# History Of The Apron



## Kadee (Jun 28, 2015)

The History of  'APRONS'         



 I don't think our kids know what an apron is. 

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. 

 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 kids. 

 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 folk 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

_*They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron*_. 

 I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love.





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## Falcon (Jun 28, 2015)

Oh yes,  How well I remember  my dear Mom wearing hers in the kitchen.  Nice post.  Thanks.


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## Lon (Jun 28, 2015)

The Masonic Apron has a interesting history as well. There is a You Tube Video  The Secret of the Masonic Apron


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 28, 2015)

I never wear aprons, and it shows.   My mother always wore an apron, especially when cooking special meals like Thanksgiving dinner for the family.  http://www.pamalam.co.uk/Aprons.htm


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## Cookie (Jun 28, 2015)

No apron for me either, I'm a pretty neat cook and bottle washer and if I ever need to cover I use a dishtowel.  Aprons are very pretty, but I find them very uncomfortable.


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## jujube (Jun 28, 2015)

I think my grandmother had her apron on 12 hours a day.  When I see her in my mind, she has an apron on.   I do wear one frequently as I'm a very messy cook.

Have you noticed in the old monster movies, there was always some old biddy running through the village screeching, "I've seen the wolfman (monster, vampire, invisible man)" and she always has her apron thrown up over her face?


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## Kadee (Jun 28, 2015)

I still wear the apron when cooking cake, I have just a simple one I have worn for over 30 years, my kids always called it my butchers apron, it's the same colour as butchers.


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## Ken N Tx (Jun 29, 2015)

Grilling..
.


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## Josiah (Jun 29, 2015)

At the Nursing Home where my wife resides the residents all wear bibs when they eat. A while back I absconded with one which I wear when I eat.....I still need to put the keyboard in the dishwasher from time to time.


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## RadishRose (Jun 29, 2015)

Josiah said:


> At the Nursing Home where my wife resides the residents all wear bibs when they eat. A while back I absconded with one which I wear when I eat.....I still need to put the keyboard in the dishwasher from time to time.




Funny, Josiah!

My mother never wore one, I never did until just recently when a friend gave me one. I do wear it when cooking something messy or sputtering, finally saving my clothes. Aprons have come a long way- here are 2 designed to look like the sophisticated "little black dress"-
 

PS, mine has bicycles printed on it (?!?)


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## Meanderer (Jun 29, 2015)

Nice post, and good memories! Thanks!


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## Butterfly (Jul 3, 2015)

I DO remember aprons, and I even still have a couple.  My mom always wore an apron in the kitchen -- hadn't thought about that in years!


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## Rainee (Jul 4, 2015)

Ken that is some apron.. everything is so handy ..


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## Lon (Jul 4, 2015)

A Masonic Apron


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## oakapple (Jul 4, 2015)

I always wear an apron when cooking, but not for any other household chore . yes, My Grandma always wore an apron, she called it a housecoat, don't know why, but it did have long sleeves and buttoned up the front, so not a normal apron.


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## Aunt Marg (May 2, 2020)

Apron wearer here! Have several, but my favourite is the one with a pouch at the front which I use when hanging washing on the line! So nice to be able to keep a dozen or so pins ready at hand in the pouch!


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## JaniceM (May 2, 2020)

The only times I ever wore aprons was when they were required in 7th & 8th grade Home Ec. classes.


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## Aunt Marg (May 2, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> The only times I ever wore aprons was when they were required in 7th & 8th grade Home Ec. classes.


OMG, Home-Ec! Gosh, how I remember! One of the best classes I ever had, if not the best!

I remember the teacher would always ask us before starting on a new learning topic, has anyone in the class done this before, or done that before, and I remember there being a lot of hands in the air at times, which thinking back on it now, it was a different era we lived, and many of us were taught a lot of things to do with homemaking, etc, back in the day.


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## Lewkat (May 2, 2020)

I do when  I know I have something rather messy to deal with.


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## JaniceM (May 2, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> OMG, Home-Ec! Gosh, how I remember! One of the best classes I ever had, if not the best!
> 
> I remember the teacher would always ask us before starting on a new learning topic, has anyone in the class done this before, or done that before, and I remember there being a lot of hands in the air at times, which thinking back on it now, it was a different era we lived, and many of us were taught a lot of things to do with homemaking, etc, back in the day.



Yup, I can relate to that!  Cooking, sewing, cleaning-  had been doing it at home for years.


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## Aunt Marg (May 2, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> Yup, I can relate to that!  Cooking, sewing, cleaning-  had been doing it at home for years.


Same here, and with baby siblings in the home, changing diapers, making bottles, etc.


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## JaniceM (May 2, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Same here, and with baby siblings in the home, changing diapers, making bottles, etc.



I think having those classes in school is even more important these days-  because too many kids aren't taught life-skills at home.


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## Aunt Marg (May 2, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> I think having those classes in school is even more important these days-  because too many kids aren't taught life-skills at home.


I couldn't have said it better! 100% agree!


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## JaniceM (May 2, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I couldn't have said it better! 100% agree!



It's not all kids, though.  A few years ago I had a neighbor around 50 years old, he called me over to his apartment one day and said Look at this-  I know how to _cook!  _as he pulled a t.v. dinner out of the microwave!


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## Aunt Marg (May 2, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> It's not all kids, though.  A few years ago I had a neighbor around 50 years old, he called me over to his apartment one day and said Look at this-  I know how to _cook!  _as he pulled a t.v. dinner out of the microwave!


ROFLMAO! Poor guy.


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## StarSong (May 2, 2020)

I own at least ten aprons and always wear one when baking, lest I look like the Pillsbury Doughboy by the end of the process.  My daughter and at least one DIL use aprons, too.  

When the grands and other kids help me in the kitchen I put child-size aprons on them (I have about six of them). Kids love wearing aprons!


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## Aunt Marg (May 2, 2020)

StarSong said:


> I own at least ten aprons and always wear one when baking, lest I look like the Pillsbury Doughboy by the end of the process.  My daughter and at least one DIL use aprons, too.
> 
> When the grands and other kids help me in the kitchen I put child-size aprons on them (I have about six of them). Kids love wearing aprons!


Me, too! Love an apron when baking!


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