Kit, Country Prints: Apron, Frontier Cooking 419, “I-Did-It-Myself”

Object/Artifact

-

Robert Darr Wert & Country Prints

Kit: Apron and potholder: PKM collection. Images: PKM
Kit: Apron and potholder

PKM collection. Images: PKM

Name/Title

Kit, Country Prints: Apron, Frontier Cooking 419, “I-Did-It-Myself”

Description

Two-color silkscreen print on natural linen depicting cooking tools and implements used in early American kitchens. All of Wert’s major kitchen themes are represented: cast iron, painted tin, woodenware, a butter churn, a candle box, and a bread peal emblazoned with, “OUR DAILY BREAD.” The right and left sections are pleated from waist to bottom edge. A large patch pocket bears the product name, “Frontier Cooking”, and has a cast iron trivet and two painted tin vessels illustrated. The pocket is sized to fit the accompanying pot holder, which has a composition of five cast and wrought iron kitchen tools. On the back, printed on the left side of the apron waist is, “robert darr wert and I made this” in Wert’s typical script (Wert intended this to be on the front of the apron). The left and right vertical hems have dotted lines printed in brick red. This kit is printed on one sheet of linen. Instructions are printed amongst the kit parts. Two additional pieces of unprinted solid color linen are included for the apron ties and potholder back. Printed instructions state: -Cut all parts on dark lines. -Dotted lines suggest hem width. -Pin pleats by matching dots on either side of dotted lines. -Fold band and band hems and basting before stitching to pleated apron is suggested. -Hem sashes and attach to band. -A and B are for a pocket and a potholder - perhaps - Have fun! This kit appears in the c.1955 brochure “I-Did-It-Myself Aprons by Robert Darr Wert/Country Prints”. A coordinating towel/wallhanging/runner was also produced; see images.

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Robert Darr Wert

Role

Artist

Manufacturer

Country Prints

Date made

circa 1955

Time Period

20th Century

Place

Location

Gill MA.

Continent

North America

Inscription/Signature/Marks

“wert”, with apple heart, lower right corner, and “robert darr wert and I made this”, on back of apron waist.

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Apron Ties/Waist

Width

1-1/2 in

Length

60 in

Dimension Description

Apron, Main Panel

Height

16 in

Width

14 in

Dimension Notes

Dimensions given with pleats closed. With pleats open, lower edge of apron is 27” +/-.

Dimension Description

Potholder

Height

1/4 in

Width

7-1/2 in

Depth

5-3/4 in

Material

Unbleached Linen, Textile Ink

Color

Brick Red, Black