History of aprons

[backlash]

I don't think our kids

know what an apron is.

The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing

hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids..

And when the weather was cold Grannny wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,

bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In Autumn, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Send this to those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma's aprons.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw. They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love...

[Mrs. Owens]

The history of aprons is what motivated me to begin wearing them again. I read it somewhere awhile back and that started the whole thing. They don't have to be "cute", but they do have to be functional just as explained in your post. The truth is when I started wearing aprons again, I discovered that I got more work done. Go figure! I can be sitting around hugging my morning coffee with no motivation at all. I even make lists and have "a daily plan", but it seems that I just drag through the list until I put on my apron. Then, whammy-bammy, I'm suddenly Super Homesteader!

I haven't been able to convince my DD or DS that they need to wear one yet. But they are still into the "cute" stuff. I'm glad I have moved on to the practical stage of my life.

[NCLee]

Thanks, Backlash.

I just emailed a copy to myself, so I can forward it to some folks who should read it.

FWIW, I collect aprons. All types from utility ones like Grandma wore to branded ones from commercial operations. Even have a few of the "pretty" ones from the 1950's. Hostess aprons that everyone wore during the days of "Father Knows Best".

No, I don't collect for "collector's value", but as a reminder of the days when they were valued for all the things in your history of them.

Shop aprons have saved my clothes more times than I can count. Grease, furniture stain, even wear from rubbing my belly against a workbench. Black chef aprons from Sam's Club hide alot of sins that won't come out in the laundry.

In my DIY Cookbook, there's a section labeled Aprons. Has patterns, pictures, articles and will include your History, too.

Thanks!

Lee