apron.

2011-01-11T20:11:00.002-05:00

The previous post here was one month ago, and I had a photo of a green gingham half apron. Well, guess what I received for Christmas from my good friend LeeAnn who works in an opshop? This gorgeous green gingham half apron! But this one has the added bonus of lovely red crocheted crinoline ladies.

Unusual half apron.

2010-12-12T05:56:00.004-05:00

I know it's been a while since I posted, but if I haven't got any more aprons to add, it's not much point writing about something else! But now I've got two more to add, although I can only photograph one - this green half apron. Don't be fooled into thinking the trimming is chicken scratch - it's not. It is smocking, and beautifully done.

The other apron that I haven't included here is a calico printed unworked apron. It is quite old, and the transfer is very pale, so it wouldn't show up in a photo. The design is two puppies peeping over a fence. I've got a similar design in a doiley, so I'll copy those colours when I get around to stitching it.

Three different aprons.

2010-09-09T10:50:00.004-05:00

Although this blog is supposedly dedicated to hand embroidered aprons, occasionally I sneak some in which are not hand embroidered. These three came into my possession this week.

I found this one in an opshop for $3.50. It looks as if it is made from separate pieces of fabric, but it is all one piece, printed to look like patchwork. The pockets and waistband are of course separate bits.
One of my colleagues at our Guild gave me this apron, which is machine embroidered, but still a charming item worthy of adding to my collection. Ugh...I really should have ironed this before taking the photo!

Finally, I bought this new apron from 'Gifts Of Elegance' in Eltham - I just loved the variation on the usual "Paris, Rome, London" theme!!

Pretty half apron with crocheted trim.

2010-09-04T10:24:00.003-05:00

A few years ago, there were aprons galore in opshops, but not any more. So when I found this one for $3.50 in our local opshop, I pounced on it! Pretty blue cotton with Dolly Varden ladies crocheted in variegated floss.

Pink gingham apron

2010-08-12T19:51:00.003-05:00

My MIL gave me a bag of old aprons a few years ago. She found them in her laundry and gave them to me, expressing doubt that they would be good for anything, but I revived them all! She must have overlooked this one, as I found it when we were clearing out her house prior to selling it. It was badly stained, but good old Napisan did the trick as usual. Pink gingham with machine embroidered trim.

Two additions to my collection.

2010-08-05T07:44:00.003-05:00

Hooray! I finally have something to post on this blog, thanks to a friend in NSW. I had an old cushion cover commemorating a coronation, and offered it to Sylvia, knowing her love of Royalty memorabilia. She was very pleased to accept it, and offered to trade some of her goodies for it. Sylvia has an extensive collection of embroidered aprons, all (or most) of which are different to mine, so do visit her blog for a look.
Here are the two she sent to me - the first one commemorates the opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

This one needs a bit of embroidery to finish it, then cutting out the apron, attaching the pockets, and binding the edges. Won't take long...(nor will the other 40 unfinished aprons in my collection)

Ken Done design apron.

2010-04-01T06:19:00.002-05:00

I'll be surprised if anyone still visits this blog - it's been so long since I posted anything! But if I don't get new aprons, there is nothing to write about, is there? But I found this apron in our local op(thrift)shop yesterday and couldn't leave it there. It is printed, not embroidered, but the designer Ken Done is a well known Australian artist, and this apron in such good condition is, I suspect, worth much more than $1!

Reversible apron!

2009-12-16T07:56:00.003-05:00

This apron isn't embroidered, but it is handmade, so I think it deserves a spot here. My friend Lee-Ann works in an opshop and gave me a heap of linens last week, and this cute apron was among them. I've seen reversible aprons, but this is the first one for my collection. I think it is very clever!

Unworked children's aprons.

2009-08-28T07:01:00.005-05:00

I received these three little aprons from a generous lady in South Australia, who knew from reading my blogs, that I collect aprons. I never fail to be amazed at the generosity of far away people (who I shall probably never meet in person), who see me on the internet, and send me stuff that they figure I will like! I do the same thing whenever I can, as it is a good way of passing stuff on that I don't want any more, but someone else will.
I'm sorry these photos are not very clear; the calico is a bit discoloured through age, and the lighting in this room is not conducive to good photography! This first apron (uncut) features a simple floral design.

This one is also uncut, and has a transfer of Cinderella on it.

This apron with a cute bunnies design, has been cut and edged with bias binding.

Half Apron from Canada.

2009-06-30T08:08:00.005-05:00

I found this in an op shop today, and had an interesting discussion with the lady behind the counter, about its origin. She thinks it was a souvenir brought back here for someone who didn't wear aprons, and discarded it with other stuff destined for the op shop.
I pounced on it as soon as I walked in to the shop because it is so beautifully stitched, and an unusual design for an apron. I was surprised to find a label on the back of it in French. Some of the words are a bit hard to make out, but I think it says:
Tisse a La Main Hand Loomed
Au Terroir
STE Madeleine, Quebec
Fabrique au Canada. Made in Canada.

Found in an antique market.

2009-06-01T07:09:00.002-05:00

I've taken to hanging my linens on the line outside, to photograph them for my blog, but when it is sunny, they tend to look a bit washed out as in this picture. The colours are indeed pastel, but brighter than they look here. This one cost me $25, which is about average for an apron of this vintage and condition.

A very old unfinished apron.

2009-05-21T11:04:00.002-05:00

I received this stunning apron from Doreen, a fellow stitcher on a Postcards Yahoo Group, and also from Stitchin Fingers. People are so thoughtful! You meet someone in cyberspace, who you would never have met otherwise, and they remember you like something, so when they find one, they send it to you! Doreen has obviously been looking at my blogs, and noticed this one, so when this apron was donated to her Guild for the recycle table, she snapped it up for me instead - thank you heaps, dear friend!!

Wear Your Apron Day - May 11th

2009-05-10T10:06:00.003-05:00

Tomorow is The Big Day - Wear Your Apron Day!
I wear an apron at some point in every day. When I'm cooking, or washing the dishes, and that's about 3 times a day. Most times nobody sees me, and I wear aprons simply to cover my clothes, because I'm such a grub when I'm messing around in my kitchen. But if my friends drop in, they usually comment on me wearing an apron, because most of them don't!
If you are reading this, I would really enjoy receiving a comment from you, describing which apron you will wear on Monday! I've decided to wear my new Paris printed apron, as I have just washed and ironed it ready to put away, but now I'll hang it in the kitchen ready to put on in the morning.

Printed, not embroidered.

2009-05-08T01:39:00.002-05:00

I collect embroidered aprons as part of my overall vintage linens collection, but sometimes I see an apron that I can wear on a day to day basis (yes I do, I'm a real grub in the kitchen, always splashing or wiping something on myself). Today I was browsing in an antique market, and found these two sweet aprons for $3 each. Would you have left them behind?? If you are reading this blog, I think not!

A cute addition to my collection!

2009-05-04T02:41:00.003-05:00

A couple of years ago, I found an article about aprons in a magazine online, and I emailed the author of the article to tell her about my collection. She contacted me and we emailed back and forth for a while, then we agreed to exchange an apron with each other. I had a calico half apron with nothing embroidered on it, so I used one of my vintage transfers to iron on a design, stitched it and sent it over to Carolyn.
She said she was delighted with it, and was looking for one to send me. Well, I got it today! She has had a lot of illness and hardship in her life since we last contacted each other, hence the delay. But as I said to her, the apron was worth the wait! Cute little bib style with pretty embroidered flowers. Love it!

Aprons In The Wind (but only in the U.S.A.)

2009-04-23T09:03:00.005-05:00

I received this email today from the Lakes Gallery of Fine Art in the USA:

May 22, 2009
Good Day Gina

Kindly pass this announcement to your apron network. Thank you

Teri Peterson
The Lakes Gallery of Fine Art

2nd Annual “Aprons in the Wind”
A Mother’s Day weekend Celebration!
Fri. May 8th –Mon. May 11th
Fabric aprons displayed to honor women everywhere!
The dedicated aprons become apart of the exhibit and will be hung every Mothers Day weekend for years to come. Be apart – send or bring a dedicated apron to The Lakes Gallery of Fine Art. See web site for complete details www.lakesfineart.com

Special Art Mart: Saturday, May 9th, 11AM - 2PM
For details: The Lakes Gallery of Fine Art
N76 W31428 County Rd. V. v., North Lake (Hartland) 53209

www.lakesfineart.com (262) 966-1804

Here is the link to their website with all the details. It sounds like so much fun - do you think we could do something like this in Melbourne? I wonder how we could advertise it, and how many (if any!) people would turn up?

Lovely half apron.

2009-04-22T10:23:00.004-05:00

My friend LeeAnn who lives in country Victoria, and finds the most beautiful linen in her local towns - sent this gorgeous little number to me for my birthday. Thank you, LeeAnn!

More unfinished aprons.

2009-04-04T10:20:00.000-05:00

I don't find many aprons these days - at least not the kind I want in my collection, so posts on this blog have been sparse this year. Today I was photographing some other unworked linens, and as I had the camera out, I decided to start photographing my unworked aprons as well.
These three have an Australian theme. Semco was an Australian company, so I don't suppose I should be astonished at the amount of patterns they produced with a patriotic theme! I must have about half a dozen with kookaburras on alone. The one shown here is so beautifully stitched, I only need to stitch a flower on the pockets to finish it off.

Other unfinished designs.

2009-04-04T10:11:00.003-05:00

I know I should pull my finger out and get working on all of these, but this one in particular needs to be finished off, as the design is rapidly fading. God only knows how old this is.

I paid quite a lot of money for this on eBay a few years ago, but have no regrets, as I have never seen another one like it. VERY unusual design.
I should be ashamed of myself, leaving this apron in a box with the other UFOs. It only needs bias binding around the edge, and the pocket stitched on - 10 minutes work! I'm not going to put it back in the cupboard with the others. Instead, I'll put it on the dining room table where it will scowl at me every time I walk past, until I get to and finish it!

Children's aprons, unfinished.

2009-04-04T09:59:00.003-05:00

Some of these have "school apron" printed at the foot of the fabric. I wonder if that meant the little pupil had to stitch it, or her mother had to stitch it for her daughter to use at school? Two others have "Maid's apron" on them. How society has changed...

This one isn't a school apron. It is actually pretty weird, and I can't imagine a child wanting to wear it!!

Unworked calico apron.

2009-02-05T07:55:00.004-05:00

This appeared on eBay a few weeks ago, and I pounced! The lady who had it up for auction lives in the next suburb, and she brought it around to me a few days later, thus saving us postage and packing costs - it's handy when eBay sellers and buyers live close by!
This apron dates back to around the 1930's/40's, we think, going by the style of the swimsuit the lady is wearing. I've just photographed the main part of the design, and it isn't very clear because it is quite faded.

My newest (old) aprons.

2008-12-05T09:11:00.006-05:00

A colleague at the Embroiderers' Guild of Victoria also collects aprons, and she gave me these aprons after she'd culled her collection recently.
This is an uncut calico apron which has been partly embroidered. Probably dates back to the 1940's or 50's.

Whenever I see gingham I think cross stitch and chicken scratch. But the person who made this apron had completely different ideas. It is machine stitched, and a lot of work has gone into making the strawberry part of the flower, and attaching them to the fabric. A very unusual addition to my collection.

Naughty French Maid's apron. I put this on last night just for fun when I got out of the shower, and pranced around the living room in front of Ken. He just raised his eyebrows!

This is a cute little half apron - not a child's size, but not for a large adult either!

This IS a child's apron, and one of the cutest ones I've ever seen. I'm going to ask my niece if I can photograph it on her 3 year old daughter, who will look just adorable in it!

Finally, this is obviously for the hostess when she has friends around for a card night! I've got plenty of card table cloths in my table cloth collection, but this is the first apron I've seen to match them!

Lady in a blue dress on a brick wall.

2008-09-10T10:53:00.003-05:00

I can't begin to explain how excited I was to win this on eBay last week! Words alone won't describe the beauty of the work in this apron. I've taken three photos - one of the apron as a whole, a closeup of the design, and a section of the reverse, so you can see the meticulous hand stitching - just in case you thought it was applique or machine stitched!

Phar Lap apron

2008-09-10T10:49:00.002-05:00

Phar Lap was arguably Australia's greatest racehorse, and I'm not going to enter discussions about any aspect of Phar Lap's ancestry or history! There is a large space devoted to him in the Melbourne Museum, which includes various memorabilia, one of which is an embroidered apron which I have long coveted. So you can imagine my delight when this turned up on eBay! It is not the same standard of stitching as the one in the Museum, but I'm happy to have it in my collection, as it is obviously quite old.

Apron with lady smoking.

2008-09-01T09:03:00.002-05:00

Gosh, how politically incorrect is that these days! This apron is stitched on some kind of homespun fabric, with hand crocheted edges, but no ties, which makes me think it was done for an embroidery show or contest.

Did "My Fair Lady" inspire this apron?

2008-08-12T07:33:00.005-05:00

Most of the aprons I would like to have in my collection are already in somebody else's collection, but now and again I find another nice one. This arrived today from Western Australia via eBay. The seller called it a crinoline lady, but strictly speaking it's not that style. I think she looks more like Eliza before Henry Higgins transformed her!

Apron commemorating Amy Johnson.

2008-07-20T03:08:00.003-05:00

I found this at our local antique market. At first I didn't know what it was about, although it was obvious that the date and name had some historic meaning. I Googled it today, and discovered that it was to commemorate the flight of Amy Johnson (Johnnie)the first woman to fly solo from London to Darwin in May 1930.

Unfinished vintage apron.

2008-03-17T02:10:00.003-05:00

An old friend of mine works in an opshop in Hobart (Tas) and now and then she finds some old embroidered items that she sends on to me if they haven't sold in the shop after some time. Her latest find is this apron with a pair of kookaburras which need finishing off, as well as some smaller designs at the top. Then of course it needs to be cut out and made up. I have dozens of these Semco calico apron sheets with patterns stamped on them; there was an enormous variety of designs available back in the first half of the 20th century.

More Apron lovers blogs and websites

2008-03-16T08:59:00.003-05:00

I have just discovered a whole new world of Apron collectors out there, and have added links to their websites and blogs on my side bar. Kitchen Madonna last year proposed a National Wear An Apron Day, for May 14th. Here is what she wrote:

After your funeral, do you think your granddaughter will bury her face in your professional looking briefcase or in your treasured apron? When a woman puts on an apron, it makes no less of a statement than a fine leather briefcase. It announces she is on duty to be receptive to whatever happens in her home and everyone that encompasses. And that is a wider sphere of influence than many would allow.

An apron is like a uniform that conveys authority and unconditional regard and motherly wisdom all at once. Who said aprons are just about cooking and cleaning? They are also about emotional availability, hospitality, and femininity. They state in clearest terms that to serve is to reign.

There is an apron renaissance going on out there and much of it is recorded on the internet. Women everywhere are taking pictures of their aprons and posting them on certain blogs. They are scouring the internet looking for vintage patterns and materials. They are writing about what being a mother and a housewife means to them. These women aren’t depressed. They don’t need valium or to secretly drink or to watch a wildly popular television show that is a diabolical inversion of their lives.

I think a National Wear an Apron Day should be May 14th during the month of Immaculate Mary and the day after Mother’s Day. Amidst the quiet drama of our everyday lives, we can celebrate in gratitude our homes and families by toasting each other with tea and homemade cookies and fresh buttered bread. And go ahead, on Career Day at your local school, invite a girl over to see what your life is like. She most likely will have no idea how to hold a baby or how to make a stew or how to bake a casserole to take to a bereaved family or how soft your apron is for drying tears.

The devil very well may wear Prada but authentically feminine women wear aprons!

I suggested to K.M. that this should and could be, an International Day. Are any of my readers prepared to join me here, by emailing me a photo of yourself in your favourite apron in time for Wear An Apron Day? If I get enough, I'll publish them in a slideshow format (if I can figure out how to do it - everyone says it is easy!)

Fabulous Geisha Girl apron!

2008-01-29T09:50:00.000-05:00

I won this on eBay last week. The seller is a lady in N.S.W. who told me this was made by her grandmother around 1960. She would have been about sixty when she made it.
These photos show the apron in full (unfortunately the colour is not correct), a closeup of part of the design (colour is better in this pic.) and one of the reverse, in which you can see the enormous amount of stitching done.
What else can I say, but WOW...

Doggie apron!

2008-01-07T10:01:00.001-05:00

My friend LeeAnn from Peartree Cottage presented me with this cutie last weekend! I haven't washed and ironed it yet, but it photographed okay I think.

Merry Christmas to my fellow Apron lovers!

2007-12-24T01:59:00.000-05:00

Another fabulous apron - just look at this stitching!

2007-11-30T09:22:00.000-05:00

This HAS to have been done for a competition or show of some sort. I doubt very much if the embroiderer put all this effort in just to wear around the house!

Closeup of the front.
Closeup of the reverse.

Another beautiful showpiece.

2007-11-13T07:25:00.001-05:00

When I won this apron on eBay, I asked the seller if she knew the origins. From what she replied, I believe her mother made it, and it was done for competition in a show. I thought it would attract huge bids, so I put my maximum bid in for $40, but there was only two other bids, and I won it for less than $10!!!!

Close-up of the main design. Sorry about the different colours in these photos - I don't know why that has happened, but the close-up pic is the actual colour of the calico fabric.

Two new aprons.

2007-10-10T04:42:00.000-05:00

Don't you wonder why people chose this drab material to stitch such beautiful flowers?
Just look at this perfect stitching - the variegated colour thread bring the flowers to life.

Needs a soak, but is clean enough for a picture. I didn't actually bid for this apron. I bid for another one which I didn't win, and the eBay seller very kindly sent me this one to make up for losing the other auction! Wasn't that generous of her? Both of these came from the same lady.

Rejects from the Embroiderer's Guild!

2007-10-02T21:26:00.000-05:00

These aprons were given to me yesterday by my volunteer co-worker. They didn't sell at the annual Paddy's Market, so Wanda snapped them up for me.

Nice example of Chicken Scratch on gingham.

Machine stitched, but I still like it - great for St Patrick's Day!

Closeup of the sweet design on this old hand embroidered calico apron.

Unfinished apron with Ballerina.

2007-09-23T08:38:00.000-05:00

I forgot all about this one! I was in the process of deleting photos from my PC when I saw this and thought I'd better check and see if I'd posted it here. I hadn't! I did mention it on Patra's Place - it is the apron that LeeAnn included in her pack of linens for me. The stitching is all complete - the apron just needs to be cut out, hemmed with bias binding, and straps sewn on. It'll only take five minutes...yeah, sure.

Another unique design: an ice-skater!

2007-09-19T06:45:00.001-05:00

Aprons and books about aprons.

2007-08-21T07:12:00.001-05:00

I never cease to be surprised by the designs that pop up on aprons. This lady might have been me 200 years ago!

...and a close-up

It is incredible what you find when you go looking on Amazon.com. Type in any subject, and there are bound to be dozens of books about it. I read about these books on another blog dedicated to aprons, and finally decided I had to have them. I had lunch with two friends today, who are very understanding about my passion for linens of all kinds, but they raised their eyebrows when they saw these books. "What would anyone find to write about aprons??" Well, there are lots of photos of course, but a lot of fascinating history and information too... fascinating to apron lovers only, I suppose..

Some old aprons from Hubby's Mum!

2007-07-22T09:42:00.000-05:00

Ken's Mum has been cleaning out some more cupboards and found these aprons stuffed into a drawer. She thinks she made most of them, and had forgotten she had kept them! She was probably going to use them for dusters until I came along and begged her not to throw anything out!! These two pictures were taken tonight when I brought them home and laid them out on the kitchen floor. They are all half aprons as you can see, and will have to be well soaked and pressed to bring them back to their former 'glory'! I might have to alter the title of my blog to "Patra's Aprons" as most of these are not actually embroidered...nah, I'll leave it alone!

As you can see, they will all need a good soak before I iron them and photograph them again to put on here individually. Notice the apron at the bottom right corner, with the coloured bands. It is pleated - I've never seen a pleated apron in my life!
Don't you just love this one! Right out of the 1950's!

More aprons, a variety of subjects.

2007-07-21T10:34:00.000-05:00

Isn't this sweet! "Are you coming out to play with me?" one little dog seems to be asking the other!
How often do you see an apron with a teapot stitched on it? Not often enough! This is lovely - very appropriate for serving tea and cake to your family and friends!
This full apron has great sentimental value for me. One of my home care clients made it when she was a school girl (about 1930)and told me she has worn it often. But this lady always takes great care of her clothes, and even this apron has been well preserved. She said her daughter and grandchildren weren't interested in it. Their loss!

The design on this apron makes me think of Paris, for some reason. The horse and cart outside a cafe just looks French! I have no idea where it originated, as it was an eBay win.

Flowers in a basket with a white ribbon in satin stitch.
Oh this is a cutie! One of the prettiest gingham* half aprons I have seen, it has been pleated, and the cross stitch sections are surrounded by lace.
*This isn't traditional gingham - it is another type of material that resembles gingham, and is often used to embellish in the same way.
I am so pleased to read everyone's comments on this blog. It sounds like you are all enjoying seeing my apron collection; I am certainly very happy to make it available to so many people online. The idea of an online museum that was suggested to me some time ago appears to be taking off!

Some more of my aprons.

2007-07-04T03:09:00.000-05:00

A few more aprons, which don't fit into any of the categories I have set up here for the others...What's the point of putting 'labels' on them here if nothing shows up on the blog? Or am I missing something?

One of several gingham half aprons embellished with cross stitch and ric-rac.
Detail on the pocket.
My friend Helen gave this to me for Christmas a few years ago. She found it at an opshop in Violet Town, in rural Victoria.
This doesn't need any detailed explanations - everyone knows the Willow Pattern from somewhere!
Vine leaves and grapes; this would be good to wear at a wine tasting!

Apron from around 1930-40 - what do you think?

2007-07-04T02:39:00.000-05:00

This arrived from rural Victoria yesterday, and I haven't washed or ironed it yet. I was so excited I just had to photograph it immediately!

Where do I keep my aprons?

2007-06-27T11:01:00.000-05:00

Janice has asked where I keep my aprons, and do I ever wear them? I used to have them all hanging on skirt hangers in the same wardrobe as my tablecloths, but I recently took all the aprons out to photograph them and they are still in a pile on a chair. In that short time, I have sorted out my tablecloths, which means that I hung up a few recent additions to the collection. That in turn meant there was less space in the cupboard to hang other things, so I'm thinking about not replacing the aprons in the same wardrobe as the cloths, otherwise they all get crushed. I am considering packing them in those large clear plastic boxes, which will then go at the bottom of the wardrobe.

Do I wear them? I do wear aprons when I am cooking or cleaning up in the kitchen, but not my lovely embroidered ones! I have a dozen aprons in the linen cupboard along with the day to day linens like teatowels etc. and these aprons are simple printed fabric, or gingham with cross stitch. I guess I should get around to photographing them too, as I have noticed that American women in particular, like the printed aprons.

The only time I do wear an apron from my collection is if we have guests to lunch or dinner, and I will pop one on just for fun, while I dish up the meal. The other time the aprons get 'an outing' is when I take them to show a group of people such as in an aged care facility, or womens group where I'm the guest speaker. While I'm talking about my collection, I have one on myself.

Aprons with a floral design.

2007-06-24T09:29:00.000-05:00

One of my dear home care clients gave me this before she moved into a nursing home. I don't think she actually made it, as she had always told me she never did much embroidery when she was younger, but I still remember her whenever I look at it.
This is definitely worth a closer inspection.

This simple creation is the only one I've embroidered myself. I bought it either on eBay or at an opshop (so long ago I can't remember), barely started, and I was able to finish it off fairly quickly.
Closeup view of the floral heart.

The tiny exquisite stitching deserves a closer inspection:

Aprons with an Aussie theme.

2007-06-24T09:11:00.000-05:00

These are only a few of the many apron designs produced in Australia in the first half of the 20th century to commemorate Aussie people, animals, events, etc. This one was made to commemorate the centenary of South Australia.
Miss Western Australia. No year known for this...Have you heard of any other country in the world who have made aprons to celebrate their Miss World contestants?? I hardly think today's beauty contestants would be flattered!!
Miss Australia, but the year isn't given. My elderly homecare clients are guessing in the 1930's.
This is another of those incredible examples of stitching where the design has been completely filled in with stem stitch. Koalas of course!

Captain James Cook is credited with having discovered Australia and the cottage where he was born in England was transported over here many years ago, and still remains a popular tourist attraction in Melbourne. I love this apron - it must have a story behind it but I can only imagine the truth. It has obviously been stitched by two people - one experienced and one learner. Some of the stitching is perfect, and the rest is rather awful! I think Mother might have been teaching her small daughter to embroider, and this is the result. It's never been quite finished, and I am leaving it as it is.

A lady from the 1940's era, calling 'Coo-ee'

Fellow Apron lovers!

2007-06-20T07:01:00.000-05:00

In addition to the links I have provided on the sidebar here, to other Apron websites and blogs, there is another item of interest which is very worthwhile reading. Last year, I was searching for apron information on the Net, and I discovered an article on a website called Fabric.net. The article (on apron collecting) was by Carolyn Ellertson, and I got in touch with her to tell her about my own collection. We have been exchanging emails occasionally since then, and I have made a small apron to send to her as a friendship exchange. Carolyn tells me she is often invited to exhibit her collection at various conventions and fairs around the U.S.A. It is exactly the sort of event I would like to do here, if I had the contacts to do it, and after reading about Carolyn's activities I am strongly motivated to start finding out where I start!
In the meantime, do read Carolyn's article, and while you are there, have a look at Fabric.net's website - it is chockfull of fascinating information about all kinds of textiles.
"Up Close And Personal With Vintage Aprons"

Birds.

2007-06-10T23:22:00.000-05:00

I found this little beauty in an antique shop. How long would this have taken to stitch?? Nearly all in tiny, perfect chain stitch!
Closeup of the chain stitch used to create the apron above
Fabulous parrot in brilliant colours.

Half aprons

2007-06-10T22:53:00.000-05:00

A very pretty, beautifully stitched little treasure. If you would like to see a closeup of one of the pockets, leave a comment here and I'll get one done.
Another pretty one. Just right for serving your friends tea and cakes one afternoon!
Crochet trim on gingham was a popular theme, especially these dancing ladies. I have several supper cloths with the same embellishment.
I was in half a mind not to include this piece on here, as it was extremely difficult to photograph, being on such a sheer material. We tried it on dark backgrounds, light backgrounds, and eventually settled for draping it across my back on my white windcheater! The embroidery is exquisite; it must have been hard to work on such thin fabric.
Cross stitch on gingham has always been popular, probably because the materials are inexpensive, and you don't have to learn a lot of different stitches. I have several gingham and XS aprons, but decided to use this one here, as there is quite a lot of work on it.
A simple gingham and cotton piece with cross stitch decoration, and a matching oven mitt as well. I found this in an op shop I think, and discovered the oven mitt tucked inside the apron pocket when I got it home. This one could be used as a peg bag as well as an apron.
This one is from Belgium. The eBay seller told me it was made by a child as a sampler,in an embroidery class at school
This piece has applique trim instead of traditional embroidery, but I couldn't resist adding it to my collection.

Ladies from other places

2007-06-10T22:50:00.000-05:00

Puppies and other pets.

2007-06-10T09:04:00.000-05:00

I suspect this may have been made by a school student. I remember doing one myself when I was at secondary school. It was on calico, and we had to put our name or initials on it, and wear it during our cookery class. I don't recall stitching anything so pretty as this on mine though!

Definitely a European influence in this design!

These two aprons are the same design, but the stitchers have chosen different colours. I bought them at different times, not realising with the second purchase that I was buying a replica of one already in my collection! But I don't mind, because I find it fascinating how people can change the same design by using different colours and/or stitches.

The dog on this is embroidered in very pale cotton, so I have taken a closer photo to show the dog in more detail (below)

Some Crinoline ladies.

2007-06-10T08:30:00.001-05:00

This apron was on eBay, described as 'machine embroidered'. I knew by the design that it was no such thing, and won it for $12. Probably my best ever eBay bargain!

Here is a closeup of the stitching.

The umbrella forms a pocket on this apron.
I love the way the sash has been embroidered in satin stitch using several tones of the same shaded thread to give it that subtle colour change.

Not strictly Crinoline ladies I guess; more like Maypole dancers.
This is a close up of the work on the apron below.

This is a half apron. One of the best examples of fill-in stitching I've ever seen. I am sure this was done for an event like the Melbourne Show. Far too much work to just be used to stop drips on one's clothes!

Made a start...

2007-06-08T10:12:00.000-05:00

"Gosh! This is better than playing in autumn leaves!"

I got started on this new blog so late that I ran out of puff after posting the pics below! I'll do some more over the weekend. In the meantime, here is Topsy creating mayhem in my freshly ironed aprons! Luckily we had finished snapping these ones, so we were able to laugh while she happily made tunnels and nests out of them.

Some of my own personal favourites.

2007-06-08T08:09:00.000-05:00

A dainty Japanese lady with a Chinese lantern...one of my Japanese friends did not like this apron when I showed it to her! She said the designer had made the mistake of confusing the Chinese and Japanese cultures - common to Westerners! Oh well, I still think it is a nice apron!

A very unusual design, don't you think? And such a lot of work, all that stem stitching to fill in the dress! I have a few aprons with the patterns filled in like this, and every time I look at them, I am amazed at the amount of work involved.

This image is not very clear, as the cotton material has been worn thin over the years and doesn't photograph well. But you can still make out the Spanish flamenco dancer, and the black crocheted edge which is such a perfect finishing touch.

I won this on eBay, and as with so many from that source, I have no information whatever about who stitched it, or when and where it was done. My guess is that it dates from the early 1950's.

This sensational apron always receives cries of delight when I show it off! It dates back to the 1930's I believe, and was stitched by a lady in NSW, according to the eBay seller who sold it to me.