Gone are the days of grandma in an utilitarian frumpy apron with her red hands in the sink. These days aprons are high fashion and grandma has a dishwasher.
Sophisticated aprons are hot ticket items. Not only are they a practical way to protect your clothing, they are really useful.
Toya Jacobson makes aprons under the label, Aprons for the Domestic Goddess.
About three years ago, she and a friend who is an artist were trying to come up with some money making ideas.They thought about starting a market store, but her friend never got started and Jacobson did. She’s been sitting behind the sewing machine ever since and selling her high end aprons at craft markets.
“People want a sophisticated glam look,” said Jacobson. “I use fabrics you wouldn’t expect to see in an apron — that’s what people wanted.”
Jacobson never wore aprons before she started making them. Now she uses them when she cleans. She incorporated a towel in the body of the apron because, as she said, everyone wipes their hands.
Jacobson will be selling her aprons, some with matching rubber gloves, at the All Sooke Arts & Crafts Fair, Nov. 23-25 at the Sooke Community Hall.
Her product line includes aprons for men. A popular style is one which is black and red with a bit of a Scottish plaid.
She sells about about 300 aprons a year as gifts. The prices range from $30 to $45 for the men’s aprons (which are more work to make). The matching rubber gloves run at $15.
“They are gifts — wonderful gifts,” said Jacobson. “You might as well have fun if you have to cook and clean.”
She said she has a friend with a B&B who loves the aprons because she doesn’t have to think about what to wear to serve breakfast to her guests.
“You can entertain and still look good,” she said.
Jacobson is the volunteer co-ordinator with the Sooke Hospice and leads a busy life. She would, at some point, love to make clothing out of upcycled materials, but for now she’s sticking to Aprons for the Domestic Goddess.
