A Tale of Four Aprons...Preserving a Grandmother's Love

Hello friends...I hope you are in the mood for some
COUTURE APRONS

I recently had the honor, and I do mean 

HONOR

of creating four couture aprons for a very sweet client.

I won't mention her name in case her family reads my blog.

Let's call her Dear Client

;->

Dear Client sent me an e-mail saying that she had seen my apron creations on my blog and in my Fox Den shops.

She knew I was the lady to turn her Grandmother's vintage linens into 

one of a kind

Couture Aprons.

We met at a local Warrenton coffee house,

The Red Truck Bakery.

They had a nice big  table we could lay the linens out on.

My eyes about popped out of my head!
Piece after gorgeous piece of
 beautiful tablecloths
embroidered tablerunners
stitched napkins
crewel and cross stitch
I thought I would have to wash the saliva off them, I was drooling so much.

I happily accepted the challenge.

Dear Client gave me little back stories about the lucky ladies who would be receiving the aprons as gifts.

I took it all in and went to work...

Above are the four aprons

Are you ready for a closer look?

I submitted two aprons this year, but sadly have not heard back...oh well, always next year's issue. I'll just have to get really creative and knock their socks off!

Dear Client had seen this couture apron of mine that was featured in the yearly

APRONOLOGY

magazine

She loved it and wanted a similar one for herself.

She had the perfect vintage tablecloth!

Really ladies....just look at this beautiful hand work!!

Someone spent many hours carefully stitching away.

I just love this and hate the idea that it was hidden away in an attic or basement.

I love a pretty bow..don't you?

Of course I have to include a secret pocket.

We ladies do have our secrets..right?

Please pardon the yellow hue..lighting is not the best for good pics!

I added some some sweet trim pieces to the ends of all the ties on these aprons.

Much better lighting in my home

After carefully layering the tablecloth, stitched runners, delicate hankies and some of my own red ticking...she was ready for her public.

I think I captured the feel of my 

original apron for her.

Ready for Apron #2

The base layer of this apron was fashioned from a long table runner.

I cut it in half and then sewed the them side side by side.

In the photo below you can see the edge where I connected them.

I adored the crocheted trim and knew it would look beautiful as a hemline.

Again...just look at the stunning handwork..just beautiful.

Warning:

I will use the word Beautiful a lot in this post!!

There are five layers in this apron,

 but the linens are so lovingly time worn, that it is not bulky at all.

Continued the crochet trim onto the tie ends.

Devil is in the details!

Dear Client said that the lady who is receiving this apron

has a love of France. She gave me a small silver Fleur de Lis charm and asked if I could include it in the design.

I tied it onto a tiny piece of burlap, sewed it onto a scrap of crochet 

and secured it to her secret pocket.

A photo to show all the layers of beautiful linens.

I hope her friend likes her new apron.

Ok...Apron #3

see the tiny heart stitches at the waistband?

Here she is!

I believe this one is for Dear Client's sister.

Again...lot's of layers

Again trimmed ties and a nice full bow

The base for this apron was a beautiful embroidered tablecloth, 

with teapots and teacups at the corners.

See the pretty edged floral piece in the middle?

That's actually her secret pocket.

Just for the record...

I never try to remove stains from the linens I work with.

To me that is the history of these beautiful pieces.

A spill of Thanksgiving gravy

A chocolate drip from Grandma's famous brownies

Butter stain from Aunt Lucy's Parker House rolls that she always served at Sunday dinners.

I would never want to remove those memories.

For spotless generic..buy an Apron from Walmart.

Just my thoughts ladies

;->

I kept thinking the embroidered steam was stray threads and for 4 days I tried to pick them off...duh!

Sorry..

I seem to have run out of adjectives to describe the loveliness of these linens.

I hope her sister smiles when she sees her new apron.

Apron #4

This apron is for Dear Clients Mother 

who has been known to host a tea party or two.

A nice close up of the pretty cross stitch.

pretty snowflake stitches on the waistband

I must admit

These sweet bluebirds tugged at my heart in a big way!

Little doily makes a perfect secret pocket.

Little sewing hint:

I like to hide my stitches wherever I can.

I will always try to sew along seam lines or right over old stitching.

Can you see my stitch lines here?

Pretty hidden huh?

Since we had Bluebirds on the front, 

I thought it appropriate to have bees on the ties.

Get it...Birds & Bees

Gosh...I'm so darn creative...he..he..

I can picture Dear Client's Mother serving her friends

 tea and scones 

while dressed in her pretty new apron.

So there you have it!

I feel so blessed that I was entrusted

 with Dear Clients cherished family linens and allowed to lovingly cut them up 

and put them back together.in a fresh creative way.

Hopefully they have been rescued from  the obscurity of a cardboard box

 or an attic hope chest.

My feeling is that someone spent many hours to stitch these little works of art.

That's what they are...

Works of art...an art that could be fading into our history and should absolutely be preserved

whenever possible.

I don't consider cutting them a disservice,

 but rather a way to honor them and the artists who created them.

I hope these ladies enjoy wearing their new 

aprons as much as I enjoyed sewing them.

Thank you Dear Client!

My hope is that next time you are browsing a thrift shop or an op-shop for you global readers

that you look at these pieces of history in a new light.

Bring one home and create something lasting and endearing.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

I will be sharing this week with these great blogs:

Hope Studios

Dittle Dattle 

Between Naps On The Porch

Savvy Southern Style

Sew Stylish Boutique

Freckled Laundry