Aprons, Aprons, Aprons!

My mother ALWAYS had an apron on.  She was known to leave the kitchen to answer the phone, then return to the kitchen and put another apron on over the one she was already wearing.  Hers was an apron-wearing family, not glamour aprons, but practical ones.

Aprons make for an interesting study in culture, women's history, the domestic arts, needlework.  Not to mention being a good idea for when you are dealing with large quantities of splashy spaghetti sauce.

There's a bit of an apron revival going on among needleworkers, antique lovers, and fans of things retro.  Accordingly, websites have sprung up around this special interest.  Museums have mounted exhibits, showing both real aprons and also the lofty idea of Apron as Metaphor.

Here's a site called Tie One On which showcases apron patterns and lore.  Links to sites of other apron lovers are included, as are notes on apron-related books.  Patterns from the Past offers vintage patterns for aprons.