Welcome to An Historical Hand-Sewn Linen Apron

Print made by Philip Dawe, ca.1745–ca.1809, British, after Henry Robert Morland, 1730–1797, British, Published by Carington Bowles, 1724–1793, British, Published by Robert Wilkinson, 1758–1825, British, The Pretty Maid with Her Apron Before the Candle, 1770, Mezzotint on medium, slightly textured, cream laid paper, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1977.14.12026 Public Domain

Print made by Philip Dawe, ca.1745–ca.1809, British, after Henry Robert Morland, 1730–1797, British, Published by Carington Bowles, 1724–1793, British, Published by Robert Wilkinson, 1758–1825, British, The Pretty Maid with Her Apron Before the Candle, 1770, Mezzotint on medium, slightly textured, cream laid paper, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1977.14.12026 Public Domain

unknown artist, A Country Woman, undated, Watercolor and pen and black ink on thin, slightly textured, cream laid paper on contemporary mount, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1975.4.46

unknown artist, A Country Woman, undated, Watercolor and pen and black ink on thin, slightly textured, cream laid paper on contemporary mount, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1975.4.46

This class teaches you to hand-sew a linen apron that is based on styles of white linen aprons worn during the second half of the eighteenth century in the Atlantic World. This apron is for historical interpreters, costumers, but also for anyone who loves the aesthetic and function of earthy linen. Think eighteenth-century English design, cottage-core aesthetic and harvesting lavender in the garden. Historically white linen aprons of this style were worn in a fashionable context but also were worn to do physical work. It is the ideal form and function. The construction details taught in this class are based off of my study of a variety of extant linen aprons from this time period and my 10-years of experience studying and stitching 18th-century clothing by hand. To learn more about your teacher, Sarah Woodyard click here.

Class Format

This workshop is organized in a series of sections with a pre-recorded, close-captioned video as the key manner of instruction. I strongly encourage you to watch the video before you start sewing. This class is designed for you to go at your own pace using the pre-recorded videos for instruction. Pause, rewatch and review to hone your petticoat sewing skills. The goal of this class is to teach you to hand-sew a linen apron gathered into a waistband without using a pattern.

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 Honor and Remember

In this section please take a moment to honor and remember some seamstresses and individuals who were part of the African-diaspora during the time this cap was worn in the “Atlantic World.” We have the privilege and freewill to stitch this apron, many in 18th-century “Atlantic World” did not. The individuals listed below were enslaved or freedom seekers in 18th-century Virginia when enslaved labor funded and stitched the fashion industry together. A similar labor structure is still used in the fashion and textile industry. It is important to remember and respect clothing makers, now and then.

The first seven people on this list were owned by enslaver Margaret Hunter. I worked and trained at the Margaret Hunter Millinery Shop (mhms) for 10 years. I have studied a cap that Caroline, Charlot and Oney Judge all had the skill to make. Therefore the skills taught in this class have a lineage back to these men and women. Next to their names I have listed where they lived and worked. If you visit these spaces please say their names. While we stitch this apron let these individuals be known and remembered.

Jenny (mhms)

Agga (mhms)

Milly (mhms)

Sall (mhms)

Will (mhms)

A child (mhms)

Chavers (mhms)

Sarah (freedom seeker)

Charlot (Mount Vernon)

Caroline (Mount Vernon)

Sall (Mount Vernon)

Alice (Mount Vernon)
Brass (Mount Vernon)

Sinah (freedom seeker)

Betty (Mount Vernon)

Oney Judge (freedom seeker)

Sarah (Williamsburg)

Rachel (Sarah’s child) (Williamsburg)

Lucy

Unnamed

 Order of Operations

  1. Measure length and add seam allowance for length measurement

  2. Pull threads to cut off selvedges

  3. Measure down the length of the apron and pull threads across the width of the fabric to prep for cutting the length

  4. Cut across the width of the fabric

  5. Hem the two shorter sides and one wide side

  6. Stitch your gathering threads at the waist (the wide side that is not hemmed)

  7. Measure the waistband length

  8. Measure how wide you want your apron to be across your front, at waist level

  9. Pull gathering threads to front waist measurement

  10. Attach waistband by felling waistband using stroke gathers technique

 Materials and Supplies

For this class I have collaborated with Zadie Grossman to curate a kit of white linen for you. The following is what is in the kit and is also what you will need for the class if you already have the materials on hand.

Kit Includes:

1 yard of 54” lightweight (very soft) White Linen

3 yards 1/2” (1.3 cm) white Cotton Tape

1 spool of White 100/3 Linen Thread

1 Bohin hand sewing needle, size 9 sharp

1 Hand Poured Beeswax Cake

10 Straight Pins

Buy the kit here!

Other supplies needed (not included in the kit):

Spray starch

  • This will be used to stabilize the fabric for sewing. Make it or buy it. Here is a nice choice but any will do.

Dressmakers shears: 8 inches.

  • My favorite shears are from William Whiteley and Co. in England who preserve the scissor making craft. Buy them here!

Small snips: Look for “embroidery” scissors.

  • My favorite small scissors are from William Whiteley and Co. in England who preserve the scissor making craft. Buy them here!

Soft measuring tape

Pencil or chalk

Thimble (optional but encouraged): Should fit on the middle finger of your dominate hand. Not too tight but not too loose it falls off. Learn how to use one here!

  • Where to buy: Antique malls, eBay, etsy, Lacis has a fantastic stock here.

 Hand-Sewing Foundations

Before you begin to stitch please watch these close-captioned videos to practice your hand-sewing technique and then move into stitching your apron. This section shows you how to sew ergonomically and how to use a thimble. And includes running stitch and hemming practice. It is so important to practice with a good foundation. My goal is to teach you a hand sewing technique that is sustainable so you can hand-sew your projects efficiently. To make the videos full-screen click the icon in the bottom right of the video.

Hand-Sewing Posture and Technique:

Threading A Needle/Knotting Your Thread

How To Hand-Sew With A Thimble

Running Stitch

Hemming/Felling

 Cutting Out Your Apron

To cut out your apron you will cut two dimensions: the width and the length.

For the width: The width of the apron is determined by the width of the fabric. If you are using the kit it is 54” wide. If you are using the kit or if your selvedge is fuzzy you will want to trim off your selvedges. The selvedge is the finished edge of the fabric that runs down the length.

Agostino Brunias, 1728–1796, Italian, active in Britain (1758–70; 1777-80s), Free West Indian Dominicans, ca. 1770, Oil on canvas, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1981.25.74 Public Domain

Agostino Brunias, 1728–1796, Italian, active in Britain (1758–70; 1777-80s), Free West Indian Dominicans, ca. 1770, Oil on canvas, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1981.25.74 Public Domain

Print made by James Caldwall, 1739–1819, British, after Michel Vincent Brandoin, 1733–1807, Swiss, Published by Robert Sayer, 1725–1794, British, and John Smith of Cheapside, active ca. 1750–1789, British, A Ladies Maid Purchasing a Leek, 1772, Line engraving and etching on moderately thick, moderately textured, cream laid paper, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1977.14.11105 Public Domain

Print made by James Caldwall, 1739–1819, British, after Michel Vincent Brandoin, 1733–1807, Swiss, Published by Robert Sayer, 1725–1794, British, and John Smith of Cheapside, active ca. 1750–1789, British, A Ladies Maid Purchasing a Leek, 1772, Line engraving and etching on moderately thick, moderately textured, cream laid paper, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, B1977.14.11105 Public Domain

For the length: The length of the apron is your decision. If you are making this to wear in an historical context you will want to reference an image. Sometimes the apron was the same length as the petticoat and sometimes it was shorter than the petticoat. For example the apron I am cutting out is 35” included seam allowance.

It is worth noting that some English style 18th-century aprons have what is known as “slope” cut into them so that the center front is shorter than the sides. You can see that in this image and in this extant example. This class will not be teaching this technique but it was common enough that it is important to mention this detail. If you are making this for modern wear you can have it be whatever length pleases you.

To find the length: Take a soft tape measure and place the tape measure at your waist with the 1” is hanging down. Standing in front of a mirror while standing straight, lower the tape to the length you want the apron to be. The measurement at your waist will be the length measurement. For example the apron I am cutting out is 35” included seam allowance.

Take your measurement and add 1.5” for seam allowance this is length measurement for cutting out your apron.

 Hemming

Pulling threads really pays off when you hem your apron. The precise lines help you hem in a precise manner. You will hem your apron on the two shorter sides first then hem the long, bottom edge of the apron. In the instructional videos below I have you hem using 1/2” (1.3 cm) seam allowance. I made this choice based on this original apron. However, there are plenty of examples of aprons hemmed with a smaller hem such as 3/8” (1 cm) 1/4” (7 mm). If you decide you want a smaller seam allowance that is also historically appropriate.

1) Basting

Baste fabric up 1/2” (1.3 cm) on two short sides and across the bottom.

Right handed

Left handed

2) Hem

Fold fabric up again 1/2” (1.3 cm) and fell (or hem) on the two short sides then across the bottom.

Right handed

Left handed

 Gathers

In this section you will stitch two rows of running stitches at 6-7 stitches per inch/2.5 cm across the top of the apron 1/8” (3-4 mm) down from the raw edge and the second row 1/4” (6-7 mm) from the raw edge. Important: Make sure you have trimmed all your fuzziness off! Do not measure from the fuzzy edges, make sure you are measuring from a straight woven edge.

Left handed

Right handed

 Waistband

In this section you will gather your apron to the waistband, pin the waistband on and stitch the waistband. In the first video you will find the length of your apron ties and the dimension for the width of the apron at the waist in correlation to the apron waistband. You will gather the apron into this dimension and pin the waistband in place. In the second video you will bind the top of the apron by stitching your waistband in place.

1) Gathering Apron and Pinning Waistband

Left handed

Right handed

2) Stitching the Waistband to Bind the Apron

Left handed

Right handed

Congratulations!! You have finished your beautiful hand-sewn apron!

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 Class Survey