I am excited to have been asked to share my vintage apron collection at our county museum! I contacted them last year, suggesting a display of aprons would be fun around Mother's Day. They politely told me they had all the displays booked for the year, but would call me if they were interested in the future (I thought, don't hold my breath!)
Well, they did call in November. They are featuring a display about "How Michigan Eats" all about food which is grown or produced in Michigan, and thought the aprons would be a nice tie-in. (No pun intended, LOL!) Little did I know how much work this would be! I took three large bins down for "audition" and then the curator came to my house to select which ones to display. She ended up choosing over 70 different ones for the show. BFF and I starched and pressed them all, hung them on hangers, and I have taken the first group to the museum. Rest will go tomorrow. They will hang on clotheslines, with old style clip clothespins. We will use "props" in the bottom of the glass cases, such as old kitchen utensils, cookbooks, sewing supplies, etc.
The categories include gingham with chicken scratch, feedsack, food patterned fabrics, old white lawn from the early 1900's, calicoes, and children's aprons.
Once the display is hung, I will get pics and post some here. I was amazed to realize my collection now numbers around 200 aprons! Once friends know you collect, they give them to you. I can hardly resist the charming ones I find at estate sales and resale shops. My research values them at between $10-$25 each, so quite a collection. I never pay more than $2-$5 even if they are very special. I enjoy making contemporary aprons by using the vintage ones as patterns. Hope you will enjoy seeing the display!