Last year I received some really beautiful vintage apron patterns from my mother who had inherited them from her mother. I think they are from the 50’s and 60’s and I have a (long term) goal to make as many as I can. Last year I wrote a post about an apron I made from the collection and it turned out to be very folkabilly (cross between happy homemaker from the 50′s, a folksy peasant lady and rockabilly). In the end this latest one, in my opinion, turned out pretty folkabilly as well.
It seems like the type of apron one of the ladies from this amazing festa would wear. Seriously, all those gorgeous people in the photographs look so unbearably cool. I want to be them.
So my sewing group and I decided we’d kick off the year by making one of the vintage aprons. We thought it would be a quick and easy starter project. We decided on the pattern with the handkerchief skirt (bottom row, 2nd from left, red and white apron). In the end it wasn’t a one morning project. With all the bias and fancy edgings etc it took a lot more time than we thought.
Very pretty on the mannequin. Pretty ridiculous looking on me. From the pattern you can tell women had very different shapes back in those days. Tiny weeny little waists and a full bosom. Wow, I just used the word bosom on my blog for the first time.
I can just imagine a good 50’s housewife greeting the man of the house after a long hard day of work in this apron. Maybe with a drink and the newspaper as well. Oh my poor husband and the fact this scenario will never happen under my roof.
The back view of the apron. Very fancy. And difficult to put on. There were obviously no housewives wearing sweatpants and crocs back in the 50’s my friends. And that was a good thing.
Jillian In Italy 