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.
Eileen says
I love the Eunice in blue diamond or the green or that bright yellow – sorry have already forgotten all the pattern names!
My grandmothers and mother always wore aprons cooking, and I have followed suit. My Mom made me a cool retro apron with a nice fruit fabric awhile back that I wear a lot since I cook a lot.
I’d love to add another to have some apron options! 🙂
Patty Winters says
Oh my, reminds me so much of the one my Grandma wore when she was showing me how to bake peanut butter cookies! So of course I’d have to pick the white one with red polka dots, I remember her best in a polka dot dress… 🙂
libbyontheprairie says
Eunice! In Dotty plaid fabric =) I love wearing aprons to bake/cook and have my grandmother’s aprons (coincidentally, her name was Dottie!) So, I do believe, that the Dotty plaid fabric in the Eunice style would be an excellent addition to the collection!
JaniceW says
Oh, the Katherine in blue botanical is perfect. I’ve been thinking about making one like this for years, but haven’t done it of course.
nina462 says
I also collect old aprons (and hankies); I would like the Nora and Katy in the Bella cherry print – why? because I grew up picking cherries at my uncles orchards. And I have a cheery cherry theme in my kitchen.
I also remember my grandmothers wearing aprons. and I always wear one when cooking or baking something.
Christine says
I collect old aprons. Why? I don’t know, to me, they are just an essential part of my childhood. And, let’s face it, they are so practical and an essential part of the kitchen! I LOVE aprons, all kinds, and, I USE the buggers! For me, the Eunice in kitchen fruit! It would be perfect in my fifties red and gray kitchen! Great contest!
When I don an apron, I turn into a super kitchen hero. My apron is to me what Superman’s cape is to him.
Rick S says
Pam,
Pam’s aprons(the other Pam) bring back memories. Grandma wore the full coverage apron with pockets. She said a pocket was like having another hand to carry things. would pick up change, keys, cards, etc. and carry them until she was able to put them away.
Grandma got dressed in the morning and wore her apron to keep her dress clean. If she needed to go out all she needed was “a minute to check her hair and face”
My wife has the last dozen or so half aprons from my mom. they are gingham with ric-rac and cross stitch embroidery. She will put them out for garage sale this spring so someone else can enjoy them. I even saw a pair clothes pinned to a line across a window as a café curtain. 🙂
I hope to win the pair for my wife and her assistant baker.
rick
Valerie says
Love the Nora apron in the bella cherry, and my daughter would love the sister apron in the ruby dot.
I always remember my mother and grandmothers wearing aprons. One grandmother favored the full coverage aprons, while the other and my mother wore half aprons. Not sure about my dad’s mother, but my mother and her mother made all their aprons. There was always some design to them. Two of my mom’s that were favorites of mine from the 1950’s were especially nice.
One was a three-tiered apron (each tier was gathered) of pale pink, rose and burgundy, so that the apron shaded darker toward the bottom. The other was a pale yellow polished cotton, with a wide band on the pocket and each side of a delicate yellow floral print; its background matched the pale yellow solid.
Their aprons were working aprons, not organdy or lace. But they were always pretty, feminine, and detailed, like Pamella’s. If they were going to sew something, they put in the effort to add the rickrack on the pocket or the contrasting bands or whatever. Aprons were like food (and everything else)–if you’re going to do it, take time to do it well. Gosh, I miss them!
Whitney says
Love the Eunice Apron in Dotty Plaid, the Lucy hair snugs are super cute too!
Sarah says
I adore the Retro Eunice in Dotty Plaid! I do have rather fond memories of aprons. My grandmother, whom I’m named after would wear them for cleaning, as well as for cooking and baking. She got me into my love of aprons. I do not have children, but lots of family and family friends come over and I’m a big baker so we bake. They enjoy wearing the aprons and preparing things with me, but I only have one lonely hostess half apron that was never meant to be used for cooking as something they could wear, so this would be absolutely perfect!