EllynAnne and her publisher, Andrew McMeel Publishing, have generously offered this weeks giveaway—three of her popular books, including her just released The Kitchen Linen Book, The Apron Book and Apronisms. AND, EllynAnne is even going to sign two of the books, which makes me adore her even more. For those of you who may not know her, she is the queen of all things apron-related including the fantastic traveling exhibit the Apron Chronicles: A Patchwork of American Recollections, a traveling museum exhibit. It's made up of more than 400 aprons and apron memories that EllynAnne gathered from across America.I'd say that she was one of the main forces behind the start of the huge online apron community that now includes sites like the Apronista and the Sassy Apron Swap. And in bringing back our beloved aprons—which are now being sold everywhere from Anthropologie to Target in thoroughly modern interpretations of vintage styles.
The Kitchen Linens Book is full of fantastic historical and personal information about tablecloths, dishtowels, and napkins—whether embroidered or hemstitched, linen or oilcloth. Makes me want to high tail it to a flea market to see what linens I can find to start making my own memories with!
If you are a fan of aprons or vintage linens, you need to enter this giveaway! To enter, please post a comment (making sure to fill in a user name so I know who you are!) about a memory you have that includes an apron by 11:59 pm EST Tuesday April 14. A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced here on Wednesday morning, April 15! And feel free to share any great apron resources and sites that you know of as well. Good luck!!
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What a wonderful giveaway! When I moved into my first apartment, my grandmother gave me an apron she made herself. It ends up that it was made out of fabric that my grandfather brought back with him after the Vietnam War. To think that she kept that fabric for decades, and I was the lucky recipient makes it a tremendously special gift.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, I have had my eyes on all of these books. I have the small apronism book and LOVE it. I have checked out the Apron Book from the library and had a very hard time returning it, I love it as well. And have heard great things about her newest one. What a great giveaway. I will post about it on the Secret Stitch Blog and let the whole world know...well, at least those people that read our blog.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway!
These books look very fun and riviting. I am a big fan of aprons and have made many. These EllynAnne books would be a special additon in my own personal library.
ReplyDeleteI've long been a fan of EllynAnne. Her book brought about such beautiful memories for me. I swear, much to my family's amusement, that I'm a better wife, mother and cook when I slip into one of my Grandmother Wilson's aprons. They're magical. EllynAnne "gets" that. How refreshing! I've love to have all three of these books and will be tickled for whoever wins them.
ReplyDeleteThe very first thing I learned to sew was an apron. My aunt taught me how, and it was just last month! I'm really excited to make some more. My friends have already asked me for some!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful giveaway! EllynAnne has reawakened my love for aprons. I wish I still had all of the vintage aprons that were handed down to me over the years by grandmas and great aunts!
ReplyDeleteMuch like Mrs. GB, my first serious sewing project was also an apron- crisp and white and made from vintage recycled hospital linens. It was meant to go with the rest of my Little House inspired ensemble.
ReplyDeleteThis is a super fun giveaway, Amy! We're going to be first time homeowners soon, and I'd love to be inspired by these!
My mother is keeping the handmade apron tradition alive in our family. I have several hanging in my kitchen. She has even made crafting ones for her grandkids throughout the years. I am always looking out for those vintage aprons at estate sales. These look like wonderful books!
ReplyDeleteI rarely wear aprons but one of the sweetest (literally) memories from my childhood is seing my mother in the kitchen wearing an apron and baking cookies for me and my brothers. Winning these books would be wonderful; I'm sure I would wear an apron if I made one myself! Thanks for the great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteAmy you know many of my apron memories already, one of which was regrettably not having any of my "fancy" grandmother's aprons. Over the holidays my aunt came to visit. This was when the article was "still on". As I mentioned aprons to her she told me she had one from Grandmother! I just received it a few weeks ago. It's magnificent! Even though I don't ever remember her wearing it, I love the memory behind the apron.
ReplyDeleteWhen my Mom was in 7th grade she made and apron that she still has today. So when I was in 7th grade I wanted to be just like her, so I made an apron too!
ReplyDeleteMy great-grandmother made several aprons that my Mom inherited and I hope to inherit the aprons from my Mom.
Grandmother Bennett always wore pinafore aprons with pockets so she could gather eggs from the henhouse, a few ripe tomatoes from the garden, apples from the orchard, twist the top from a home canned jar of peaches or to wipe the tears of a grandchild. She was born in the late 1800's and never traveled far from her WV homestead but chose to make a family for her family. Her aprons were "work" aprons and she wore them until they were in tatters. All I have left is one photo and the memories.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in grammar school in England my first project in 'domestic science' was to make a blue gingham apron. It is now 45 years later and my mother gave that apron to me a few weeks ago.I didn't even know she still had it. Brings back some great memories.
ReplyDeleteAprons are my vintage calm in the middle of a hectic modern life. I am a country girl living in the city. I keep a few lovely hens and grow a beautiful garden in my backyard. As I put on my frilly apron and walk out my door to gather eggs, I am at peace. I can feel the women who went before me who gathered, worked, worried, laughed and cried in an apron just like mine.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful give away, Amy! I remember my grandmother wearing an apron from morning to night. She had so many hanging from a hook in her kitchen. There is something so comforting about that image.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Aprons always make me feel at home in the kitchen. I love walking outdoors after baking bread, with my apron still on, letting all the neighbors know that I'VE been working in the kitchen! My favorite memory was wearing my apron this past Thanksgiving, carrying pie after pie into the kitchen, listening to everyone ooh and ahh over them all!
ReplyDeleteI'm simply passionate about my aprons. I wear one every day.
ReplyDeleteA really wonderful thing happened this year. My elderly aunt found my grandmother's old apron in a long buried storage box. And she sent that special gift to me. When I opened the package and unfolded her apron, a miriad of memories came back to me of my grandmother wearing that very apron. It was a priceless gift!
I would love to be included in your giveaway. Thank you so very much!
Blessings, Lea
I wear an apron every day. Sometime I forget I am wearing one and go the the post office or store. People always give me funny looks and ask if I am baking. I do love aprons. I hope I win these books!
ReplyDeleteMy first memory of an apron was cooking with my grandma when I was little. It was a german chocolate cake and she used it mostly to wipe her hands, so when she was done there was flour and frosting everywhere!
ReplyDeleteWOW! Great giveaway! I've always had a fondness for aprons and love the new popularity they are having. I would love to win this wonderful gift!
ReplyDeleteI think I just squealed when I saw this giveaway!! YAY!!
ReplyDeleteMy fondest memory of aprons was wearing my moms as a little girl while she let me help make bread, to this day I love putting in on and all the memories that are wrapped up in that one little apron.
My grandmother used to make aprons. For her, for my mom, for me... We had special aprons for cooking and special aprons for sewing. Normally they were made out of old summer dresses or my grandfather's worn out shirts. I found the green apron she made for me in my last trip to Spain. Now, it seemed smaller, but somehow, even bigger in love. I sewed my first apron, in my favorite colors, as a way to tell her how much she meant to me. That apron, has traveled back to America, close to me, close to my heart.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother was in her 90's when she passed away. She always had on simple aprons, checked, floral with pockets to hold a handkerchief and other things. I would love to have her aprons and handkerchiefs~but they are long gone to who knows where. I would love to receive these books! What a treat!Thanks Charlotte
ReplyDeleteCharcoll_98
What a cute giveaway! A memory that always makes me laugh is when I think about when I first started wearing aprons. I was 16 and just started working at a local restaurant, and I went to tie the apron in the back, and my fingers just fumbled all over one another and I couldn't for the life of me, tie a bow without looking at it. So, I just brought the ties to the front and tied it there. But I definitely spent a good five minutes my first day trying to figure out how to tie the back. I've since mastered it.
ReplyDeleteI could travel America for the rest of my days and always, there would be another storyteller with an apron recollection to share...such is the joy of my apron journey.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amy, for hostessing this giveaway.
xxea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!
I would love to learn to make my own aprons and start my sewing career. I know these books will lead me in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful aprons......... The first thing I ever sewed was skirt and a vest....
ReplyDeleteThanks for this giveaway. I'm excited to learn more about these books.
ReplyDeleteOn Sundays after church, my Mom, still in her dress, grabbed a red and white apron that covered her whole front, and had frills on the shoulders. I can still envision her in that apron with an oven mit bringing roast to the table.
When I was growing up, my dad's whole side of the family would go to my grandmother's house for lunch on Sunday after church. There used to be so many of us, and my grandmother every week made the whole meal, plus dessert. I can still remember the floral-patterned apron she always wore as she put on the finishing touches as we arrived!
ReplyDeleteI would love to win these books! Thanks for the giveaway.
sarahbcrawford(at)gmail(dot)com
I remember wearing it and looking so professional and keeping her pretty dresses clean
ReplyDeleteI remember my mother always wearing an apron when she cooked, especially at this time of year making Babka bread. I love linens. Thanks for the give-away.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte
I remember wearing an adorable, sweetheart shaped, red and white checkered apron when I was younger. My mother still has it and whenever I see it it always brings back memories of hiding under the kitchen table with the leftover cake batter bowls!
ReplyDeletecaitlin
caitlinhyla@gmail.com
I don't really remember my mom or grandmothers wearing an apron. I don't think I paid much attention. But I pay attention now! I love wearing and making aprons. My favorite apron memory is probably when I completed my first apron a couple of years ago. It was really bad. I've sewn lots more since then and thank goodness they've gotten much better. I love these books! Great giveaway!
ReplyDeletechristiemcmillan@hotmail.com
When I was a kid, my mom would put on her apron, and my sister and I (oh, 6 and 4? 8 and 6? somewhere around there, we did this for years) would put on one of her grown up aprons, with the waist folded over so that it tied at our waists not our knees. Then we would bake Christmas shortbread or birthday banana cake together.
ReplyDeleteMy Granny Boo always wore an apron when she was in the kitchen. I remember once she took it off and used it to shoo Grandpa Sam out of her way. He was always trying to sneak a taste before the food was ready.
ReplyDeleteLiving on a farm with my husband and five boys, I don my apron like a suit of armour as I wage war on everyday chores. My apron offers me the protection I need, yet it is pretty enough to make me feel special and soft enough to wipe away dirt and tears from little faces.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 9 I received a Holly Hobbie apron kit for Christmas. I learned more advanced embroidery on it than on the couple of samplers Mom had had me do. I was so proud of it that I wore it a lot. Later, I used it as a dresser scarf. During a move it somehow got lost.
ReplyDeletewhenever i was a little and staying over at my grandparents house, my grandma would constantly be in the kitchen baking while wearing her favorite, yet very worn apron.
ReplyDeletesundaygirl at gmail dot com
When my grandmother became ill with cancer she made me an apron with my name on it. Now years later I still have that apron.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
kimspam66(at) yahoo(dot)com
I have a few of my grandmother's aprons which are a bit delicate. Trying to put an age on them is difficult, since she would be over 120 year old now. I hope she would be proud that I create and sew aprons!
ReplyDelete