Aprons

You'll recall that my mom was a proficient seamstress. I've mentioned it several times. And, you'll recall that I mentioned all the gifts she had to give to parishioners. Well, for several years she made aprons. These three are examples of the types of aprons she made.

In fact, the first thing I ever made (after doll clothes) was an apron. It had a floral tie, which was straight stitched to a black glossy cotton, and then I straight stitched a border at the bottom to match the tie part. The tie part was put on like you would sew on a waist band on a skirt, but each end extended an extra 24 inches, so there was ample length of this waist-band to tie behind one's back to hold the apron on. The apron to the right at the top is similar in style to my first actual project.

One year mom made aprons for ALL the ladies in her Sunday school class (about 15). She made them in the style of the one at the top on the left. It had a big pocket down at the bottom in the front, which was stitched in the middle, producing two pockets, both of which were roomy. As a new pattern or style (yes, aprons were in-style or out-of-style) came into vogue, mom would gather her material scraps and make aprons for her ladies.

Who wears an apron any more? I still have several of my mom's aprons, and on occasion I'll get one out and wear it. Her cover-all aprons would not fit me today (like the one on the left). But my mother always wore an apron. When she cooked, she wore an apron, when she cleaned she wore an apron (and a scraf on her head). In fact, I think for her an apron was as important as a vest or tie was to my father.

I used to wear an apron. In fact, I had a favorite apron. It was given to me by a butcher, shortly after I was married. It was white (of course), and had a slip-through tie at the top, and then at the waist it had a tie which wrapped around me three times -- back then I was still Olive Oyl thin. I loved that apron and I wore it often. Somewhere along the way, in one of our moves, I suppose it got lost. But mom's aprons are still with me.

I don't wear an apron any more, well, hardly ever. I put a couple of my mom's aprons in the grandchildren's toy box, and they enjoy playing with them.

Mom had a couple of organdy (very dressy) aprons, used for decoration only, not for working in -- she would wear those aprons AFTER she was finished cooking or cleaning and was serving dinner to guests. Those are the aprons the grandchildren play with.

When I got married, I actually received several aprons at one of my bridal showers -- the kitchen shower. I haven't a clue what happened to those aprons either.

I'm still looking for a "chef's" apron -- like the kind Mario Bitali wears. Someone told me Sam's has them (in bulk). I don't need bulk. :) I would like one chef's apron, though.

After I wrote this post, I found chef's aprons (plain white) at Hobby Lobby. I'm all set now!