The “Hessian Apron” in sizes small, medium and large adds a contemporary twist to the design of the traditional heavily embellished costume from my native area in Germany. While I maintained the pleated “Schürze” or apron shape in its’ earthy colors, which is worn over fitted tops and layered skirts, I added vertical stripes, and incorporated the “Jungfernkranz” (or “maiden wreath”) lace as an edge accent only.

This piece is a vertical construction and knitted from side to side. Both the front and back pieces are knitted in one piece with the lace edging forming part of the knitted fabric. The details in this garment have some tailored elements and this is not a “quick knit“. You will learn to master traditional German lace knitting techniques, use stranded color work, sew your knitted pleats, and add blue details by using the embroidered duplicate stitch and the golden “Wheat stitch” to embroider the pleats.
I used a linen/wool mix with a nice rustic texture. Only a small amount of blue is needed, and can be easily replaced with scrap yarn in a comparable thickness.

Each step is thoroughly explained and I am happy to help with any questions. You can also find video tutorials which explain the trickier stitches on my Instagram account anja.sammon. If you are interested in further information about German traditional costume, please check out my website.