Wednesday, October 28, 2009

VINTAGE THINGIES THURSDAY: 1948 Vintage Apron Pattern

Welcome to this weeks segment of Vintage Thingies Thursday. Thursday is the day to showcase your vintage treasures and to share your special things with everyone. If you are visiting and would like to join us, please do. It is very easy!
To participate, all you have to do is:

* * * * * * * Please everyone, follow these guidelines!

(1) do a post about something vintage.
(2) Visit all the participates and leave a comment.
(3) Link in with the link at the bottom of this post, please use a perma-link to link in with, that way, anyone can refer back to your post if they can not get to it on Thursday.
(4) Be sure to refer back to my blog so everyone can see who is participating today, and if you like include the VTT button in your post. Please be sure to have your post up before linking in.

This week, I am excited to show you this fabulous find from the same garage sale of my elderly neighbor I told you about last week. As I was digging in the box of fabrics, I found a sack and inside was the fabric and this ADORABLE pattern for Buttons and Bows Apron. My heart started racing a mile a minute.......look how sweet the fabric is....it is about 3 yards...love it!!

Now, the cover is in bad shape, but all the pattern pieces are there, and the instruction sheet is still in great shape.....I was super excited to find this.....


This is a shot of the back cover....now upon doing a little research about this pattern, I found a wonderful site that has this exact pattern shown, and it dates to 1948.

This was made by Advance Patterns of New York which was the house brand of J C Penny Company from 1933 until it was purchased by Puritan Fashions in 1966. This is from the website:
One of the companies most popular patterns was the Buttons and Bows apron used as a give away promotion in 1948 for the Movie "Pale Face" staring Jane Russell and Bob Hope.
Well, as you can imagine...I am thrilled to have this....and if any of you would like a copy of the pattern and instructions, I would be happy to send it to you..."IF YOU DON'T MIND WAITING UNTIL I GET THE TIME TO DO IT"....But, I promise I will do it!! You can email me and let me know...OK?!?

Now, on Tuesday, my mom emailed me this email...and it was so perfect to include in this post...hope you enjoy it!

The History of Aprons

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,
because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses.
And they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing
hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tear, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding
Places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around
her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent
over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in
that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was
surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the
porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to
dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:
Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her Granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron, today.

* I don't think anyone ever caught anything from an apron.......
Of course not, they were washed and starched, ironed and put on clean every day.

Have a great weekend everyone!! And a Happy Vintage Thingies Thursday to every one of you! See ya' next week....same place and time!



45 comments:

  1. Hi Suzanne! That's a wonderful old apron pattern. Can't wait to see yours when you whip one up! And that is so true about Grandma's apron. My Grandma wore an apron every day, that I can remember, to protect her dress. She wore a dress every day, until her very later years. I'm so lucky to have one of her aprons, which I cherish!
    Happy VTT!
    Carol

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  2. oh Suzanne..squeeeal!!..what a thrill!!..it's ADORABLE & i would LOVE a copy!!..you know i just had a thought if there's a few of us interested why don't we make an apron each from your pattern and do a swap..oh i think that would be such great FUN!!..btw your mum's letter was a JOY to read & brought back delightful memories of my mum & her aprons! x

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  3. Marian, that is a great idea...if we could do it at the beginning of 2010....that way I can get all the patterns made and packaged out to everyone...and of course figure out the swap part...but that sounds like so much fun, and something to look forward to!!!!

    Now....Girls...and Boys....who is in???????

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  4. You hit the jackpot on that find. You never know what you will find if you dig far enough. I am not into sewing, but I even got excited over this old pattern.

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  5. What a fun find. I remember the movie, the song, Advance patterns, and shopping at Penney's for fabric. Lots of memories there. Sally

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  6. That's a cute apron and an interesting history. I also enjoyed looking at the Cemetarian website.

    I wonder if it would be possible to make a reduced size version of the pattern to scale on paper with a grid, scan it, and post it on the internet. Then you could make just one pattern and not have to mail it.

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  7. Hi Suzanne! Oh, what a cute olden apron pattern! I'll be waiting to see yours when you sew one up. Loved all the history on aprons.
    Now my grandmother and mother always wore an apron when they were in the kitchen. I don't. I feel rather special when I put one on though!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  8. I love this ruffly pattern, Suzanne, another great find, and a super post. You know how I love learning stuff on VTT!

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  9. What a darling pattern for an apron, my mother and grandmother would wear aprons around the housee alot. Wish I had some of theirs. Great memories. Sunday ones were shear and pale pink or blue, everday was a patterned cotton one.

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  10. Great, great post Suzanne. So interesting. Who knew aprons were that useful!

    I remember the days of give-aways. Particularly in cereal boxes. My sister and I would dig to the bottom of the freshly opened boxes to get the prize. Silly girls.

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  11. OMG, I would LOVE a copy of the pattern if you are willing to do so! Aprons are my new thing right now and I am sewing one up right at this very moment!

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  12. Oh Suzanne, what a great find! I would LOVE a copy of the pattern, whenever you get around to it :-)

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

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  13. That's a cute apron and an interesting history. This is my first join VTT, it is really fun to see all Vintage blogger :)

    You Got A Posty

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  14. What a great find! A apron pattern is wonderful in itself but one with such a history is double treat!! Yes, I want one and I want to swap later too!! Now if only I could find time to post about the apron patterns I found, or the bone dishes I bought, or the aprons my dh bought me or........LOL :)

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  15. please send me this when you get it done...its adorable!

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  16. I love old aprons, and have many. That is a neat pattern. My grandmother wore aprons everyday over her dresses.

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  17. HI Suzanne,
    Again,I have failed miserably to get a post up on time to participate in Vintage things..and I just almsot can't stand it. This is my favorite of all the days.
    I love the apron pattern..adore is more like it and I would love a copy. This old pattern is one I don't have and thank you so much for offering to send us all a copy. That fabric looks amazingly like the pattern on the apron itself and will look so pretty. My grandmother,mother and all the ladies used to wear an apron..maybe that's why I love them so much.
    Happy VTT..and have a great day.
    P.S. There is a Gorgeous Blogger award awaiting you on my blog. I would love it if you would accept it.. CC
    another p.s. I just love Marian's idea of a swap..

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  18. Oh, what an adorable apron pattern. My grandmother and mother ALWAYS wore an apron while cooking. I'd love to get a copy. I'll send you my e-mail. Great find, my heart is beating fast!

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  19. Hi there, you had a really good post today! I always wear an apron in the kitchen, and, outside when working in the yard, and, when in the rv, and, when cooking outside. My grandma always wore one, my mom, always wore one, and I have since my twenties. I love 'em. You can bury me in an apron as far as I'm concerned!!

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  20. I love aprons--this is a wonderful post about them!

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  21. What a great find! I love aprons but never remember to put one on except maybe on Thanksgiving. I have some great patterns too, but they are newer ones of course. A swap would be fun, i have never participated in one, but am needing something new to get me motivated to do some sewing (although 2010 sounds like a good time to do it!) My first outing @ VTT, hopefully i'll be back.

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  22. Suzanne - I would LOVE to have a copy of that apron pattern. My mother (who is 80 years old) sews everyday and has made and sold over 250 aprons the past couple of years for a small bakery / cafe in her hometown. This would be a wonderful pattern to give to her. Thank you so much!!
    Jane

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  23. cool old patterns, and quite the history on aprons there.

    thanks for hosting

    barbara jean

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  24. What a great post! I think you are right, our kids have no idea. My grandmother always wore an apron. Such a great piece of history for you to have found. Thanks for hosting this meme. It is really alot of fun!

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  25. Hi Suzanne!
    What an awesome find! I would absolutely LOVE a copy! I am so enjoying the resurgence of vintage aprons. They are so pretty! It is just such a cool find!

    Have a wonderful Thursday!

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  26. I love these pretty aprons. Makes me want to sew again. The information you found was very interesting.
    I remember my grandmother always wearing an apron..., and it had all those uses too.
    Great post. Thanks.

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  27. Great post, what a wonderful find!

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  28. What a fun pattern. I remember my Mom and my Grandmother's wearing aprons.

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  29. Suzanne, I'm so sorry...I never linked back to your blog on my VTT post! I just edited it. I woke up in the middle of the night and thought about it! I apologize. Thanks for hosting and please forgive me for not playing by the rules.

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  30. What a cute pattern yes send me a copy-you can email it-whenever you get around to it, Suzanne!
    are you going to use that fabric to make yours?
    November is Apron Month at our Bernina Connection & I am entering the apron I made my Mum in 1955.

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  31. Oh no not aprons... banging forhead on desk. I have some i got at a few sales that I need to sell and its killing me

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  32. I loved the history of the apron!

    My mother would do everything with hers and she could probably solve all the problems life threw at her with it.

    It was Superman's cape!

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  33. Morning girl...ohhhhh it is so nice to visit you again and I love your new 'treasure'....I have always loved aprons...reminds me of my grandmothers and my happy childhood and that Apron History was so true! lol

    Thanks so much for coming by girl and for all the the prayers and love for me and my family..oh and seeing as how I don't sew you don't have to make me a copy of the pattern...I'll just take a buttons and bows apron fresh off the sewing table! lol lol Have a great weekend sweetie!!!!!

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  34. Love your post - and the Apron write-up - so many uses, and so great a carrier of GERMS! We didn't worry about things like that so much back then, but now, we'd need a new one each time a chore was complete, to try to maintain a Health Department definition of germ-free! Yikes - !

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  35. I love your post on aprons. I got that email a while back too and really enjoyed reading it. I loved buying and selling aprons in the shop - I had some great ones and they were such fun to do a display of on a wall. So frilly and pretty - seems much to nice to cook in doesn't it?

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  36. suzanne~
    thank you so much for your encouraging words and prayers. it means more than words can say.
    warmly
    chasity

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  37. I know I want a copy!! Thanks!! Will e-mail you later. And I don't mind waiting.

    In for a swap too!

    I have one of the Cinderella apron patterns from JC Penney. Paid way too much for it but I was having a fit to have it!

    I miss shopping at Jacque Pennay for fabric with my [Grand] Mama!

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  38. Love the pattern, but do you have something a little more plain for a guy? What your Mom sent brings back great memories of my GGM's aprons. She always wore one. Lane

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  39. You know, women then were just so much BETTER at this than we are. Or at least, they were better at it than I am!
    Aprons make me lonesome for my grandmother, and my Mom.
    What a fabulous apron find--that pattern is priceless.
    Cass

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  40. Mine's not a direct link to aprons but I'm sure aprons ended up in it!

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  41. What a wonderful find -- the fabric and the lovely vintage pattern! I also enjoyed reading the History of the Apron.
    Have a great weekend, Suzanne and thanks for sponsoring VTT!
    Carrie

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  42. What a cute pattern!

    I read a story once of a woman reminiscing about her mother's aprons--they were the "over the head" type that covered the whole front of her dress. She always kept spares behind the door so that if one got dirty she could change or just throw a clean one on over the dirty one until later. One evening the husband looked at her and asked why she was suddenly bigger around--she had put one apron over the other many times that day and had been so busy that she never went back and the underneath ones off!

    My camera has been out of commission so I don't have a post this week, but I had to drop by to see what everyone else had to show. Hope to be back next week!

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  43. Oh Suzanne, I simply have to have a copy of the pattern and instructions when you have the chance!!! I have some great vintage apron patterns in my collection but I don't have THAT one. That is the most adorable apron ever!

    I like the swap idea too....

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  44. Love the pattern. The history was very interesting too.
    Kathy

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  45. Would love to have a copy. Old enough to remember all women sodre while in kitchen. Sure saved clothing. I have tried to make an effort to wear again.
    Thanks, Carole

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Sometimes someone says something really small, and it's like it fits into this empty space in your heart!

Thank you for stopping by and leaving your thoughts here, they really mean a lot to me!

Suzanne

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