AllOccasionAprons of St. Stephen's Community Church, UCC
-- ENHANCING LIVES THROUGH THE ART OF THE APRON --
ABOUT US AND OUR PRODUCTS
AllOccasionAprons is an initiative of the Sewing Guild of St. Stephen's Community Church, UCC. Offered are handmade, unique limited-edition and one-of-a-kind items: Aprons are in two major categories -Theme Collections (see below) and Wedding Cake Aprons. Other items include Lap Scarves (one-sided), Lap Robes (two-sided with soft warm backings) and Carriage Robes (large, two-sided, soft warm backings, some with plush faux fur on one side).
Theme Collections - Our aprons are made from unique prints in a range of
mostly cotton fabrics. For men, women and youth, the aprons are single-sided or reversible, in the following 14 Theme Collections:
African/Asian/Hispanic/... Hunting/Fishing/Farms
Animals/Birds/Butterflies Inspiration/Christian/Jewish
Boats/Lighthouses and Black/White Music/Dance/Art and Drama
Celebrations/Holidays/S-Heros Novelty and Wheelchair Length
Family/Home/Youth Pretty Woman/Romantic Moments
Flowers/Gardens Sports/Teams/Tools
Food/Drink Travel/Maps/Military
Interested in learning more?
Map of North & South America
Travel/Maps/Military Collection, single-sided, one patch pocket
- Wedding Cake Aprons -
For the Cake Cutting Ceremony
To emphasize the meaning of this memorable moment, just before cutting the wedding cake, the couple's attendants assist them in putting on their Wedding Cake Aprons.
After the couple has
fed each other the cake and, if they wish, served their new in-laws as well, their aprons are removed - kept as keepsakes of their personal commitment to work together to build their new life and new home.
Year after year, the aprons are a major contribution to anniversary celebrations and become family heirlooms.
Please click on Gallery above to view more
Wedding Cake Aprons.
Supporting the Outreach Mission
Aprons made and sold by the Sewing Guild of St. Stephen's Community Church, UCC support the church's Carol J. Greer Community Learning Center and Computer Lab with educational programs and technology instruction for Lansing-area youth and adults, including seniors.
With a focus on limited-resource families, the Greer Center also provides healthy, well-balanced meals for all of its participants.
Youth tech programs include Lego Robotics, Scratch, Game Design, and Digital Media (film making/editing). Fitness programs include tennis and golf. Mature adults/seniors are offered computer classes at basic beginners and advanced beginners levels with individualized instruction.
Greer Center program partners include Shabazz Academy, ITEC, Power On, the MSU College of Engineering and Tennis Facility and Lansing's First Tee Golf Program.
Sailboats on the Ocean - from the Boats and Lighthouses Collection, single-sided, one invisible center pocket
The Apollo Club/New York - The Arts: Music/Dance/Drama Collection, reversible with one pocket on each side
In the Beginning...
Two septuagenarians at St. Stephen's
Community Church joined together to develop
the fledgling idea put forward by a younger
church member (who had returned from Africa
with a beautiful apron she had purchased there) .
and her colleague. They suggested the Sewing
Guild could help support the outreach mission of the church's Greer Community Learning Center
through the sale of such aprons. The older women agreed and felt they could pass on to younger women an art they had initially learned as young girls growing up in the south where all girls had to take "Home Economics" and learn to make aprons. Other dedicated retirees joined the team and the group grew, meeting together weekly to build this initiative.
Over the years, with fabric as their medium, they expanded this skill into an art form and sold their creations in arts and crafts shows across the region. Emphasizing the mixing and matching of
colors and motifs to capture the messages of our culture and our hearts, they generated works
that are often considered family heirlooms, some of which were specially commissioned works.
With beauty, quality and uniqueness as major characteristics of the one-of-a-kind or limited-edition items, the artists-crafted aprons for men, women and youth styling them from basic ulilitarian to exquisite and elegant.
The idea for symbolic Wedding Cake Aprons grew out of these latter experiences and the women's prayers for a way to better support the Greer Center and its mission.
Bride's Wedding Cake Apron over a strapless, trumpet skirt wedding gown
Groom's Black Builder's style Wedding Cake Apron trimmed with white piping and black satin
Coutesy of The Wedding Gallery, Williamston, MI
