Apron Strings is the passion and brainchild of Debbie Slevin. In 2013 Slevin was sent by Dan’s Papers of Long Island to report on a collection of vintage aprons at the Suffolk County Historical Museum. As she walked into the room, its ceiling strung with 200 aprons on clothesline, she was overwhelmed by the stories of the people who wore them. So many stories! And thus began the journey.

In 2014, Slevin, along with a small cohort of local creatives, created the first Apron Strings show. By 2023, Suffolk County historian Diane Schwindt’s collection had grown to 600 and Slevin thought it was time to revisit the idea. With new stories that explore where we came from and how we got here - Apron Strings: “The Ties That Bind” offers a fresh perspective on that oft-forgotten piece of protective clothing. You will never again look at your grandma’s – or your own- apron the same way.