1890s Aprons | Butterick 4042 & Butterick 5509

I was looking through the August 1892 Delineator magazine when I found this adorable apron. It has a lovely collar and pointed center front that looked very familiar...

Ladies' Long Apron, with Sailor Collar

No. 4637 - This apron is shown made of plain gingham at figure No. 321 A in this magazine. 

The dainty fashioning of this apron proves that with but little trouble the most commonplace of garments, the long apron, may be converted into, if not exactly a thing of beauty, at least a very wearable garment. Pink and white striped gingham is in the present instance employed in making the apron, and rows of embroidered edging supply the decoration. The skirt of the apron is full and extends almost to the lower edge of the dress.

The top is gathered to within a short distance of the back edges and joined to a belt, which is fastened at the center of the back with a button-hole and button. The bib has a square upper outline and tapers to a sharp point at the lower edge. The lower part of the bib overlaps the belt and extends a short distance over the skirt, to which it is tacked. The sailor collar, which is a decidedly novel feature of the garment, presents a square effect across the shoulders, and is extended at the sides to form straps having pointed ends, which pass over the shoulders, and overlap the upper corners of the bib, to which they are attached with a button-hole. The loose edges of the bib and the sailor collar are attractively trimmed with a row of embroidered edging. 

This apron will develop attractively in cambric, percale, plain gingham, seersucker, chambray, and cross-barred muslin. It may be trimmed with bias bands of the goods, coarse lace or feather-stitching.

We have pattern No. 4637 in five sizes for ladies from thirty to forty-six inches, bust measure. For a lady of medium size, the apron needs two yards and five-eighths of material twenty-seven inches wide, or two yards and an eighth thirty-six inches wide. Price of pattern, 10d. or 20 cents.

The apron is shown again later in the issue, in a feature on trimming and embellishments:

... The bib and the lower part of the apron are embroidered in cross-stitch done in red, blue and white embroidery cotton, the design being again pictured at figure No. 3 in "Artistic Needlework." The effect of the work is dainty and charming.

Dainty and charming indeed!

And then to my surprise, I found these aprons in the listing of patterns at the end of the magazine:

A selection of adorable Victorian aprons - I particularly like No. 4144, with the gathered bib and pointed waistband, No. 4378, the long version of the same, and No. 3696, which looks like the Kimberly Kitchen Apron by Marna Davis. You can make No. 4106 and No. 4144 with the Maude Apron by Marna Davis. 

Apron 4574 looks familiar...

I usually approach historical patterns from the "Big 4" with suspicion, unless they have a well-known name from the historical sewing space like Nancy Farris-Thee or Kay Gnagey on them, so I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that the out-of-print pattern Butterick 4042, which I had long regarded as being utterly imaginative, was a pretty faithful copy of two aprons from 1892.

These aprons could've been sold for several years; if I find them in other issues of the Delineator, I'll update this post. It's also an interesting coincidence (or was it a purposeful recreation?) that Butterick, which published the Delineator, published 4042 over a hundred years later.

Like the original apron with sailor collar, Butterick 4042 has a sailor collar that attaches with buttons. Butterick 4042 suggests decorating with soutache trim, although like the original also suggests embroidered edging. The original apron fastens at the waist with buttons or hooks, whereas the modern one has adjustable ties. I like the pockets in B4042 as well, very charming and practical.

 

I really appreciate the design and fabric ideas on the original am tempted to make one of these in the suggested pink gingham. If you're looking for a fun Victorian apron pattern, consider giving Butterick 4042 a try - I can't speak to the pattern's construction techniques, but now we know it's based on original patterns from the early 1890s!

Note: The apron with pointed front and sailor collar also appears in Butterick 5509, which is still in print and is easier to find. In my opinion, Butterick 5509 lacks the charm of 4042; the pointed front looks clunkier, the pockets are missing, and there are fewer trimming options.