Monday, July 2, 2012

Case study of a 1950s apron


Recently I snatched up this sweet half apron at a thrift store to add to my collection of vintage and retro aprons. In my opinion, if you're standing in a kitchen or doing chores around the house, nothing is more practical wearing an apron. Draped over your skirt or pants it protects them from splashes and spills. An apron is a handy towel strapped to your waist, an impromptu basket, and the perfect garment for a retro homemaker!

Yes, I could rave about aprons for ages, but instead how about I "pick apart" my newest garment so you can see how it was constructed?





First of all, you will notice the delicate cotton fabric used in its construction is covered with a whimsical yellow and black cat print. Since half the kittens are sitting on their heads, you'll be sure to have one staring at you with those big black eyes and oversized whiskers when you tilt your head down.

The blue object on the right is my ink pen.

The biggest surprise for me was the shape of this apron when spread out. To achieve fullness on the sides, the cloth was cut much like a circle skirt but with either end extending outward in a straight line and rounded off. The resulting flounces on either side harmonize perfectly with the folds in the middle.


A simple cloth band is attached to the waist. And just like a circle skirt, absolutely no gathering was needed to create the volume of this apron.


A small loop sewn onto the center back of the waistband ensures the apron can be hung up when not in use.


Finally, an ornamental edge with a scallop shape was created with sewing machine using what looks to be a blind stitch. Does anyone know the details of how to achieve this effect on a raw edge? I assume it has something to do with the tension being set higher so the cloth puckers at regular intervals.

Hope this "case study" comes in handy for anyone looking for some inspiration for a new project or information on how to create an authentic-looking retro apron.

10 comments:

  1. oh what cute fabric and the edging is sweet too.

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    1. Yes, aren't those details just so charming?

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  2. Very Lovely Apron, I adore that print. I love vintage aprons and wear mine all the time.

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    1. So are you an apron collector too? I love each one of my aprons and try to wear them all frequently, but I'm so afraid of wrecking them that my absolute favorites don't come out of the cabinet as often as they should.

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  3. Das ist aber mal ein interessanter Schnitt und danke für die schönen Detailbilder :-)

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    1. Aber gern. Einen so ungewöhnlichen Schnitt hatte ich nie gesehen!

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  4. Not sure if you will get this as the post is a few years old but just in case... This is a picot edge, which is a stitch available on my old Brother sewing machine. There is a special foot you can get to go along with it:

    http://www.brother-usa.com/homesewing/accessories/accessorydetail.aspx?R3AccessoryID=SA149#.VS7z0PnF98E

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    1. I'm two months late in replying, but I very much appreciate your comment! A quick image search for "picot edge" turns up mostly hits for crochet projects, but there are a few (like your link) that show what appears to be a smaller version of what's featured in this apron. Thanks so much for clearing up this mystery.

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  5. Here is a second link for making a shell stitched rolled hem:

    http://sewnso.blogspot.ca/2013/08/shell-hem-by-machine.html

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    Replies
    1. A most excellent tutorial. Thanks for sharing it here.

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