Thursday, December 11, 2008

Grandma's Apron

An old-timey pic showing bib-style aprons
And this is my Grandma Jenny on the leftGrandma Jenny, Mom, Me, and Rose in hunting season when I was in high school


THIS IS THE STORY OF GRANDMA'S APRON....


I can see Grandma in the kitchen with her apron on... can't you??? What a wonderful memory this is! I don't think our children even know what an apron is. I have always loved aprons. I guess it's because my mom always wore one. These are some my Aunt Naomi made. She loved to sew and knit. These aprons are about 50 years old! I was maybe 12 or 13 years old when she made these for me.



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.



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 children. 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 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 kitchen counter to thaw.

12 comments:

Patty said...

Yes, the apron was used for a lot of things, when in a hurry. My Mother still slips on her apron when she's cooking. I can remember about 25 years ago, somehow her apron strings caught fire, she has a gas range, and when she turned it somehow caught fire, and really burned her leg bad before she realized it was burning. This was also back when she wore dresses all the time. Now she's in slacks most of the time. In fact last week end when I called her, I call Mom everyday, but last week-end she had her sewing machine out making herself a couple of aprons. She use to love to sew, but at almost 86, she doesn't do it as often as she use to. Have to run, it's time to give her a call now. Have a great evening.

Gigi Ann said...

Hi Nancy,

Oh, I remember the apron. I still have a few of my own. Just about a year ago a friend send me one she had made for a gift. I still sometimes wear it when I have to cook with a dress on and don't want to spill anything on it.

Thanks, for the memories!

Ann

Renie Burghardt said...

Oh, Nancy, what sweet memories of your dear Grandma's apron. My grandma always wore an apron as well, and so did I back in the 60s. They did come in handy for many things, didn't they? I still have a couple of old ones tucked away in a box. Today, aprons are no longer used much.

I enjoyed your post about aprons. Glad you posted, as we missed you. Have a great weekend.

Love and holiday blessings,

Renie xox

Lib said...

Hi Nancy,
A GREAT Post! I remember all the uses for aprons! I Love the old fashion ways.
Times sure has changed!
Hope you have a great wk.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Blessins',Lib

hippo chick said...

Hi Nancy,

What a sweet post. I still like to wear an apron, though I don't. Do you remember our first apron in Home Ec? I can still see mine it was aqua and white checked. What a terrible mess it was!!!

Jim has some chef's aprons for cooking out and I have one really pretty butcher apron that I forget to wear.

Thanks for sharing such sweet memories.

~hippo hugs~

Mary said...

Nancy,

Mom seldom wore an apron but Grandma wore one everyday. She had special ones for Sunday which she called her Sunday-best aprons. There was always a clean one hanging on the peg by the pantry door in case company arrived. She put on a clean one every morning and they were all washed and ironed.

Enjoyed your aprons. My grandsons know what an apron is because I have three.

Take care and have a great Sunday.
Blessings,
Mary

Midlife Mom said...

I loved this post Nancy! My mother and grandmother always wore aprons. I have a few that I wear once in a while like on holidays when I don't want to get stuff on my good clothes. Fun post!

Mrs. Mom said...

Those are some beautiful aprons! I never saw any family members in aprons, but I can imagine how they looked....

Merle said...

Dear Nancy ~~ Great post about the aprons some of us used to wear. I
still have a few, but rarely wear one
I am so glad you get some chuckles from my jokes, Will try to find some later tonight when I post.
I will be passing on to you a Butterfly Award. It is pretty, so I hope you will enjoy it dear friend.
Take care, Love, Merle.

Monogram Queen said...

I have mother/daughter aprons for me and Madison when she gets a "wee" bit older.

WONDERFUL post Nancy!

~PakKaramu~ said...

Hello

From Malaysia with love

Diane Meyer said...

I loved this post! I never had an apron but I have such good memories of my Grandma Raczynski's aprons.
You thought of everything they could be used for, I think.
Thanks for this post. Very sweet.