Original 1952 McCall's Pattern No. 1712 - Child's Cobbler Apron with Tic-Tac-Toe Game, Size 2

Original 1952 McCall's Pattern No. 1712 for a little girl's cobbler apron with heart-shaped armholes and a tic-tac-toe pocket that holds a little game to play. Size 2. Complete Nice Condition, 4 of 4 pieces, with the uncut transfer included.

Quick Facts

• Pattern Number: McCall's No. 1712
• Year: 1952
• Garment: Child's Cobbler Apron with Tic-Tac-Toe Game, with Transfer
• Size: Size 2 (21" Breast)
• Condition: Complete Nice Condition, 4 of 4 Pieces; Uncut Transfer

Design

McCall's 1712 is a child's cobbler apron cut in a single piece that wraps around and ties in the back, with two heart-shaped armholes and every edge bound in double-fold bias tape. Across the front runs a long pocket embroidered "tic tac toe" in script, with a tic-tac-toe board stitched at the center. The best part is the game itself: a small case holds a tic-tac-toe board stiffened with cardboard, and it slips into the pocket so it goes wherever she goes; on the envelope, one girl has it out on a bench, ready to play. Four pattern pieces (apron, pocket, game case, and cardboard game foundation) and a transfer for the embroidery, worked in six-strand cotton, one skein each of three colors. Size 2 takes 1 yard of 35", 39", or 42" fabric without nap and 6½ yards of bias tape, with ¼" seams and a Cut and Sew Guide.

A Moment in Fashion History

McCall's 1712 was issued in 1952 alongside McCall's 1713, the Misses' Cobbler Apron with the same tic-tac-toe pocket, so mother and daughter could wear matching aprons in the kitchen. Matching mother-and-daughter fashions were a favorite of early 1950s home sewing, and aprons were the easiest place to start: a little girl helping in the kitchen could look just like her mother. McCall's gave the child's version something extra, a real game tucked into the pocket, which made the apron a toy as much as a cover-up.

Illustration

The envelope front and back are shown as scanned, framed on our blue mat without retouching, so the artwork appears in its true color and condition. The apron is shown in red with a white polka-dot dress, in blue on a girl with the game set out beside her, from the back in yellow with red ties, and drawn flat to show the heart-shaped armholes.

Connections

McCall's 1712 is the little sister of McCall's 1713, the Misses' Cobbler Apron issued the same year with the same tic-tac-toe pocket, so mother and daughter could play the game in matching aprons. See McCall's 1713 Misses' Cobbler Apron in Small 10-12, Medium 14-16, and Large. McCall made aprons for everyone in the household: matching sets for mother and daughter, his-and-hers aprons for Mr. and Mrs., and junior aprons for brother and sister, so the whole family could pitch in together. Explore McCall Family Aprons in Kitschy Kitchen -- McCall Edition.