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.
LisaB says
Cherries, of course!
Elaine says
My grandma Minnie jones, always wore an apron. That was my dad’s mom. My mom never wore an apron, and I don’t know if her mother wore one. Mom never mentioned it. I never met that Grandma, yet I am told I am a lot like her. You see, she lived in Germany, and after WWII. My mom came to America and left her family to start a new life with my dad. Imagine not ever talking to your mom, and hugging her, they just wrote letters, until one day the operator called and gave my mom a message that her mother had passed away.
Leslie E. says
My Nana always wore an apron – she’d wear one when she was gathering eggs, when she was baking, all the time. I have a couple of hers. My mom and Nana had matching ones when my mom was little and I have one of my mom’s – I’m sure Nana’s was worn out!
Susan Wills says
Would love to win an apron, the yellow is so cheerful.
Patti says
I have all my Grandmother’s aprons, which I remember her wearing for our Sunday and holiday dinners! I have used them many times spread onto the table as runners, placemats, curtains and hanging across our dining room as a banner! Many comments and ” remember when” stories! I would love to share with my Grand daughter!
Jenny L says
These aprons are ridiculously cute. I think I’d choose something in Dotty Plaid, maybe the Eunice?
Laura Lombardo says
I would choose a Nora, in the cherries print, if I won!
Sue S. says
Full coverage aprons will always remind me of my Grandma, and the delicious family meals she made when we visited. I still see her standing at the stove in one of those aprons, checking the roast beef in the oven. What heavenly smells, and what lovely memories.
CarolK says
I used to have several of my grandmother’s aprons who died when I was one. I always wore one of them when I baked, but them they disappeared one day. I still wear an apron, but the ones I have now are just not the same. My grandmother’s name was Kate and my daughter was named Katherine after her. I’d like a Katherine in Bella Cherry, please!
Janet Monroe says
My Mother and Grandmother lived in aprons. It really was a common thing to see at my house. Remember hugging them tight, with my hands it the pockets of the apron and sometimes found a candy treat wrapped up nice and tight in my little fist. I love the Katherine Apron, especially the Cherry fabric as my memory holds tight to my Grandmas theme of her kitchen!! Miss her much.