Do You?

This might be a personal question... but do you wear one? Now be honest. I have to admit, that I normally don't, but I totally love them!

I am talking about aprons. My earliest memories of aprons would have been my Grandmothers wearing them. I vaguely remember my own Mother wearing one a couple of times, but not too often. Other than that, I have rarely seen someone in a home setting actually wearing one.

Shortly before Christmas, I was looking through my linen closet and I came across two sweet little aprons. I have to honestly say that I don't even remember owning aprons and I sat for a few minutes looking at them, trying to remember where I might have gotten them from.

All I could think of, is that they once belonged to my MIL. I inherited some beautiful linens from her and they must have been part of the package. I could see that these aprons were well used; from the fading of the cloth, to the small stains, to the loose threads. I could also imagine the times they might have been worn - holiday baking, preparing Sunday dinners, while getting things in order before company arrived.

Shortly after I found the aprons, I received an email about the History of Aprons. How coincidental!

"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.

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. It was also wonderful for drying the tears of children and even to wrap around them to keep them warm.

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

I am happy to have my two little aprons and I think I will keep my eyes open for more when I am out at antique shops or thrift stores. It is a nice touch of days gone by and after reading the email I received, I realize that each one would have it's own story to tell.

So... do you?