Basket Apron for Home and Garden
This apron is designed for double duty. It would be great for use around the house and outside in the garden.
Touted as “clothing suited to your job”, the easy to sew basket apron is from a 1944 US Department of Agriculture Farmer’s Bulletin titled Dresses and Aprons for work in the home.
They go on to write, “A dress that restricts when you reach or bend, that twists or gets in your way when you stoop or climb may be as fatiguing as a poorly planned kitchen.”
Even now I think this apron would be a great help. More than once I’ve gone out to my garden, started picking veggies, and without a basket tried to balance everything in two hands, dropping many along the way back to the house.
Material for the Apron
They suggest using a sturdy cotton. Even denim would work. You sew a casing for the drawstrings, they recommend shoe laces. To form the basket you gather them on either side.
There isn’t a pattern with it, but from the illustrations you can see the basics of what you’d need. A large circle of material squared on either end, a waistband that ties in the back and a casing for the drawstring on the rounded edge of the apron.
To save or print the apron diagram, right click on it and then you can save it for printing. You can also use the Print Friendly button at the bottom of the post.
Updated 1952 Booklet Revision
I found an updated version of the booklet Dresses and Aprons for work in the Home. You can find the entire booklet that includes several other aprons on the University of North Texas Digital Library website.
The revised version gives a graphed diagram and better instructions for sewing the basket apron.
Other Links for Aprons
You can find a similar Harvest Apron Tutorial on The 104 Homestead site and another vintage garden apron in an earlier post on this site.
Here’s a link for a short and informative article about aprons from The Blade newspaper in Toledo, Ohio – Aprons are the fabric of history and home.
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Enjoy!
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I’m glad you’re reposting this pattern, does anyone NOT love WWII era patterns? They are my absolute favorite. I recently purchased “Complete Guide to Modern Knitting and Crocheting” (1942) & I think it’s my favorite needle crafts book of all time. What a great investment it is! Packed with fabulous patterns.. I wish I could go back in time!
Take Care Debra!!! Please Get Well Soon!!!
Kristin
Yes love the WWII era patterns. Thanks Kristin
Going to make this apron for my sister. She climbs the ladder with a bucket on her hand to pick her lemons and figs. She is going to love it.
Can’t wait to get started 😆 Maria Lynch
That’s great. I’m sure she’ll love it.
I have a clothes line for summertime. Can’t wait to make this for my clothes pins! Thank you.
You’re welcome.
Brings back memories. I’d use a similar apron to bring in the apricots off of our trees years ago. When an apron was lacking, you took your blouse or top and folded it up, making a “basket” to hold the fruit you picked. Sometimes I would be wearing a t shirt as I was in my teens then, and it would be so loaded down in the “pocket” made by upturning the bottom edge and holding it with one hand. It was a common way for us to carry items when we did not have a bag handy was to use our shirt. Aprons are much better to use though!
Can’t count the number of times I’ve rolled up the bottom of my tee and filled it with figs or veggies. Thanks for the comment.
this is so cool. I’m from Ohio, we lived in Toledo for a few years when our dad worked for Gross Electric. My mom is from Defiance and Dad is from Holgate! I’m going to make this for mom for her 81st birthday on August 2nd. She’ll be tickled pink, she taught my brothers and I to sew on a Singer back in the 60’s.
That’s a wonderful idea. I know she’ll love it.
Reminds me of aprons we used for clothes pins while hanging clothes out to dry. Before electric dryers. Diapers dryer real fast on the line. Before paper diaper. Rutha Christianson
Yes, exactly. My thought too.
Thanks for your comment.
Debra