Final batch from Della’s Ozark sewing room • In 7 active carts right now •
Della's Hand-Stitched Cat Apron
Della's Hand-Stitched Cat Apron
Ships within 2–3 days
30-day return policy
Insured & free shipping with tracking
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Della's Hand-Stitched Cat Apron
Hand-Stitched in the Arkansas Ozarks
Della Holloway, 71 — thirty years a cat-rescuer, now stitching the last of her aprons before her hands give out.
“I took in 614 cats over thirty years. I couldn’t do the barn anymore — but I wasn’t about to quit them. So I put the ones with the biggest stories onto aprons, where a cat belongs.”
What you get
Why it’s unlike any other cat apron
The From-Life Cats
Every cat is a real animal Della rescued and named in her book — not a stock cartoon printed ten thousand times.
The Final Ten
From 614 cats she chose the ten with the biggest stories: Tuck, Rooster, Biscuit, Domino, Shadow and more.
The Gathered-Kitchen Panel
All ten crowd together across the bib — the way they used to crowd the feed bowls at dusk. A scene, not a repeat-pattern.
The Green-Thread Tell
Tuck is stitched in green — “the color of the woodpile he came out from under.” Proof there was a real cat behind it.
The Whole-Cloth Make
Cut from the bolt, sewn on her mother’s 1952 Singer, ties turned by hand, ten cats stitched one at a time. A day’s work each.
The Last 91
Only ninety-one were finished before the arthritis stopped her hands. There will be no reprint, and no more.
“You can tell a hand-built apron in three seconds: the ties are turned, not bar-tacked, and the figure work has small irregularities a machine print never has. What sets Della’s apart is that the cats are drawn from life — you are looking at real animals, recorded by the only person who knew them. In American folk textile, that is rare and quietly valuable.”
Made for
The quality, in five lines
Cook in it, wash it, live with it for a month. If it isn’t right, send it back for a full refund. Della would rather an apron find the right kitchen than sit in the wrong one.
A note on handmade: Each apron is cut and stitched by hand, so no two are exactly alike — small variations are the mark of the maker, not a flaw. The fit runs compact and practical by design (see measurements below). Machine wash cold, hang to dry; the linen only gets softer.
The details
| Material | Natural linen-weave (breathable natural-fiber blend) |
| Design | Single-sided front panel, ten hand-worked cats |
| Set includes | 1 bib apron + the cats’ name card |
| Dimensions | Approx. 26.8 × 21.7 in (68 × 55 cm) — compact adult cut |
| Color | Natural beige with full-color cat panel |
| Ties | Adjustable neck loop + wrap-around waist ties |
| Care | Machine wash cold, gentle; hang to dry; warm iron if needed |
| Made | Hand-stitched in Mountain View, Arkansas |
| Found kitchens | 6,000+ of Della’s cat aprons to date |
The Final 91
The Final 91
A note from the sewing room:
After thirty years and 614 rescued cats, the rheumatoid arthritis in Della’s hands has ended the fine needlework. These 91 aprons are the last her hands will ever finish — each one cut by hand, sewn on her mother’s 1952 Singer, and worked with the ten cats she remembered best. When they’re gone, they’re gone, and the needle goes quiet.
Shipping with UPS / USPS
Shipping with UPS / USPS
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 7–10 business days
- Insured: Every package is fully insured
- Hand-packed in unbleached cotton wrap and a kraft box — no plastic, no styrofoam
🌳 Carbon-neutral shipping with UPS / USPS
900+ Cat-Lover Kitchens
Excellent 4.9
What Della’s customers are saying
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Della’s granddaughter Jess and the Marlow Market team personally respond to every single email — as fast as we possibly can.
You can reach us:
- Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (CT)
Email: info@marlowmarketco.com
Can I return my apron if I don’t love it?
Can I return my apron if I don’t love it?
Of course. If a Della apron arrives anything less than perfect, or you simply don’t love it within 30 days, write to info@marlowmarketco.com and we’ll make it right — refund or replacement, no hassle.
How is each apron made?
How is each apron made?
Every apron is hand-cut from natural linen-weave on Della’s kitchen table, sewn on her mother’s 1952 Singer by the north window, and finished with neck and waist ties turned by hand. Then the slow part: the ten cats — each one a real animal she took in over thirty years — worked onto the bib one at a time. No factory. No two exactly alike.