This is a copy of an e-mail I received from one of my cousins, by way of my mother. Although I didn't have the privilege of really knowing my grandmothers, I do remember my mother wearing an apron when I was young. This brought back a few memories!
The History of 'APRONS'
I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal 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 Grandma 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 the fall, 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.
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...
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.
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...
This is a great post. I remember my grandmother & my mother wearing aprons. I wear one from time to time, usually when guests are coming and I am already dressed but need to do some final preparations in the kitchen. Oh, and I did wear one a few weeks ago when the boys and I were tie-dying t-shirts. I bet that's a use ours grandmothers never thought of!
ReplyDeleteI have a bit of an apron addiction. And I think I've passed it on to my girls : ) We love aprons-there are so many fun cute ones out now.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother never wore an apron...she always wore her housecleaning clothes in the kitchen so she didn't care what spilled on them--sometimes she would put on an old shirt of my granddaddy's and wear that in the kitchen, but never an apron. As a matter of fact, I'm the only one in the family who has ever used an apron. And I use them all the time- because I'm a very messy cook.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post. Both grandmothers and my mom used to wear them and I have happy memories of them. I have a couple and love the embroideried ones that are check print...or floral. They are so sweet. Thanks for sharing the email and memories.
ReplyDeleteLove this post Mary! I love aprons and have several....but honestly, most days I forget to put them on.
ReplyDeletebrought memories to me also. My mom and grandmother always wore aprons. When I was in the novitiate, we had to wear blue and white gingham aprons when we were cleaning or doing dishes. I don't think I've worn one since then! However, two of the sisters I live with wear aprons when they're cooking.
ReplyDeleteApron and love; you do get that image though don't you? Especially after reading this about the aprons. My mom didn't use a lot of aprons but my MIL did. Always had her apron on in the kitchen. Funny, I was at the store one time and this guy came in and asked the clerk where the aprons were. She kind of looked surprised and another clerk said "oh, we just carry them at the holidays". (I'm sure a kitchen store would carry them year round, this was Penney's I think). A tradition must be dying in not wearing them as much.
ReplyDeleteenjoy the day!
betty
This is so neat. Thanks for sharing. The only time I usually wear an apron is when company is coming over and I don't want to mess up my clothes. I may have to consider wearng it more often now! I have some embroidered ones that my MIL made me. I've noticed they carry them at Bed Bath and Beyond also. I even saw some at Kirklands the other day. I think they may actually be coming back as sort of a novelty thing.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, Mary.
ReplyDeleteI never wear an apron, but my mom did occasionally. My Grandma did all the time. A great bit of Americana.
Just as I rarely saw my grandfather without overalls, I rarely saw my grandmother without an apron. She had company aprons and everyday aprons. They were part of her. When she passed away, I wandered through the house, laying claim to a few items left over from the siblings and other grandchildren...and I wanted one of those aprons. There weren't any. And it wasn't that everybody else had already taken them - it was just that she had stopped cooking a few years earlier and thrown all those worn old aprons out with the trash. Isn't that a shame?
ReplyDeleteit's my new obsession. ;) my girls are loving them, too. so many pretty ones!
ReplyDeleteI love aprons. I have several but I never use them, don't want to get them dirty. Thank you for sharing this, it's really a cute one.
ReplyDeleteMary, I love this!!! I can recall my grandmother wearing one and can visualize a beautiful picture of her, with her apron on in the photo! My mother wears aprons as well. Always has for baking :) I've just recently in the past couple of years. When I realized just how practical they were while cooking and baking on holidays and then sitting down with clean clothes on afterward :) Last Christmas, I gave each sister and my mother a monogrammed apron and then something cute from Pampered Chef. My mother loved hers. It was hot pink and black/white. A lot of southern bling on it :)
ReplyDelete