Reason #367 Why I Love Mary Brooks Pickens

For the past six months, since my book, Vintage Notions, was released, I have been on the road, on the blogs and on the pages of anyone who’ll listen telling everyone how much Mary Brooks Picken means to me…and why I think she should mean more to everyone. And I have heard from so many people that, after they read the book, they couldn’t agree more. I’m not writing today to get all philosophical with you on Mary’s larger contribution to society and role in women’s empowerment (oops…sorry, can’t help myself).

Instead, here is another reason I love Mary: she loved aprons. Throughout her career, apron designs and patterns were a constant part of her work. During her years with The Institute, apron patterns were always part of the instructional curriculum. Later, when she was a contributing writer at Better Homes and Gardens magazine, she consistently featured sewing in her articles.

“If the apron you cook and serve in is pert and attractive,
it will help you look – and feel – efficient and charming.”
– Mary Brooks Picken, Better Homes & Gardens, November 1949

When I made a visit to Better Homes and Garden earlier this year, I found a number of these wonderfully illustrated articles, including the one shown above from 1949. This particular article is interesting for two reasons. First, it shows aprons in a number of settings – as functional items, fashion cover-ups and for the man of the house. Second, this article was written in post-war America that saw the functional need for aprons (to protect one’s clothing) actually decrease – more laundries and dry cleaners were opening & more technology and factories were pumping out washing machines for the boon of suburban sprawl. Still, Mary remained a constant cheerleader. She knew that aprons did more than protect our clothing. They carried the memories of our grandmothers, added a sense of style to an otherwise mundane activity, and helped to define the mid-century image of a woman in her home.

When I was writing and editing Vintage Notions, I had more material than I knew what to do with. I, literally, had enough Magic Pattern content to make a book of its own. In the end, however, as I began to make final editorial decisions, I began to realize that aprons needed to play a significant role. For they were a key part of The Woman’s Institute, of the lives of women for generations and an obvious favorite item of Mary Brooks Picken.

In the book you’ll find the very fun January Magic Pattern, Apron Remodeled,that remakes a man’s shirt into a stylish apron. In March, to welcome in Spring, I’ve included a Slip-Over Apron that has great lines and is quite attractive. For the Fall, the Comfortable, Economical Apron shows classic lines and with easy-to-make instructions. While, lastly, in November, there’s a Magic Pattern for an apron as a holiday hostess gift.

The slip over apron has proven to be one of my absolute favorites. It can be translated into so many different looks, and is so simple to make. You can see for yourself, in the picture above from the Spring 2010 Stitch magazine, that it worked wonderfully interpreted in a modern design. I’d like all of you to have the slip-over apron chapter from Vintage Notions. Click here to download it.

Finally, because I love aprons, I want to turn you onto a Trunk Show video I recently made that takes you through some of my favorite Indygo Junction apron patterns, explaining the unique aspect or styling of each.

As always, thanks for letting me share.

~ Amy