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Thursday, October 8, 2009

Theme Thursday = Collection

photo from googleimages.com

my vintage linen apron

Here's a nice little essay about the apron. There are all kinds of lovely memories wrapped up in vintage aprons...no wonder they are a favorite thing to collect! The author is unknown, but I'm sure we can all relate to the words here ~

I don't think our kids know what an apron is. The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

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

  • Cumulation
  • Obtaining
  • Levy
  • Lot
  • Ensemble
  • Compilation
  • Trove
  • Intensification
  • Omnibus
  • Number

38 comments:

  1. I often say it is the simple things that bring so much pleasure...and for me APRONS are very much a part of bringing me joy! The older and more history the BETTER!

    Love your linen one Betsy!!
    Excellent TT!

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  2. cool to see them still apprecited. my grandmother wore one for many of the reasons listed...i can still see her in it now...hapy tt betsy!

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  3. Betsy,

    I read this a long time ago but it was nice to see it again. I never knew anyone that wore an apron (both my grandmothers died when I was very young and my mother never wore one). But this is still touching to me because of all the women that did wear aprons and what they signified. ALL the things women do. With what they have. When no one is paying attention.

    Thanks, Betsy.

    xoxo
    Jane

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  4. Loved this as I saw again my little Mother using the apron for all things mentioned (except the ears!).

    The fleur-de-lis is a favourite of mine.

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  5. I almost posted something about aprons yesterday. My grandmothers both wore them. I was so surprised to find that they have made such a come back in the last couple of years.

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  6. Beautiful post, so much information about a simple piece, so common in the kitchens of my past.;)xo

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  7. My mom and all the women I knew, when I was growing up, wore aprons and most were made from Gold Medal Flour sack cloth. Flour was sold in cloth sacks imprinted with designs in those days. And an important part of the dress was the home made bonnet. I just assumed women would always wear them but my wife of 54 years has never had one on her head. I guess that technology is long gone and almost forgotten.

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  8. Dang this was good! Reminded me of my own Grandmother's big ol' apron! Thanks for sharing this, Betsy :)

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  9. I have all my grandma's aprons! I still put one one when I am cooking for a holiday, just so that she can be there with me in spirit.

    Lovely post as always, Betsy.

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  10. The fleur de lis!! I was just reading about the history of the symbol today too!

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  11. Wonderful post and wonderful collection!!!

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  12. I love old photos...good thoughts about aprons...you just don't see mothers in the kitchen cooking with a dress much anymore.

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  13. Aprons! I've never known anyone who collected aprons, but I really like this. Something warm and friendly about it. Thanks for sharing it.

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  14. I wish I had my grandmother and granddaddy (he cooked most of the time) aprons!!!
    I want an apron....I don't have one!

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  15. I wear an apron most of the time when I cook, but my aprons are so boring compared to the wonderful aprons my grandmothers wore.... I love the ode to the apron that you found. I have to copy it and send it along to my mother as she will so love it too!

    thanks! the old photo reminds me of a great picture I have (somewhere) of my great grandmother in her apron - I have others of my two grandmothers also but the one of my baba (the name we called great grandmother) was taken in the 1920s and very vintage - in apron and setting!

    I smell a new theme idea!! aprons!

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  16. Lovely post and acrostic, Betsy!

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  17. Cool post! I remember my grandmother always wore what she called a "housecoat", but served all the same purposes as an apron.

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  18. jinkies; i never knew all the uses for an apron..i'm gonna wear one all the time, now! A long one to hide my sawed off shot gun under.

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  19. I still wear a big apron every time I cook. It's kinda like a uniform, and I'm so messy, it saves a lot of clothes!

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  20. Tom ~ hee-hee! Yes, you'll need a very long one for that!

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  21. Abe ~ I have to say I'm rather glad we don't still wear the bonnets! Talk about having hat-hair all the time! LOL!

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  22. Oh my goodness! This post brought back so many memories of my mother, aunts and grandmothers wearing aprons. They had everyday aprons and dressier aprons for holidays!

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  23. you always ome up with such creative posts for your themes..i am an apron gal too...i'm messy!

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  24. I still wear my mom's and it HAS to be at least 30 yrs old! I can't bear to give it up.

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  25. Wow, I didn't realize they were so handy! I have one. Guess I should wear it, lol! I hope your son is doing better. (Basketball??? You probably were thinking you were safe because he wasn't in football, huh?)

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  26. Aprons also look good on French Maids! hehe!

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  27. Rosezilla ~ he's doing much better today..prscription painkillers and a muscle relaxant seem to be doing the trick. He can go back to classes on Monday.

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  28. I lurve when I get stains on my aprons becuz it means they are getting used. For example i have a blackberry stain that always reminds me of when I madethat delicious pie! Sounds good right now too Mmmmmm

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  29. I love the way you look at the stains. Why do we usually fuss over getting them out? ha-ha!

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  30. What a great item to collect. I love aprons. I have five of them, I think - no, six - including two that I bought in Mexico and two that came to me as gifts. I've never thought of them as a collection, though, probably because I use them all the time. If I had one as old and beautiful as the one you've pictured,I'd do all my work, and then put my apron on!

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  31. Oh you're clever. We had a 'collection' of aprons when the kids were young but all I have now is a red cotton one with "Santa's Little Helper" on it that I'm obliged to wear at Christmas. Mind you, with my sloppy ways, I should wear one all the time! Or maybe a 'bib'! My Gran wore one all the time, she was a baker . . but she called it her 'pinnie' short for pinafore.

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  32. I can't remember my grandmother at home without an apron. Thanks for the memories. Happy TT

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  33. ah this made me smile and think of my old nan.
    thankyou.

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  34. What an interesting post! I really enjoyed reading this. you know, sadly i don;t think I ever saw my mother wear an apron. She must of sometimes but can't reacall one.

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  35. I collect aprons as well, vintage aprons. I love them, the fabric, patterns. Some are just so beautiful i cant imagine ever wanting to get them dirty. I love vintage aprons because of the history that come with something pre-loved. I have some pictures of my collections on my blog http://madeleineellis.com/vintage-apron-collection/

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