A long, long way to go

I first want to state that I did NOT make this apron. A dear friend recently sent it to me. It belonged to her sister-in-law's grandmother. While I consider myself proficient at sewing and mildly talented at apron making, upon receiving this apron I have come to realize that I have a long, long way to go.

Please take a moment and really look at this apron. It is made out of a tissue-cotton and finished with bias tape. First, notice the waist band which is what the fabric looks like when cut on the grain. Now, direct your notice to the skirt portion which consists of eight individual bias-cut pieces that have been sewn together so that the tiny little blue stripes line up into a "V." Each of the eight strips connects at these itty bitty stripes nine times, AND on the bias (which always stretches)! It is beyond words.

It gets better. The light green fabric at the hem is also separate pieces of fabric. What this means is that each of those connecting points have to line up perfectly or the whole thing is off! Best of all, this apron is "hand-serged" which means that every seam has been reinforced by hand. It is an incredible work of art and the apron-maker deserves to be recognized for her meticulous talent and devotion that went into creating this beautiful apron.

Now that you are acquainted with the apron, doesn't it make you wonder about the apron-maker. What was her inspiration? Was this apron for a special occasion? When (or if) did she wear it? This apron speaks loudly to me. It says that the person who made it was thoughtful and creative. She wanted something that would showcase both her talent as a designer and her skills at sewing. Who would she be if she were here today? Would she be a surgeon? She certainly is talented with a needle! Would she be an architect or fashion designer? She definitely has a keen eye for details. She was so devoted to the most minute details; I can only wonder.

These ponderings are what truly draw me to apron making. While I can only dream of having the talent of this apron-maker; I am truly inspired by the idea of making something for a woman that is uniquely personal to her. I want to somehow stay connected with our fore-mothers who eschewed any sort of career but never let their talents go to waste. This desire is what is sewn into each apron I make!