In the four years since I started Dorothy's Aprons, I have had ONE unsatisfied customer.  Most small businesses wouldn't give it a second thought, but I prefer having ZERO unsatisfied customers, so here a few things to note before ordering:

Why does it sometimes take so long?

When I refer to the "us" or "we" in Dorothy's Aprons, I am referring to myself and family.  I do all the sewing, shipping, etc., myself.  My husband does the babysitting while I work, and my children give up "mommy time," so I can complete your order.

Ordering from us is not like ordering from a catalog, a host of worker bees don't start buzzing around after you push the button. I am a one-woman operation with small children, big children, and a husband and a home.  My role as a wife and mother often takes a priority.  I know, there are supposedly millions of so called "supermoms" out there who claim they can do it all.  I however, have decided that rather than give ten people 10% of my attention during the day, I'd rather give 1 person 100% of my time and attention at a time. 

Rather than having one foot on the sewing machine pedal, and one eye on my toddler, I prefer to give your apron 100% of my time and attention from the first thread to the packaging.  This means that I sometimes have to wait a few days or even weeks to get that time.  Dorothy's is not yet profitable enough for me to procure a babysitter so I can work uninterrupted, nor do I have a host of free and available relatives around to help out, and I work around my husband's work schedule which frequently takes him out of town. 

Please understand, my normal turnaround time for shipping ready-mades is 1-3 weeks....90% of the time, I can get them out MUCH MUCH sooner, however, things do come up...emergencies happen, or we pass a virus around the house that lasts one week but stretches to four because we all take turns. (As you other moms know, this means you spend three weeks taking care of everyone else, and then you get it the fourth week yourself, only it's now a supervirus from which there is no relief.) Custom orders can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks depending on the complexity of the order.

What You Need to Know

 If you need an apron by a certain date, please contact me to confirm that I can meet your deadline BEFORE placing the order.

If I confirm a date to have your apron shipped to you, I will do everything in my power to meet that deadline.  Acts of God do sometimes happen, for instance in the fall of 2005 my husband ruptured a disc in his back, had emergent surgery and just two weeks later his father passed away.  If something arises that will cause a delay I will notify you as soon as possible and present you with options, such as credits, refunds, or a partial refund if it's a custom order (custom orders for which the fabric has already been ordered would be refunded minus the cost of the fabric.)

Please make sure you have entered your email address correctly, this is very, VERY, VERY important, and if you have a deadline for when you need your apron, a phone number is mandatory where I can reach you.  If you don't particularly care when you receive your apron, you can leave the phone number out.  If I have no phone number and the email address is incorrect, I will NOT be using snail mail to try and contact you.  It is also a good idea to give me a brief response if I email you, so I can be sure it got through.

If I don't respond to your email, please leave a message on my business line (585)704-9041.  Please remember, sometimes emails get "out there" in cyberspace never to be heard from again.

What do you Get?

When you order one of my aprons you get personal attention.  Custom order customers will get one-on-one time with me, I will help you choose fabrics, find the right style and make adjustments if possible so that it turns out exactly as you would like it to.  I can lengthen most ties, adjust hems, and add trim colors to your choosing.  

My ready mades get equally as much attention.  I am not rolling in piles of apron profits.  I started this business in memory of my Grandmother and because of my love of aprons and the nostalgia and warm memories they bring to myself and others.  I love sharing that with others and I have been blessed with many wonderful customers who have shared their memories with me and I have been thrilled to provide them with a product they will cherish, that is one of a kind and just for them.

I use the highest quality cotton I can get ranging in price from $8 - $15 a yard and I use only Gutermann threads which have been called the "Cadillac" of sewing threads, and I use the best trims, and sometimes vintage trims on my aprons.  Each apron takes me anywhere from 4-12 hours to complete depending on the style.  In the end, you are paying me approximately $10 an hour to sew a custom, one of a kind apron for you.  I do not charge handling for the roughly 1 hour or so it takes me to package and ship your apron.  I charge only shipping and insurance.

Miscellaneous but Important Information:

I do not currently sell patterns but I may consider it at a future date.

All my aprons and pressed and the fabric washed before sending, however, I do have to FOLD them to package them and ship them to you.  This will cause some wrinkling.  A quick toss in the dryer on low or air dry with a damp towel should cure this, or they can be re-ironed.  They are 100% cotton.  Cotton wrinkles when folded. 

Be sure to check, recheck, and triple your check your measurements when ordering.  Apron sales are final unless there is a defect and if I am making a custom order for you, I WILL use the measurements you give me, so please be sure they are correct before sending them along.

Understanding the Cost

The apron prices for custom and ready made orders are based on many factors.

If you're a frequent customer you may have noticed recent increases. That's in part because since I've started the business, fabric, thread and trim prices, not to mention postage (I have to pay postage to receive many of my supplies --- ) have all gone up. I also have all the usual small business expenses that go along with this sort of thing as well, such as website website fees, the percentage PayPal takes to process orders, a PO Box, etc.

The pricing is also based on how much fabric an apron requires, the amount of trim, the complexity of assembling it and how much time it will take me.

My time has become slightly more valuable in the last four years now that I am juggling an additional little one.

I believe so far at least, I am one of very few who offers a handmade, one-of-a-kind custom apron made to your specifications and fit of the best possible threads and fabrics available, that are still PRACTICAL and meant to be worn in the kitchen and around the home, and I remain committed to the quality of my aprons.