Vintage Apron Patterns

 

Springtime is a great season to visit estate sales. It seems each weekend there are signs positioned at the end of streets pointing the way to another sale of some sort. Recently we were pleasantly surprised to discover a terrific sale right in our own town. 

While rummaging through fabric and other crafting supplies I noticed a shoe box containing patterns. Much to my surprise there were eight vintage apron patterns! Some of which I had pinned on Pinterest and had hoped to someday add to my vintage apron pattern collection.

Now if you have ever searched for vintage apron patterns on Ebay or Etsy you know how expensive they can be. I was astonished when I asked the price and was told 50 cents!!! It was truly a blessing and gift from the Lord!  : )

I think these two patterns are from the late 1950's or early 1960's. They offer some cute ideas for embellishing a simple apron.

 Aren't the illustrations on the 1940's apron patterns charming?! The pattern to the left includes transfers to create pansy appliques.

I really liked the pattern to the left in the picture above, but was a bit disappointed to find that all of the pattern pieces were missing. The instructions are there, as are the applique transfers. I am hoping to replicate the style using other apron patterns I have.

The last two patterns are my favorites! I had long admired these two patterns on Pinterest. The pattern to the right is so simple, but classic; I have already sewn two. The pattern to the left reminds me of an apron worn by Lucille Ball on "I Love Lucy". This past winter we watched "I Love Lucy" a lot, and whenever Lucy wore her apron, similar in style to this pattern, I would think  how I would love to sew one! Now I can. : )

The Lily of the Valley

                                                               I have found a friend in Jesus, He's ev'rything to me,
                                                               He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
                                                               The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see
                                                               All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole:
                                                               In sorrow He's my comfort, in trouble He's my stay;
                                                               He tells me ev'ry care on Him to roll;
                                                               He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
                                                               He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

                                                                          Refrain:
                                                                    He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
                                                                    He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

                                                                    He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne,
                                                                    In temptation He's my strong and mighty tow'r;
                                                                    I've all for Him forsaken; I've all my idols torn
                                                                    From my heart, and now He keeps me by His pow'r.
                                                                   Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
                                                                   Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal;
                                                                    He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
                                                                    He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

                                                                   He will never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
                                                                   While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
                                                                   A wall of fire about me, I've nothing now to fear,
                                                                  With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill;
                                                                  Then sweeping up to glory I'll see His blessed face,
                                                                  Where rivers of delight shall ever flow;
                                                                 He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
                                                                  He's the fairest of of thousand ten to my my soul.

                                                                 -Charles W. Fry

Whenever I see a Lily of the Valley I cannot help but think of this song! I am so pleased we have Lily of the Valley growing at our home.

"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." Song of Solomon 2:1

Springtime and Chickens

 

The past week has been absolutely beautiful here! The flowers are blossoming, as are the lilacs. The air is filled with the fragrances of spring! What a blessing to be able to smell lily of the valleys through my windows when the breeze is just right.

Adam and I have spent our evenings and weekends working in the flower beds and vegetable garden. With the warm weather, sunshine and watering everything is flourishing! I planted hens and chicks last year and they have come back, so I thought I would plant more this year, but in a hen planter.

 Last year my mom gave me some of her forget-me-nots to plant here. They are one of my favorite springtime flowers.

I also planted columbine last year. They didn't blossomed then, but this spring both plants are filled with flowers. My grandma always grew columbines. I remember visiting her on spring evenings when her flowers were beginning to bloom. Grandma would take us to each of her flower beds and point out  her favorite plants to us with great pleasure.

Adam has planted black and red raspberries! His strawberries from last year are looking quite vibrant, so we are hoping we might have enough for strawberry jam. : )

Our little hens have moved out to their coop. It is positioned right under the crab apple tree.

You can't see it in this picture, but the branch right above the coop is home to a robin's nest. Jemimah and I have been scolded by the momma robin a couple times now for coming to close to her nest.

Our happy hens! Haven't they grown a lot?

And springtime wouldn't be complete without rhubarb pie! Adam and I have both agreed rhubarb is one of our favorite pies, if not our favorite. I used the same recipe I tried last year, and it is delicious.

I hope you are all enjoying a lovely springtime where you live too! What special plants have you added to your garden this year? Do you have a favorite springtime flower?

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork."

Psalm 19:1

Mother's Day Dress

This year we were truly blessed with a beautiful weekend to celebrate Mother's Day. During the week the weather had been overcast and rainy but Mother's Day morning was filled with sunshine.

The day before I sewed a new dress for Jemimah. I have been busily sewing her some new spring clothes in between my sewing orders. This dress is my new favorite. I used a pattern I have used many time before. It is very simple and basic. This time I added two rows of tucks above the hem and trim to the neckline. I think what I really love about this dress is the fabric! The pale blue and tiny yellow flowers are the perfect combination.

In the past when I have shared pictures of dresses I have sewn using this pattern I have received comments requesting the name of the pattern. I was able to find a website still offering this pattern here. This is the same pattern I have used to sew smocked baby dresses.

One of Jemimah's greatest pleasures is to run in our back yard. Each day she is anxious to spend time outdoors. After a winter of spending all of our time inside the sunshine and flowers of spring are such a treat to us both!

Here she is in the little "tulip garden" we planted last fall. In September Wal-Mart marked all of the bulbs down to half price. At that time I purchased a variety of tulips, daffodils, crocuses and miniature irises. It has been fun to watch the flowers blossom, and it has also been a surprise to see the variety of colors, since I couldn't quite remember all that I had planted. : )

I hope you all enjoyed a lovely Mother's Day, and that you are being blessed with some beautiful springtime sunshine too!

"I will praise You, O Lord , with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works." Psalm 9:1

Baby Chicks

About two weeks ago Adam and I bought seven adorable little chicks! Growing up both Adam and I had chickens. It has been our hope since we married to once again raise chickens. Needless to say it was an exciting moment to finally hear the sound of baby chicks peeping in their little cardboard box as we drove home with them!

Jemimah is extremely thrilled with the baby chicks. Each morning her first job is to run to the porch door to make sure she can blow them all kisses before breakfast. : ) I'm afraid they are all still a little unnerved by her boisterous greetings, but hopefully after awhile they will become used to Jemimah's exuberant ways.

We purchased our chicks from the local Tractor supply. They provided pullets(hens) in one breed, Isa Browns. I have never had Isa Brown chickens before, but the pictures I found on-line look like a lighter colored Rhode Island Red. Already some of them are darkening in color as they grow feathers.

Baby chicks grow so fast! The pictures in my post were taken the day we brought them home. They have since doubled in size and one particular hen has devised a system of jumping on her water jar and then jumping up to the edge of the tote. I can always tell when she has successfully escaped, since she peeps extremely loud while running around the porch in a panic. I look forward to the temperatures growing warmer so they can enjoy some time outdoors.

Spring has finally come to our area! Daffodils and tulips are blossoming in the garden, and the crab apple tree looks ready to bloom any day now. Hopefully I will be back soon to share some springtime pictures.

Baby Wren and the Great Gift- Review

The Baby Wren and the Great Gift, written by bestselling author Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jen Corace, is a celebration of all the wonderful gifts God has given us. The tiny wren marvels at the incredible creatures around her, all the while wishing she had a special gift to share. As she takes in the beauty of the world around her, she discovers a unique talent that’s been inside her all along.

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Baby Wren and the Great Gift
By: Sally Lloyd-Jones
Illustrated by:Jen Corace 

This endearing story is sure to delight your little ones, and you too! "Baby Wren and the Great Gift" is a sweet reminder that God has blessed each of us with a unique gift. Baby wren lives in the big canyon and throughout her day she meets with many amazing creatures, each with unique skills. The eagles soar throughout the sky, the fish swims in the deep waters and little wren begins to feel saddened by her inability to do the same. But as the story unfolds little wren discovers her own special talent and is able to bless all of the other creatures in the canyon with her unique gift.

The repetition and rhythm of the story is sure to soothe your little one. The beautiful illustrations will captivate their imaginations and draw them into the lovely setting of the canyon. 

I was extremely pleased with the hardcover binding and dust jacket. The quality of the book makes it a lovely gift.


*I received a complimentary copy of "Baby Wren and the Great Gift" from Book Look Blogger in exchange for my honest review*  

Winter Knitting

Over the weekend I had a chance to photograph some of my recently completed knitted items. One of my favorite knitting projects over the winter was this bonnet for Jemimah. I was able to learn some new knitting techniques, such as knitting an i-cord and an attached i-cord. I was a little concerned about the attached i-cord, but after watching an instructional video on youtube I was able to easily finish off my bonnet.

The yarn I used was a blend of Merino wool and silk. It was definitely a pleasure to work with and I hope Jemimah will find it a joy to wear. : ) Here is a link to the pattern I used.

You may remember the heartwarmer I knit for Jemimah last fall. Well it was such a sweet little garment that I could not resist knitting another! This time I used a blend of alpaca and wool. I much preferred the outcome, as it has more stretch and drapes nicely when worn. It is super cozy and perfect for the spring evenings ahead.

         I was delighted to discover these buttons at JoAnn's, they compliment the yarn perfectly!

 Before Jemimah was born I knit a little pink sweater using this free pattern on-line. I loved the details that added just the perfect feminine touch to the design. Unfortunately the pattern was only available up to size 6 months. I decided I would try knitting the sweater with a larger needle size and thicker yarn, this resulted in a generous size 18 months! It is so thick and cozy knit from 100% wool.

 Last summer I found these Beatrix Potter buttons at a Mennonite fabric store. I thought they were the perfect finishing touch.

Around Christmas I knit a pair of little mitts for Jemimah to match her scarf. They have been so useful over the past couple months! The pattern was very quick and easy as there was no thumb. A link to the pattern can be found here.

 I also knitted two more shawls to my Etsy page. One in the ruffled style that I usually knit and one in a simpler style as shown in the picture above. I added a few new aprons, dish towels and vintage cook books too! : )

Currently I am spending more time in front of my sewing machine and less time knitting as I am busily working on new spring clothes for Jemimah. There are so many cute patterns for little girls that it is hard to decide which I should use!

"The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Psalm126:3