Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article

October 24, 1993
By Helen F. Mitchell
Vigo County Historical Society

“Won’t you tie me to your apron strings again” is a refrain from a song of yesterday. Today’s child might have a difficult time with this as most modern mothers don’t wear aprons.

Not long ago I asked a group of women of various ages to bring an apron to a meeting to add interest to a slide program about aprons. Immediately the cry arose from the younger women, “But we don’t have any aprons.” Some of the older women said they had aprons but they were tucked away in a chest somewhere.

The dictionary defines an apron as a garment worn on the front of the body to protect the garment underneath. This protection was very important to the pioneer woman as she may have had only one good dress.

The demise of the apron is due to several things. Improved methods of cooking, cleaning and laundry all have added to its disappearance. Today, aprons still are used in industries and laboratories, but in the home they have become more of a fashion accessory to be worn on special occasions.

The aprons selected from the collection at the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley are typical of ones made and worn in the Midwest. Checked gingham was one of the favorite materials as it lent itself to embroidery and other forms of decoration.

In this collection, the apron of olive-green check has a self-ruffle and an interesting little pocket. The white organdy apron definitely is for “dress up.” It has lots of lace and tucks. The long bands on the front pass through loops and then widen to a five inch sash that could be tied into an impressive bow in the back. The third apron makes good use of unbleached muslin, bias tape and fancy feather-stitch embroidery.

There are as many different kinds of aprons as there are creative minds and nimble fingers to make them.

Aprons were used to carry eggs from the henhouse and fruits and vegetables from the garden. They had pockets that could hold knives, scissors, string, a handkerchief and, perhaps, a kitten or a baby chick. They were used to shoo flies, wipe hands, pick up hot things and wipe dirt and tears from little faces. The large aprons made a wonderful place for little people to hide behind when a stranger came to the door.

Aprons were a very popular gift and the first project for a beginning seamstress. After all, Adam and Eve made the first aprons by sewing fig leaves together in the Garden of Eden.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

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