I love searching for vintage items that can be reused, redone, or recreated. It's like a treasure hunt. I get so excited when I find something that has history or combined with other found items creates a a story.
Aprons tell a story all thier own. A staple in every housewife's kitchen especially from the 30's to the 70's, but alas with the coming of women's lib those apron strings were cut..thrown on the floor... an icon of servitude, it was shunned. After more than 30 years the lowly apron is back. We look to these peices of fabric as a badge of honor. Women took sack cloth, towels, tablecloth's and created wearable works of art. Today they seem a little kitchy and they aren't worn in just the kitchen any more. We see them in gardens and at parties, worn by sales clerks and waitresses. Some even wear full aprons as pinafores over plain skirts. I have my Grandmas aprons, but they are very traditional pretty work aprons, not kitchy.
Well I have some kitchy aprons that run from the 1940's-60's at my site Apronation.
This is one of my favs. It's a 1960 cotton apron with a colonial kitchen motif dishtowel attatched. I hand-embroidered the flowers on the towel to make it pop. It says Grandma's Kitchen. I can just imagine the look on the children's face when Grandma opened her Christmas present and found this lovingly chosen gift.
This apron is from the 1940's Ohio State Fair. The young farmers wife purchased this with money she made from sales of her canned jelly, that also took first prize at the fair. She took it home and loving wrapped in tissue and placed in the drawer..she'll save it for a special occasion
And, then therre is this 1950's party apron that was too much fun to embroider. Can't you just see a woman dressed in a lavender shirt dress, pearl studs in her ears with matching necklace, serving finger sandwiches to the ladies in her Garden Club meeting?
Okay, okay..I need to get a life, but I really enjoy taking these vintage textiles and recreating an updated piece of wearable art.
Now I'm heading over to Southern Lady's Vintage to see what every one else is showing from their Kitchy Collections
Don't forget my little giveaway this week. Leave a comment to be entered. Go here for more info.
4 comments:
Great post! I always enjoy reading your posts and am so happy that you are joining in on Vintage Love Saturday.
I love vintage aprons. MY very first sewing project was an apron in grade school!
Hi Melody, I loved your post today. Aprons were such the thing and you never thought about working in the kitchen without one on. How things do change. Today has been absolutely gorgeous today. We started cool but it warmed up beautifully this afternoon. Hopefully we have another nice day. I enjoy your post so much when you come to visit. Have a great rest of the weekend. Your Missouri Friend.
Melody, I love those aprons...especially the Ohio one...oh and the pink one...and...oh I think I just love them all!
♥, Susan
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