Too many dresses made at home look amateurish because they are over trimmed or incorrectly trimmed. The amateur designer, in her enthusiasm, often ruins the garment by overtrimming. The safe rule to follow is that of 'simplicity.'
Simplicity was the watchword of good design for most of the 20th century. And yet, what exactly was simplicity? Helen Hall who wrote this passage in Simplified Home Sewing in 1943 went on to explain how “one touch of trimming is usually all that is necessary.”
Hall was especially keen on using remnants of the garment fabric to make self trimmings. This was both thrifty (she wrote during World War II when fabrics were in short supply) and easy since there was no need to go searching for a matching or harmonizing trim. She then made a long list of suggestion for self trimmings including insets of strips of tucking or sheering ( i.e. gathered at both vertical edges) or using bias-cut strips to create “corded loops, snails,” yes, snails, and other designs.
You can see why necessity was the mother of invention. With little fabric at hand, home dressmakers needed to use their wits and play with what they had until they figured out a satisfying design. A good lesson for us all.
Rather than detract from the excellent post most of y’all will have seen on self-trimming and why it’s most often used as an excuse for neglecting the most important part of a horse, I decided to make this.
Here is an example of a true self-trim. This horses feet were last trimmed by a person in February but it’s worth noting that his angles and balance is checked every 8 weeks when my other horses are trimmed. Despite an identical lifestyle, his two companions don’t self trim. Why? Because it’s not a universal ability. This is despite them being technically better bred and more suited to the local conditions.
Vigo is a very rustic little horse. He’s got 10 acres of stony ground and he roams across it all day and night as well as going on rides on limestone paths and tarmac roads. His feet are optimally made - not too hard and not too weak. Despite his conformational flaws, he moves equally and correctly. In other words, he’s ideally suited to the conditions he’s living in.
Unless your horses have hit the same environmental and physical jackpot, the chances of them doing the same are low. Most importantly, if your horses feet don’t look like this, they’re not self-trimming. Gtfo with long, splintered hooves and underrun heels, that’s not a self-trim but casual neglect.
Apron-front sinks may suggest a simpler era, but their style is timeless. No wonder they're becoming as popular in contemporary kitchens as they have long been in traditional ones.
Form meets function
The appeal of apron-front sinks has evolved along with the kitchen, thanks to their unique combination of beauty and functionality.
"Apron-front sinks are like beautiful but oh-so-functional sculpture, and they provide a strong, dramatic focal point in a kitchen,” says interior designer Marianne Kohlmann of Milwaukee’s Blue Hot Design. “Practically speaking, if you cook with large stock pots or bake on cookie sheets, having a wide and deep single- or double-bowl apron-front sink makes cleaning up a pleasure.”
"Apron-front sinks . . .provide a strong, dramatic focal point in a kitchen."
Besides being large enough to accommodate oversize pots and pans, apron-front sinks are also ergonomically friendly. Often oriented farther forward than typical drop-in or under-mount sinks, they let you get closer and work with less stress and strain. The classic deep bowl of the apron-front sink also means less splashing while you work.
Torq® bridge faucet
Vault™ under-mount sink
Classic, yet modern
Along with the kitchen, the farmhouse sink has undergone some notable evolutionary changes of its own. Fresh shapes, new colors, and decorative designs coordinate with an unprecedented array of styles.
Enameled cast iron and fireclay remain popular for their beauty, strength and durability, and they’re available in an expanded range of color, pattern and shape options. New materials have also emerged, including stainless steel, for a look that cleverly straddles traditional and contemporary design. Kohler’s new line of Self-Trimming® apron-front sinks are also easy to install, making the iconic apron-front more accessible to homeowners than ever before.
Parq® bridge faucet
Whitehaven® Self-Trimming® sink
Simply versatile
The idea of including a “farmhouse” sink in a modern space may seem odd at first. But it works, because what unites the apron-front sink and contemporary design sensibility is an element of simplicity. Clean lines and iconic forms make these classic sinks work beautifully in both traditional and contemporary kitchens.
In a testament to that versatility, Kohlmann has included apron-front sinks in a variety of kitchen remodels, including a classic colonial, an 1880 Queen Anne Victorian, and an oceanside contemporary home that reinterprets Prairie-style architecture.
In each home’s kitchen, the clean outlines of the apron-front sink are a natural, perfect fit. And in each setting, they contribute greatly to the beauty of the kitchen’s design. In contrast to many kitchen sinks designed to be more discreet by integration into countertops, apron-front sinks have an unabashed presence, which makes them a great centerpiece in the kitchen.
Parq® bridge faucet
Cursive™ design on Alcott™ sink
"An apron-front sink deserves to be the star of the show,” Kohlmann says, “So you shouldn't have other appliances, fixtures and design elements drawing too much focus away from it." But apron-front sinks do, in fact, allow one other star in the kitchen: water. They celebrate its presentation in much the same way that a central fountain in a park provides a serene axis for the busy life that revolves around it.
