Grandma's Apron

Hello Ladies~

One of the items I consider part of my daily wardrobe is my apron.  It helps me feel like I've got work to focus on, but also protects my clothes.

My first apron I made, last year. No pattern, just brown butcher paper and tracing my old favorite.

 When I first started homemaking, I was taught by many seasoned homemakers that an apron will cut down on laundry by protecting your clothes, and lifts your mood so you get your mind into your work. Other than actually getting dressed and out of my morning walking clothes, this one thing helps do just what they've said.


My great-grandmother always had something tied on, either a waist type apron or full length.  It's something that through the years I have found it protects my clothing, but also helps my attitude towards my daily work.

Great-Grandma Gates

Here is my old faithful to the left. It is thread bare  from so much use, but I just love the vegetable teapots. The one on the right was a gift from a friend. The embroider is so lovely, and the pockets are teacups. This one is for those days I don't have much dirty work to do.

I'm told, even my granddaughters love to put on an apron at home so they can be like grandma. I love my girls!

There is one apron I have that is a sort of canvas that wraps all the way around, but I don't usually wear much anymore.

Here is a fun apron I found.  It has Cinderellas carriage on it. I use to wear it on light cleaning days and pretend like my prince will be home soon.  Today, I am older and wiser and wear a full apron.

My Cinderella apron


Here is a story I found years ago, it's not coming out in a picture so I will type it for you:

     "I don't think our children understand what an apron is. The principal use of the cotton pinafore was to protect the dress underneath because a woman often had very few. It was also easier to launder aprons than dresses.

     An apron served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for blotting children's tears. From the chicken coop, an apron was a pouch for carrying eggs, fussy chicks and sometimes half-hatched eggs headed to a warming oven.

     When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. When the weather turned cold, Grandmother would wrap it around her chilled arms. Those big old aprons moped many a perspiring brow, whether bent over a hot wood stove or picking snap peas in the garden.  Her apron served as a carrier for kindling and wood ships brought into the kitchen to stoke the fire.  From the garden, it carried the fresh vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

     Come Autumn, the apron bundled the apples indoors for preparing apple butter and pies.  When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.  Toys and showed were toted to bedrooms in it as well.

     When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on to the porch and waved her apron as an alert to the menfolk to come in from the fields for her buttery biscuits.

     Times have changed. While Grandmother once set her hot baked pies in the window sill to cool, her granddaughters set theirs out to thaw. There are many cooks today that would fret over the stains and germs on Grandmother's apron...but it is doubtful that anyone caught anything form her apron but love."

I don't know where I got this, I've had it for so many years. But I thought you may enjoy it.  

Done your apron proudly, it shows there is work to be done!

Wishing you peace,

Mrs. Peterson