17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, December 19, 1912: Ma went to town this afternoon to do her Xmas shopping. Wonder what she got me for a present. Perhaps nothing much.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Grandma’s mother got her some wonderful gifts.
A hundred years ago people often made homemade gifts. Aprons were a really popular handmade gift back then. Did Grandma’s mother purchase fabric to make one?
Picture Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1912)
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy the post that I did on aprons last year.
A Hundred Years Ago 
Some of my favorite gifts have been handmade.
The older I get, the more I appreciate handmade gifts.
My 11 year old granddaughter has been wanting to make herself an apron to wear for baking cookies. She loves going through patterns looking at all the styles. I’ll have to show her your posts.
It’s kind of fun that young people think aprons are cool. Aprons were totally out of style when I was young.
LOVE these I have a bit of an apron addiction- how weird is that! x
Aprons are fun!
As you know, I love aprons. I still have the one I made in Jr High and have a number of really cute vintage ones from the 40’s or 50’s. I saw some recently at Anthropologie that were soooo cute but the $$ was a real downer, I decided I should sew one instead
I have a Christmas print apron with cute little penguins on it that my mother-in-law made years ago. It’s really cute. I don’t wear aprons very often but whenever I need an apron, I grab that one regardless of the season.
Awwww, lucky you. I used an old vintage printed table cloth to make 3 aprons for 3 little girls next door. It was in perfect condition, just the wrong colours for me. I think those old printed tablecloths are great for sewing projects.
What a great idea! The aprons sound adorable. I hope you took pictures.
You know, I did put them in a craft journal I used to keep. Maybe I’ll post about it sometime.
Ohh–I hope you decide to post them sometime.
I bet your grandma would not have wanted an apron for her Christmas gift.
I bet that you are right. 🙂
Homemade gifts are still the best! Although I like to cook,not sure about an apron for Christmas….but maybe material to make me a new dress. Can’t wait to hear what she got for Christmas. I hope she tells us, she was not one for many words! 🙂
Homemade gifts are special!
I am sure your grandmother was very talented with her gifts. My grandmother made some nice sweaters and enjoyed making things.
I wish that I knew how to make sweaters and other needle crafts that turn out right. Some people are so talented.
I have trouble making dishclothes and shawls! 😉
Little poppits~ I love aprons too! Im wondering if I could make a better apron than the hanging mistletoe and ribbon decoration I tried to copy. Sheesh! What a monstrosity that was. I hid it when i gave up and tucked it into the trash.
It’s too bad that the mistletoe and ribbon decoration didn’t turn out well. I always get really frustrated when I put a lot of effort into making something–and then it doesn’t look nice.
Love the aprons. They are one of my favorite kitchen must-haves.