This is my fun friend Allison!
Machine quilter extraordinaire, fixer of vintage treadles and vintage electric machines as well, lover of vintage irons –all things quilty, and APRONS!
The comments on yesterday’s post about aprons just struck home to so many, and I loved reading the comments.
This morning I found an email from Allison along with her story and I thought I would share a bit about her with you.
You might remember her from the post I wrote in mid February about the Singer 99 and the library table that the Minnesota girls pony-expressed down to me.
The original library table post from our time in Plano is here, showing Allison in all of her Allison style!
And yes, she has STYLE! I love how she brings her love of vintage flair into her daily life, making every moment special, whether it is stopping to make tea during a workshop or the wearing of pearls with her hair up. Allison brings a reminder of the lost "niceties" of life back into every day life. She makes me want to be a better, more refined, more appreciative person.
Life is better with doilies, scarves and pearls...and tea!
I have had the pleasure of visiting Allison’s home in Plano, even spent a sew day there in between some teaching days, and we had a ball.
About the photo above, Allison writes:
“This is an apron made from a flour sack by my friend Lisa White. She sewed it on her Willcox & Gibbs hand crank.”Aprons were likely amongst the first things made by girls when first learning to sew. I remember my first project in jr high home ec being an apron as well!
Allison’s front room/dining room is her long arm studio!
I spy a whole collection of Quiltville hanging on railings!
I’m very interested in the board with the clippies that Texas Braid is hanging from. What a great way to “hang out” a quilt and let the fold lines and creases release before loading it into the machine.
Notice the aprons on the railing?
“One family apron, many found during antique mall adventures, gifts from friends, and estate sales. Hubby adds newer versions when he's out shopping the sales.”
Sounds like you’ve got him well trained!
Aprons, vintage irons, doilies and dresser scarf on a vintage ironing board!
Right now I’m thinking of all of the hard working hands who have toiled with these irons --who they were pressing for? Was it shirts, skirts, blouses, dresses…and perhaps aprons?
This whole post started when Allison mentioned that she was doing machine applique on a vintage Singer with an early blind hem stitch.
Take a look:
I just love that these machines are still going strong!
This machine is a Singer 223, made in Japan. My 227 is made in Italy. Those Singers got around!
My own apron wall!
A couple of these aprons I inherited when my great aunt passed away. Others were picked up at yard sales, antique mall adventures, or made for me by friends. Most of them are waist-down aprons. Only a few are full-cover. I know what I'm looking for now.
But having aprons is not the same as wearing them, and I am VOWING to start doing so. I want to keep my clothes nice. Aprons will help keep the threads off as well as the spatters and spills and the messiness of every day life.
The problem will arise when being apron-less when out to town. There is nothing to stop the dribbles when eating out! And with me? Dribbles, spatters and crumbs HAPPEN!
I want to play with making some cute aprons out of recycled shirts. I saw these photos floating around Pinterest and I think those would be a fast finish and I’d like to give it a try – the bigger the shirt the better.
You can find the tutorial HERE.
Aren't these adorable?? This is going to happen. I am going to make some!
On the home front – Jason and Jenny arrived yesterday afternoon and we met them for lunch out at our favorite Japanese place. I hadn’t been home since Tuesday, the fridge was bare, so a bit of grocery shopping happened afterwards and we settled in for an afternoon of movie watching, burgers on the grill and just being together.
Jason fractured his shoulder during a snowboarding accident in Tahoe last week, so hanging out is about all he is up for and I’m loving getting to just sit and talk without having to go go go.
NO SEWING WHATSOEVER happened yesterday! AMAZING! I didn’t feel like pulling out handwork, I just wanted to be with my kids.
Breakfast is about to commence. There will be a traditional Sunday dinner late this afternoon with roast beef and all the fixings (APRON ON! I PROMISE!) and we’ll send them back home to Columbia, South Carolina after that as Jenny has work tomorrow morning. It’s been such a nice weekend bonus to have them here.
QUILT-CAM!?!? How about TOMORROW evening, Monday, March 6 at 8pm Eastern? It’s been a while since we’ve done one. I leave Thursday for Ohio, so this is our chance!
Come look for me in Facebook Live at that time. Afterwards, it will be embedded in a post here in the blog and archived under the Quilt-Cam tab at the top of the blog.
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
Family is not only an important thing, it's everything.
Have a lovely Sunday, everyone!
So strange to be reading you in Eastern time! We are in Massachusetts and will hwad up to Maine tomorrow. Son't now if I will be able to catch quilt cam, depands where we end up. Love all the aprons. A friend has made several if the recycled shirt ones. They are really cute.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post today about the aprons and our first project. In the 7th grade (many many years ago) in home ec our first project was a apron. In addition to the project we presented a fashion show with a poem type intro to go with it. Purple has always been my favorite color. I found a fabric I loved and made my first project. I have no clue the machine but it was a old singer that was my grandmothers and what I would give to own that machine today. All my friends had newer machines and I did not want that machine.
ReplyDeleteMy poem for my fashion show was "Lavender and Blue will make your dreams come true". The fabric was a lavender and blue. I think the pattern and fabric was bought at SS Kresege stores, which were a five and dime stores in Michigan. Oh how i loved to go to that store.
Thank you Bonnie for this post this morning and a wonderful flood of memories coming back to me.
I need to hang my aprons so they are more accessible and wear them more often! And we had a very happy home yesterday with both our kids here for dinner yesterday...and we were able to talk, laugh and enjoy each other with no running around since my son is recovering from knee surgery following a skiing accident in NY.
ReplyDeleteLove you Bonnie and all that you share with us!
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday with your family! They are Everything. Love all the Aprons. What a vintage lady Allison is. Fun to read more of her story. See you on QuiltCam.
ReplyDeleteI shared a table with Allison one retreat --- she is a gem as you have said many times. Time for that retreat again but don't think she will be there this time. Perhaps I will take an Apron just in case?
ReplyDeleteHello Bonnie! My first sewing project in jr high was also an apron! I was blessed with grandmother's that taught us things. My mom's mom taught me to sew & cook, my dad's mom taught me to knit & crochet. I miss my grandmother so much & I'm greatful for all I was taught!! I got the apron bug last year & made a few. Now I want to make more. I always catch food messes on my "shelf" (boobies). I'm very happy you get time with your family. I miss my son who's in college in AZ! Hopefully he'll be home for spring break! Thanks for everything.
ReplyDeleteOh! I'll be seeing you next weekend in Ohio! It's my 49th bday (the 12th) & my gift to myself is a quilting weekend. I even took the weekend off (which is unheard of- I do hospice home health care & hate leaving my patients for a couple days). I'm looking forward to it! I hardly do things for myself- as most women do. Safe travels & I'll see you soon!
ReplyDeleteMy very first thought when I opened your blog today was, "Bonnie's wearing her hair in a different style." You and Allison look to be twins!
ReplyDeleteAllison is such a sweetie. I finally got to meet her in person (after many emails) at the 2015 NETX TOGA.
ReplyDeleteI also remember sewing my apron in 7th grade. AND...I still have it 60+ years later. After learning how to do it I went to my grandmothers and made another one on her featherweight, which I have. I also still have that apron. Special memories!!!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, Thank you for the apron post with shirts. At my Mother - in - laws funeral dinner a server was wearing the shirt apron. I thought they were so cute, so when we were going through Mom's shirts I saved some to make into apron's for my girls and myself. A way to think of Mom when we cook. She was a great cook and loved to sew as well. So thank you again. You've made my life easier - a pattern to follow. Kendra from Missouri
ReplyDeleteAllison does make visits special doesn't she? SHE is in Plano and I am in England for a few weeks. We made a plan to watch Quilt cam together. Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteValerie
I hear you about wearing the apron at home to catch to crumb, spillage and dribbles, but when eating out...what is a girl to do but roll with it. This then is referred to as 'titty litter'. Love your daily musing keeping us amused. love and hugs from snowy cold Edmonton Alberta.
ReplyDeleteI made some of those aprons. ..a word to the wise the first ones I made turned into high waisted 'baby doll aprons, uncomfortable. Be sure and cut the angle from the collar to the waist low enough. I also added length to the ties so I could tie it in front. Love my apron now.
ReplyDeleteI made some of those aprons. ..a word to the wise the first ones I made turned into high waisted 'baby doll aprons, uncomfortable. Be sure and cut the angle from the collar to the waist low enough. I also added length to the ties so I could tie it in front. Love my apron now.
ReplyDelete