History of the Apron

**Nana2two** · 10-07-2010, 07:16 PM

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 folks 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.

**Booklover** · 10-08-2010, 12:35 AM

Oh, I love this! I sure can picture my tiny great-grandmother with her full length apron. It went on first thing in the morning and stayed on all day. The only time I saw her without one was went she went to church, and as soon as we were home she would put on her "Sunday" apron.

Those were the days.

**Darlene** · 10-08-2010, 07:32 AM

I wear one every day. I wear mine mostly to keep my clothes clean while I cook & I also stuff my apron pockets full of clothespins while hanging laundry so I don't have to keep moving & reaching into the pin bag. Pockets are nice too when cleaning to hold those little items that somehow get dumped in the wrong room til I can put them back where they belong.
Don't have mine on yet since I'm in my pj's but for sure it will be once I get dressed and jump into housecleaning.

**imagine** · 10-08-2010, 08:26 AM

I don't remember any of my relatives wearing aprons, not my mom or my grandmothers or my aunts, I remember seeing them in drawers but never anyone wearing them.

When I don't wear an apron while cooking things in the frying pan or baking cakes, I'm sorry because the outfit always gets ruined sometimes permanently.

We have aprons for everyone in my house. They hang of a hook in the kitchen for easy use.

**McD** · 10-08-2010, 09:22 AM

I love my aprons. I wear them a lot. Hubby teases me but I think he secretly likes them.

**Trishagirl** · 10-08-2010, 09:42 AM

I have a friend who makes aprons and wears them. I sent this to her. I know she'll love it!

**Ali Lee** · 10-08-2010, 01:32 PM

I wear an apron every day. There's 2 on the line drying. I give aprons to my daughters. I gave special ones for their wedding showers. I have many...& the Goodwill is a good place to find them. I once found a hankie in the pocket of an apron. I made 2 aprons out of a jumper last year.

**Nana2two** · 10-08-2010, 02:18 PM

I use to collect them. I have around 100 of them in tote some where. I just think they are really neat. I have several vintage apron patterns. Sending them to my sister. She is making them for a church sale..