Sunday, August 26, 2007

I sense a collection developing


I made several finds at thrift shops and antique stores while we were away, and this apron is among my favorites. Salvation Army, just $1 or $2, I forget exactly how much. It makes me feel a little bit sad that it was there. I mean, someone clearly spent hours stitching it, and then somewhere down the line it was discarded. I suspect that whoever donated it didn't appreciate the time and effort involved in making such a lovely item.


I showed it to Grandma a day or two after I purchased it, and she said it's among the best examples of chickenscratch she's ever seen. We both marvelled over the buttonhole stitching around the chickenscratch: it makes the stitched area look almost like a lace overlay.


It's funny; I seem to be accumulating quite a stash of chickenscratch patterns and samples. A friend of Grandma's passed along some books on the topic when she learned how much I loved apron #1. I'm not sure why I like the technique so much. Maybe it's just the fact that you can alter gingham in such interesting ways with a simple variation on the cross stitch. I spent loads of time making cross stitch when I was younger and haven't really retained any interest in it, but applying the technique to something else? Yes, please.


Or maybe I like chickenscratch it's because I love gingham so much. I love the grid-ness of it, and I like how it coordinates with other fabrics. I also appreciate that it's not such a distinctly feminine fabric. Or at least it doesn't seem overtly feminine to me. Yes, it has a certain kitschy, 50's Italian restaurant, candle-in-the-wine-bottle tablecloth vibe, but there's something equally contemporary about it that appeals to me despite (or maybe in addition to) the retro aspect.


My own daily apron-wearing extends almost exclusively to my beloved linen bistro-style cover-all, so it's unlikely that I'll be sporting this one much. But maybe that's about to change?

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:10 PM

    That is a nice apron! I too feel sad when I see things like that at the Goodwill or other places similar.

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  2. I <3 aprons, too. Nice find.

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  3. Anonymous8:45 PM

    I love these aprons so much. I was shopping in an antique store with 10 minutes until we had to hurry to the airport to come home from vacation. They had 7 or 8 aprons for just four dollars each; I had a five in my pocket, so I could only choose one. How I wished I could have rescued them all!

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  4. i am also becoming more interested in chicken scratch. i too love gingham and i think this style is very interesting, thanks for sharing.

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  5. That is a great apron. I, too, love gingham. I recently "inherited" a load of gingham in all sizes and colors.

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  6. It really is a beautiful apron. I am not familiar with chickenscratch, though I do think I've seen it before. I love gingham too. Thanks for sharing your find.

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  7. Anonymous11:30 PM

    I've never heard of chicken scratch either, but I do like it!

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  8. This is a wonderful apron! My daughter has one in pink which someone gave her. It's vintage and she keeps it in a drawer. Now wouldn't this be a great technique to start a beginning embroiderer on?

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  9. Very fine apron !

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  10. What lovely, lovely craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  11. Anonymous10:40 PM

    Great apron! I agree...I love the grid-ness of gingham...I think it is the engineer in me! Would you be willing to post the titles of the chickenscratch books you received? I have been interested in it for some time, but have trouble finding instructional books on the topic. Thanks!!

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