Aprons- Insight into an Exhibit in Grapevine, TX

I was absolutely thrilled to be contacted to do research for an apron exhibit to be featured in the visitors center in Grapevine, TX .  The goal of the exhibit was to show how aprons represented different skills and trades in Grapevine. 

​In late January 2019  I got to see the research come to life and it will be available for viewing through the end of February 2019.
​The exhibit features the Millican Blacksmith Shop, Cotton Ginners Museum, Settlement to City Museum (printing), Nash farm and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad operating on the old Cotton Belt Route.
NashFarm.org And GrapevineTexasUSA.com

One of the challenges of putting together copy and research for an exhibition is, you can't turn it into a book, it is meant to be a quick learning experience to inspire you to find out more. I decided for those who want a "bit more" I would blog about some of the reproduction aprons we used (the light level is too high in the area for originals) and a bit more about the dating and history of some of the images.

​ As you enter the exhibit this image is featured.
This is 1890's and seems to be ladies canning peaches. The aprons here are pretty typical of late Victorian everyday wear aprons.  A simple long rectangle gathered to a waistband that covered most of the skirt.
I could imagine this happening on the porches at Nash Farm when I acquired this image for my collection.

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Many of the original aprons like this I have seen make use of selvage edges as the sides of the apron, leaving two less hems required when making an apron.

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By the King Cotton panel in the exhibit, you will see this 1870's image of two millworkers.
​These would be the ladies who worked in spinning mills turning the raw cotton into yarn and fabrics. The leather belts they are wearing over their aprons are specific to their trade and have a sley hook and a small pair of scissors. The reproduction of this style apron was made with a "pinner" bib front. Of note, sewing machines were very much in use by the 1870's and this apron features bias tape put on the apron with a machine bias binder that allows you to apply curved bias bindings on an edge with one pass of the machine, speeding up the work. This binding foot was included with many antique sewing machines when they were purchased.
​This apron was designed using images, and aprons I had studied in the past.

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The red striped apron by the farmhouse panel is what is known as a kitchen apron. It provides fuller coverage for the kind of messy work that can be found in the kitchen.  This apron pattern was first seen in the Butterick pattern catalog in 1885, but similar ones were found in the earlier 1880's.  This apron pattern could still be found in the Diamond Cutting System in the 1890's as well.

1895 Diamond Garment Cutter

Also on the farmhouse panel is an image of two ladies at their housework.This image is taken from a tintype in my collection and probably dates to the second half of the 1870's. It shows other types of bibbed aprons being worn.  

From 1880 Butterick catalog

By the needlework panel you will find a knitting apron. This was modeled after an original in my collection. It is meant to be a portable "pocket" that holds your needlework or knitting. If you have to put it aside to tend to another chore, simply remove the apron and it is all neat and tidy for the next spare minutes. The original apron is a white barred cotton. The strings are not made long enough to tie, but instead would pin together. I chose slightly wider ribbon on my reproduction and a sheer ivory barred fabric.

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Original knitting apron detail

Detail of knitting apron showing lace and machine stitching used in construction. Fabric is cotton. This style of needlework apron is shown from the 1860's through the turn of the century.

Original knitting apron

I hope you get a chance to visit Grapevine and see the exhibit and stop by Nash Farm and say Hello!
below are a few images of me and my visit to the finished exhibit.

Views from Grapevine, TX- Aprons of the Past