Turkey and Tassels: Fun Thanksgiving Apron Projects

Note: This is a Guest Post by Shirt Space

Photo by RDNE Stock project

Few items possess the remarkable power to transport us back in time, conjuring memories laden with nostalgia and pure bliss quite like the humble apron. Whether it’s the sight of mom gracefully donning her apron while whipping up culinary delights or the recollection of those heartwarming holidays spent with Grandma in her cozy kitchen, aprons have a unique ability to tether us to our most cherished and uncomplicated moments. Memories of family and friends are often associated with the delicious smell of home-cooked meals. These moments of sharing food remind us of the happy times we’ve spent together.

When it comes to aprons and the art of cooking, Thanksgiving stands out as the culinary Super Bowl of the year. This year, we extend an enthusiastic invitation to you, encouraging a departure from the ordinary and embracing creativity in your Thanksgiving aprons. Turn this simple piece of protective cloth into a canvas for your creativity. Use it to express your own or collective sense of fun during this holiday season.

Five Thanksgiving Apron Projects

1. Fall into Tie Dye: Tie-dye has been around for decades, and part of its staying power lies in the fact that tie dye is a simple, cheap, and fun way to turn any apron into a Thanksgiving fashion staple. For autumnal fun, try using fall colors like brown, yellow, red, and gold to create fun and interesting tie-dye patterns on your favorite apron. Tie-dye has the unique ability to refresh even the oldest apron instantly and makes a fun and festive way to prepare for your Thanksgiving feast. 

2. Paint a Masterpiece: Go to any good crafts store, and you will find aisles filled with fabric paint. From puffy and bright to matte and dramatic, fabric paint is a great way to customize a Thanksgiving apron and make it your own. Try some Thanksgiving paint themes like hand turkeys (made from your handprints), leaf prints (made by dipping leaves into paint and using them as a stencil), and a cornucopia of motifs. The sky’s the limit!

If you had a little one assisting you in the kitchen this year, you could make the experience more special by creating personalized aprons. You can paint one apron with your name and one with your child’s name, giving your tiny sous-chef an outfit they’ll cherish for years. This small gesture can increase the fun of cooking together and forge forever memories for you and your child. 

3. Pumpkin Everything: There’s no denying it: fall is all about the pumpkin. From pumpkin-themed coffee drinks to cookies, pies, and even pasta, pumpkin and fall are pretty much synonymous. A fun way to customize your Thanksgiving apron is to create a pumpkin-clad masterpiece that you can wear all fall long. We love the idea of painting a giant pumpkin to frame things and using a long pumpkin vine to drape and decorate the rest of the apron. If you are not really a painter, you can use a Pumpkin patch or heat transfer to create your base and then use markers or fabric pens to draw in your vine and fine details. The best part about using a pumpkin as your theme is that you can wear that apron all season long without being constricted by Thanksgiving festivities. 

4. Breathe New Life Into Old Jewelry: If painting, drawing, or tie-dye seems too complicated, old jewelry can make for incredible apron decorations. Try using old earrings as a fun way to jazz up your apron. If you have a lot of old hoops lying around, make a faux belt or use them to accentuate your apron strings and straps. You can also use studs, like rhinestones and necklaces, and repurpose bracelets as drapery or fun decorative features to turn even the oldest and most boring apron into Thanksgiving’s most coveted item (outside of the pie, which will always come in first place). 

5. Turn Your Apron into a Photobook: Nowadays, there are a ton of websites that offer you the option of taking your photos and memories and turning them into clothing. If you have a bunch of photos lying around that document fun memories from previous Thanksgiving celebrations, photo aprons are a great way to immortalize those moments while creating a kitchen tool to cherish for generations to come.
   
   We love the idea of covering your Thanksgiving apron in photos of your aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and other family members whose Thanksgiving meals live on in infamy. As an added perk, using photos as your Thanksgiving apron decor will ensure that your Thanksgiving apron becomes a treasured heirloom; you may even find your face adorning the Thanksgiving aprons of future generations. 

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time when friends and family get together to eat and be grateful for all the good things in their lives. Customizing your Thanksgiving apron can add a personal touch to the occasion. Whether you add a photo, a memorable quote, or something decorative, your apron can reflect your personality and what you love most about the holiday. 

Whatever ways you choose to customize your Thanksgiving apron, make sure that your apron reflects who you are and the things that you love most about the most thankful and food-filled holiday around. So, put on your apron, get into the kitchen, and let the delicious aromas of the Thanksgiving feast fill your home. Happy cooking!