I miss my clothesline. There used to be one stretched out in my backyard, and I used it on a regular basis. I thought I was upgrading when I finally bought an electric dryer. I’m wondering now whether I was a bit too hasty. Today, would we call a clothesline a solar-powered clothes dryer?
One of my favorite memories is seeing all of my grandmother’s aprons drying on her clothesline when I was a child. They were colorful banners blowing in the breeze, and if I put my nose to them, they smelled like summer, sun and wonderful meals past.
An apron is another of those items from our past that isn’t being used to its full potential today. My grandmother, May Meyers, put on her apron as she dressed every day. The only times I ever saw her without an apron was at church, weddings and funerals.
My “Grandmay” Meyers had many everyday aprons. Made from colorful feed sacks and leftover scraps of material, she said that they were “serviceable.” Yes, they were patched, faded and stained but still good enough to wear for everyday cooking and cleaning. Then there were her “good” aprons; the ones she grabbed and put on if there was an unexpected knock at the door.
Grandmay’s good aprons were made from finer cloth, and most had some trims or decorations applied. One was made from a see-through organza material that was trimmed around edges with tiny ruffles. I thought it was quite beautiful, and she would let me wear it sometimes when I was “helping” her cook. Grandmay could snatch off her everyday apron and have on that good apron in seconds! It was an art.
My friend Julia Helvey, who’s also a Tribune columnist, had a showing of her collection of aprons this spring. Like me, her fascination with aprons started with her grandmother’s aprons. She has collected these beautiful, utilitarian pieces of our past for many years. Some are ones that she and her sister made.
Julia sent me photos of several of them. She told me that some of the fancy ones were worn by hostesses at weddings and wedding showers. They were coordinated with the bride’s dress and chosen colors. She has 4-H project aprons, bib-style aprons that covered the bodice, patchwork creations, and simple feed sack models. There are humorous ones that resemble a tuxedo or man’s vest and tie. There are even aprons that were made from cleverly folded dinner napkins. I can imagine a clever hostess coordinating her tablecloth, napkins and apron.
The aprons that are still my favorites are the ones that were worn for everyday tasks, the ones that were snatched off and hidden when the neighbor or pastor popped in.
Oh, to have that stained and faded apron of Grandmay’s. I would display it as proudly as any of my other family treasures. But my memories will have to suffice.
Nancy Russell is co-owner of Friends Together Antiques at 4038 E. Broadway in Columbia. If you have an item for “What is It?” or something about which you would like information, please send a photo and brief description to [email protected] or to Antiques, Columbia Daily Tribune, P.O. Box 798, Columbia, Mo., 65205.