The "Very Fashionable" Grandma's Apron

A month or so ago, I was having a lengthy talk with my sister-in-law. You see, we are now both empty nesters. We are at a point in our lives where we, like many of you, are looking for new direction, and new avenues of interest. She, my dear sister-in-law is one of the most talented, creative and skilled people that I know. Her mother is a seamstress, and passed the ability onto her daughter. For years she won awards in the local 4-H clubs, sewing beautiful outfits, modeling them in fashion shows, and receiving compliments every time she would wear them. The workmanship was always perfectly done. As her children were growing up, she made them clothing that resembled those purchased at expensive boutiques. As the children became teenagers, her sewing skills were put on the back burner. Soccer games, basketball games, transporting children, many parties of teenagers became the norm. Those years are past now. At this empty nest stage, I suggested that she should somehow, in some capacity, resume the sewing skills.

Both of us grew up with mothers and grandmas that wore aprons in the kitchen. Both of us love to bake, cook and have people to our homes for meals. I told her that she should create an apron that we would feel comfortable wearing for the evening, when having guests to our homes. Well...that conversation took place as I said, about a month or two ago. Last week I went to her home, only to discover that she had run with the idea...and did she ever run!! Look at these GORGEOUS aprons and matching tea towels that she created. I was speechless!! Who wouldn't want to wear one of these? The workmanship is so meticulously done, the colors are so perfectly coodinated, and the patterns that she chose(or in some cases made up on her own), are so very flattering! What would our Grandmas say if they saw these aprons? Oh, they would have been so very excited to wear something so beautiful.

I ordered these from her, and it just so happens that I am a black and white person. That is why I chose all of the black and white ones that she had made. She also made ten other ones that are equally as outstanding, in many different colors and patterns. Some vintage, some more contempory and some that resemble beautiful pastel sundresses. I cannot tell you how impressed and amazed I was when I visited her home last week and saw what she had produced in such a short amount of time. I will tell you now why I ordered the three aprons that I did. First of all, I wanted to be the one to give her the first order of aprons. I decided to use these for my three pay-it-forward gifts that I am committed to in this blogging world. These three aprons and the coodinating tea towels, will be sent out to the three women that I owe the pay-it-forward gifts to. She will be featuring these aprons in gift shops in our area, and I know for a fact that any women who gets one, will wear it proudly. "Aprons by Julia" came to be.