UPDATE: Contest now closed; congratulations to winner Lynne! Thanks, everyone, for playing! I recently bought a bunch of Bella Pamella vintage-design aprons to send as gifts to our new BFFs at Wilsonart following the launch of our new laminate collection. Oh happy day (photo below.) Not only are these aprons sweet, but I really use aprons like this — they are functional! So I got to thinking, how about asking Pam — the Pam of Bella Pamella — if she’d like to contribute an apron for our next giveaway. She jumped on it — and hey, offered a two-fer: This giveaway includes two aprons — one adult- + a matching mini-sized, for a youngster.
What a sweet story of how Bella Pamella got its start:
One afternoon at a function in the church basement I noticed someone had meticulously arranged a display of aprons. One apron had a little sign on it describing its former owner. A great-grandmother, her children, grand-children and great-grand-children numbered something like 70.
And the author of the sign figured that this apron was worn for every meal ever served those 70 descendants in her kitchen.
The thought occurred to me that if you asked those people to describe their matriarch the description would surely include that apron.
It was her uniform. And since it covered her from shoulders to knee they might have little idea what else she had on. That woman’s identity was defined by that apron. And a realization came crashing down on my head: I wanted that.
Increasingly, I’m aware of a longing to be connected with my home and mothering. I wanted my kids and my future grand-kids and great-grandkids to think of me, not as I come running in the door from work at 6pm, but as I function in my kitchen, serving up some homemade comfort in my “uniform”, my identity, my apron.
When I set about to find the quintessential apron I was amazed to see that with all we consumers have at our fingertips, nowhere could I find a good old-fashioned apron. Pretty much every apron out there was the basic “butcher” style. No frills. One piece of fabric. Twill tape ties.
Being a sewer, I was undaunted. I figured I’d make one. But that turned out to be much more difficult than I realized. Somehow what seemed to be a perfectly simple and utilitarian article was not so easily captured. So, I began to research. And sew. And sew and sew.
Then, the more I sewed, the more I realized I wasn’t just trying to make the perfect apron. I was setting out to recreate a familiar comfort of a time past. I also realized if I felt that way, maybe others did too.
And BellaPamella was born.
Apron stories, indeed: My story: A few summers ago, my brother and his children visited me. While the boys went out somewhere, my niece (seven or eight years old at the time, I think) stayed home with me, and together we prepared to bake some chocolate chip cookies. To get going, I set her up in one of my many vintage aprons purchased at estate sales. I didn’t think much about it at the time, but… Fast forward to the next summer, my niece went down to visit my Aunt Mary Anne. They were going to do some baking too. My Aunt later told me that before they got started, my niece asked, “Aunt Mary Anne, can we wear aprons? I wore an apron at Aunt Pam’s.” Peeples, this is the stuff that memories are made of!
How to enter to win an Adult+Child apron set from Bella Pamella:
- To win, you must be a subscriber to our newsletter (Yes, this is “what’s in it for the blog” — you can opt out at any time after the contest ends, or continue on for the stories and because our goal is to schedule a giveaway every two weeks.)
- To enter, use the Comment field on this post below and tell us: Which Bella Pamella apron design and fabric would you choose? Click here to scope them out. Or, How about, give us an apron story. Or, a happy whatever — we’re easy, the goal is joy.
- One entry per person. U.S. lower 48 states only.
- Entries close on Friday, Feb. 19, around 5 p.m. Eastern — that is, we will close the Comments field at that time.
- Prize: There will be one winner. The winner will receive one Adult apron and one Child or Sister apron in the design and fabric their choice, delivered by Bella Pamella.
- Publisher Pam (not apron designer Pam) will choose the winners via the Random Number Generator at random.org. We will email each person. [Tip: Be sure you enter your email address correctly in the email field of the Comment form.] The winner will have five business days to respond. If we do not hear from them, we will choose the next person who commented. Lather, rinse, repeat. We will post the winner’s first name as soon as all is confirmed.
- Terms of use apply.
Many thanks to Pam! Bella aprons!
And, congrats to our recent giveaway winners, Jordan, who won the Tiki Diablo tiki mug, and Lisa, winner of the Ikea PS2014 light.
Link Love:
Disclosure: We were not paid to host this giveaway —
we do giveaways to delight readers and to grow our newsletter list.
You can read more about how we make money here.
Sue says
Hello! What a fun giveaway! I love the Katherine simple apron in cherry. I always wear aprons when I cook and this one reminds me of one I had years ago that I wore to death. My granddaughter and I would love to make cookies together in our matching aprons 😉 !
Kathy in San Leandro says
I wasn’t going to enter because my mom would be so hurt if a family member wore an apron made by anyone else but her. But I adore the Katherine — it’s a great name! and I’m all about the convenience of not having to tie things behind my back. I choose the cherry print because that’s my town’s symbol and I could wear it at our annual festival.
Alicia Damron says
I think my favorite is the Nora Retro Apron in the ruby dot fabric. I love aprons! I bought a vintage one made by The NY Association for the Blind and it’s the prettiest thing. But it only protects from the waist down so it’s mainly just hanging in my kitchen for decoration. I love that these cover more area and are super cute!
Tina says
I love your choice of apron patterns. I have a large collection of vintage aprons, I tend to notice the paisley fabrics first, but I also like the old fashioned kitchen prints with fruit. The apron I would choose for both the giveaways would be Eunice with the kitchen fruit fabric. Great coverage and a bright fun print! I treasure a photo of my great grandmother, who came from Czechoslovakia to Wisconsin, she is standing in her orchard picking apples in her very ample apron.
Allison says
I’ve always worn aprons since I was a child- in the kitchen, around the house and even in our business.
In a storefront we had in a rather upscale area, I used to wear a different vintage apron every day when I tended shop ( I had dozens). Customers would always comment on their favorites; men as well as women, and it always intrigued me that aprons could engender so many reactions and memories from diverse people.
In fact, a few weeks ago I opened the door to the UPS guy’s knock while wearing a gingham pinafore apron, and the first thing he said was; “Gosh, I love your apron!”
I would dearly love the “Nora” in the cherry prints!
Geronimom says
Oh the memories! I simply can NOT remember my grandmother without her in one of her quintessential aprons like this! She was an amazing cook – her cherry pies were famous in the town (she even made one that was hand delivered by her congressman & served to the president at that time!) and because she and Grandpa owned a turkey farm during the war & in the ’50s, she was also quite the turkey baking expert. She served 3 square meals a day to her husband and family – even a full lunch EVERY day, so yes, you could pretty much say one of those aprons was basically her “uniform”. After she passed, her stash of aprons was divided among her 3 daughters – my mom got several. She never cooked anything without putting one of Grandma’s aprons on, either. When Mom passed at the age of 90, I looked for her aprons but couldn’t find them? I think she may have given them to my SIL, who is a great cook. SO – I would LOVE to have one of these new homemade aprons in honor of my Grandmother & mom! Here is a pic of Grandma wearing her “uniform” basting the Thanksgiving Turkey! http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DianeLu/Vintage%20Thanksgiving/story
Julie says
I would choose the Nora for me and the Charlie in blue for my little boy. How cute are the little boy aprons!
Marta says
Oh, I would love the Eunice apron in blue diamond! And, wouldn’t my granddaughter Pickles look adorable in the matching Charlie blue diamond apron?
I have always worn aprons, and though I have some gorgeous vintage aprons, I tend to wear the same few ‘modern’ aprons given to me by my kids so I don’t risk ruining any of my collection, being such a messy cook. I even keep spare aprons at my children’s houses so I’m always ready for kitchen adventures.
I still remember the first apron I made in 7th grade home economics in the 60’s. It was a green gingham half-apron with an embroidered pocket and a yellow terry towel sewn into the waistband on one side.
Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful to see everyone’s favorite aprons, like the ornament wreaths and the Christmas decorations?
Shannon says
Oh Dear I would love to have the Nora Apron in the Bella Cherry prin.. and my little man would like the Charlie Apron in Dotty Plaid….
I have a collection of aprons that belonged to my great grandmother, most that she or my grandfather’s sister made themselves. Unfortunately I am too wide to wear most of them, so I have a few aprons that are mostly silly frilly things my friends gave me. I only work out of 2 half aprons and 1 full length cotton one…. Getting one of these lovelies would be so great! My 5 year old boy knows that serious cooking or cleaning is gonna happen if I am in an apron and my 1950’s Pandora station is on!
mimi says
Pam is right, I remember the aprons my mother and both grandmothers wore as a sweet part of my childhood. And also remember that often the apron fabric could also be found on quilts they stitched, along with other scraps of items around the house. I love that Pam ‘s fabrics used today are reminiscent of those…the blue diamond Eunice! My great aunt Eunice also has an apron memory planted in my mind. Thanks for this warm way to start the day….thinking of all those righteous women in my history who loved so much.