I come from a family of savers. This is good and bad and you understand that if you are a saver too. It's great to have special items from the past but where do you put all that stuff? I definitely inherited the saver gene which is why I still have my childhood toys even though they aren't in mint condition or even close to mint. If I just would have saved my Mr. and Mrs. Mouse House I'd be a happy girl!
My Grandma Norwood died back in 1999. She was the sweetest lady!! She was a saver too and I think all of us grandkids have something special that used to belong to Gram. One thing she saved was a box of old dresses and housecoats. Maybe to some that wouldn't be a special save but it was to me. One of my saver sisters collected them and held on to them before sending me some of them. I spent a couple years trying to decide what to do with them. Finally this year I put them to use making something for each of my sisters.
This apron was made for my youngest sister. My Gram was such a huge spirit but when I looked at her tiny dresses I was surprised how small she was physically. So all the aprons are pieced together with several fabrics.
Each apron has a flower with one of Gram's buttons in the center.
This next apron was made for my oldest sister.
This blue fabric was a dress and I was able to keep half the skirt together to use as the skirt of the apron. The bodice is actually the back of the original dress. It had a large complicated collar so I removed that and added some housecoat fabric into the V and used the same fabric for pockets. This fabric and the pink straps fabric was used in the first apron and also in the next. I liked how the fabrics went together so I wanted all three aprons to coordinate.
The third apron is for the sister that saved the dresses and housecoats.
The ruffles should be one long piece but I had to piece them together to make it work.
That is how I re-purposed Gram's housecoats and dresses. There are only teeny tiny scraps left now but the saver sister that saved Gram's things says she will make me an apron too. Um, Karen, you forgot to get the scraps when you were here.
I love you, sisters!!
and
I miss you, Gram!!!
I miss her too Sue, and I love my new old blue apron. Your post made me cry.
ReplyDeleteAudrey
What a lovely present for your sisters! A perfect way to remember your Gram.
ReplyDeleteI'm from a family of savers too. Resourcefulness was/is a family trait. I understand and love meeting/knowing other like-minded persons. :-)
ReplyDeleteOur loved ones are always in our hearts but what a lovely way to keep some thing of them physically close. What a beautiful way to remember your loved Grandma! :-)