When I was a child, I had the privilege of knowing and spending time with my great grandmother, who raised her family during the Great Depression. In those years, she was forced to be very frugal and learned some interesting tricks to stretch the family income that she later attempted to pass on to my sister and I. The time that I remember best is when she showed us how to turn an old dress into an apron. I could not do so today but I guess having participated in that activity with my great grandmother when I was a child created a fond spot in my heart for aprons.
It is very interesting to me then that aprons, both vintage and modern, are turning up everywhere from movies and television shows to magazines and shops the later of which cannot keep trendy aprons on the shelves. Many people collect them including celebrities like Julia Roberts and ordinary folk like you and I though my collection is small and well used.
This book, The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort by EllynAnne Geisel, is a guide to old and new aprons. It features photographs of both new and vintage aprons, patterns for four basic styles and still more information including tips for collectors, instructions for preservation and even some apron stories.
Amazon calls this book a celebration of the apron and says that it reminds us of why we love this humble item. Homemaker's Magazine says, "this book provides easy-to-follow instructions, interesting facts and vintage illustrations which make it charming" and the Denver Post says "this book restores dignity to a domestic symbol and is part how-to and part history, which is comforting." Finally, NPR says, "it unfolds like a bolt of fabric, the pattern of a life remembered through a homey object."
The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort is a top ranking apron book. Originally published in 2006, it is still widely available in your choice of format be that hardback, paperback or Kindle.
If you are interested in making or even just reading about aprons, you can buy your new or pre-owned copy on Amazon by clicking right here though I was delighted to see that it is available for less than five dollars including shipping on eBay. See for yourself what is available on eBay today by clicking right here.
Are you an apron collector?
See you in the kitchen!
Hopefully, with an apron on.
Brenda
MORE READING:
Find a fun cookie-themed apron here.
Check out the aprons in my eBay store.
Find more Apron books on Amazon.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
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Like favorite comfort food, an apron is a 'comfort memory'. Your description of this apron book and your apron memories of your great-grandmother remind me of mine - both my great-grandmother Banny and my grandmother Anne. They both always had an apron on over their dresses -- and they ALWAYS wore dresses! :)
ReplyDeleteBrenda, thanks for your review of this interesting sounding book and for bringing up some happy grandmother memories through the mention of the humble apron.
Thanks, Elf!
DeleteHow amazing you have such beautiful memories of your great grandmother and her apron! I love wearing my red and black check apron which has a bit of a vintage look to it, when cooking or generally in the kitchen :) I did not know my grandparents but I do have photos of them and my grandmothers were always wearing their aprons in the kitchen! Thank you for an interesting review of this Apron book.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think aprons were pretty standard once upon a time! I assume that is because people had fewer articles of clothing and doing laundry was tougher!
DeleteHow lovely that your great grandmother instilled a lasting appreciation of aprons in you at a young age! This book sounds absolutely delightful. I really like it’s unique approach - part history, part how-to. Thanks for sharing your review and recommendation of this charming and unusual book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit, Margaret!
DeleteA collector of aprons? Why, yes I am! Although, I admit, I hadn't really considered myself an apron collector until now. I purchased my most recent apron this past Christmas. Over the years, I have made several aprons, including a pants apron. I love aprons and I suspect my adoration of aprons has a lot to do with history and symbolism, although, once again, I had not considered that until now. I'm sure I would enjoy reading, seeing, and studying this book.
ReplyDeleteYes, mouse, some collections are unintentional and unknown!
DeleteAprons are a memory for me! When I was in Girl Guides, my mother (a seamstress by trade) with the help of my sister and I made hundreds of aprons for a fundraiser. They all sold and we were making aprons for years afterwards too. Now that was back in the 1960's, I'm not so sure how they would go over now! I do like them though I can't call myself a collector!
ReplyDeleteWow, Olivia. Hundreds of aprons. Good for you and lucky fundraiser!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea for a book. I agree, aprons are a lovely item, even to collect. Interesting that Julia Roberts collects them too. There is something nostalgic about aprons - for father's day my husband was a lucky recipient of a BBQ apron from the kids. I have to admit, Aprons draw me in, and bring me back.
ReplyDelete