Yarnist

Apron Day

 It’s National Apron Day, May 14, 2007.
Randi at I Have To Say has a cute Apron Day post and here’s my entry. I made this apron myself from a free online pattern (Martha Stewart). I had just enough of this “Fruits of the Harvest” material to make it work. I made it because I needed protection for my clothes when I cooked and I also needed pockets, big pockets, for when I cleaned and picked up various toys or to hold the window cleaner, duster, cleaning rags, etc. My Mom always wore an apron, she had several to choose from, and I really need another apron (maybe two), that’s shaped a little better. The strap that goes over my head is a little long on this one, so I need to figure a better measurement for my next apron, and a more subtle print on my material, ha,ha! I have enjoyed wearing an apron and it’s a good helper when doing my household chores. I also found a good article about aprons from a lady who wrote in to the LAF website:

Aprons have been a part of our culture for hundreds of years. If you take a look back in history, you will see that aprons were used for many practical purposes and were worn by both men and woman. They were worn by blacksmiths, farmers, shopkeepers, and millers and used in daily chores like gathering eggs, working in the garden, cooking and cleaning. The main function of the apron was to protect the clothing and keep trade tools handy. Whatever you were doing on the farm or in your profession, the apron extended the number of days that an outfit could be worn before washing and extended the life of the clothing underneath. Most aprons were long and made of durable fabrics; some were even made of wool to protect women from burning when cooking over an open hearth.As the years progressed, apron styles began to change to meet the needs of the wearer. With the end of World War II came a boom of home entertainment and dinner parties. It was the ?Leave it to Beaver? era, and moms were in the kitchen. Homemade pies and breads awaited hungry children almost every afternoon, and mom enjoyed her daily task of home management. The apron then took on a new look. It was no longer worn for just practical purposes; it was now worn for style. Aprons were soon known as the symbol of the homemaker, and every mother and hostess had one, if not several. There were hundreds of styles and colors, and most moms had fancy, decorative aprons to match outfits for special occasions. Then, almost overnight, the apron was gone. Not quite without a trace, but gone as far as the fashion industry was concerned.I have heard the apron called an icon of the past, so where did it go? With the dawn of the women?s liberation movement, more and more jobs became available to women, and women slowly began to leave their homes. There was no longer a need for feminine fashion statements that had such close ties to the home and hearth. There was no time to bake or entertain–no time at home to do many of the things women once enjoyed doing. Many of the homemaking skills like cooking, baking, sewing, and even cleaning were looked upon as drudgery. We hired maids, cooks, and childcare professionals to do our jobs for us, and the skills of the home manager were all but lost. Our young maidens no longer had moms at home to teach them how to be homemakers, so they, in turn, went off to work, too. You could say, ?We?ve come a long way baby?, but I think we have been traveling in the wrong direction.However, I do not despair, for I see a change in the tides. There is hope on the horizon, because the apron is back! I know the apron by itself cannot help women reclaim their home and once again embrace motherhood. But, statistics show that sales of aprons are on the increase. If more women are buying aprons, that means more women are once again embracing God?s design and returning to the home–returning to raise their children, cook the meals, clean the house, be helpers to their husbands and managers of their homes, therefore having a need for functional, feminine aprons.

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