1907 #32 Tablier Jardiniere -- Gardener’s Style Apron

This pretty model is made from a single piece. One needs a piece of fabric having 50

centimeters by 30 centimeters.

Trace a copy of the drawing that we give here in half, and transfer this copy on the

fabric folded in two. Draw the scallops; then transfer the copy on the other side of the

rectangle, taking care to make the two scallops of the middle align.

Pad the scallops and buttonhole stitch: only after which will one cut out the scallops,

one will make the two buttonholes, and one will place the two buttons. The apron is

finished. It is extremely nice, it is washed and ironed very easily. The two sketches of

the garment show the apron back and the apron front.

By enlarging it proportionally, you will be able to make this apron for a little brother

or a little sister.

To enlarge proportionally, it is necessary to keep the same difference between the

width and the length. Thus, here is an apron for Bleuette being 22 centimeters high by 16

centimeters wide (from underneath the arm to the other in front); you need to make an

apron being 33 centimeters high, that would make it a third more in this height; it would

be necessary to also put a third more in the width. -- What is a third of 16? It is 5 thirds.

So, this apron of 33 centimeters height will have 21 centimeters a third wider.

You can also replace the circumference of the scallops with a small hem and decorate

the apron with a flounce lightly gathered, trimmed with embroidery or lace. This flounce

will be decreasing in height along the shoulders. The part forming the neckline in front

can remain scalloped or be trimmed with a small lace. In this case, you will be able to

choose, to make the apron, of flowered muslin or of woven embroidered lawn, which will

make a very pretty object. If, on the contrary, you made the model such as it is, it is best

to choose a coarse fancy linen or stiff pique. The scalloping will be easier to make and,

what’s more, you will be able to embroider in color.

Choose, for example, a shade color fast. One calls thus, you know no doubt, those

which do not release with soaping. The red and the pink are color fast: the mauve and the

blue pass more easily. When you have well soaped and rinsed the apron, it will be

necessary to let it soak for a few moments in slightly bluish water. This is essential to

obtain a beautiful white. And the apron of a little girl must be of a whiteness as

irreproachable as the moment that one put it on.

This model, very simple, is quite easy to iron. However, it offers a small difficulty

that we must learn to overcome. This will be useful to you later. When one irons

scallops, this last should not be crushed. However, if you stretch out your apron on

something hard or not soft enough, the iron will crush the scallops. To avoid this

flattening, you must furnish the table or ironing board with quite spongy wool material,

fustian, flannel, which the relief of the scallops will sink into without being crushed under

the pressure of the iron. It should be that any embroidery is only ironed thus, and only on

the wrong side. All the relief is thus found appearing as new. Since we are on this

subject, we finish it by saying that, to iron the linen well, one should not wait until it is

completely dry. One can smooth it well and gloss it without being likely to burn it.

When one has it thus more or less dry with the iron, one spreads it out before folding so

that it looses any dampness; after which, one folds it giving a light stroke of the iron to

mark the folds. This recommendation is very important for the linen of the child. A

damp chemise has caused more than one sore throat.

Translation copyright 2010 Deirdre Gawne. Not for sale. www.dressingbleuette.com