Aprons can be seen everywhere, from upscale catalogues to trendy stores. What's more, today's versions are so incredibly cute, they're no longer relegated to kitchen wear.

Little David Earl always knows what day of the week it is. He can tell by the clean, snappy-fresh apron Ma Dear is wearing -- a different color for every day. Monday means washing, with Ma Dear scrubbing at her tub in a blue apron. Tuesday is ironing, in a sunshine yellow apron that brightens Ma's spirits. And so it goes until Sunday, when Ma Dear doesn't have to wear an apron and they can set aside some special no-work time, just for themselves. In their first collaboration, Newbery Honor author Patricia McKissack and award-winninng illustrator Floyd Cooper lovingly recreate a slice of turn-of-the-century Southern life as it was for a single African-American mother and her son.

Aprons are back! After more than 30 years in the attic, aprons are making a splashy comeback in a happy convergence of nostalgia, pop culture, and contemporary fashion. Vintage aprons and modern designs are turning up in movies, magazine spreads, upscale shops, and hip retail venues like Anthropologie, whose trendy line of aprons is selling as fast as they can stock them. The Apron Book is an infectiously enthusiastic guide to aprons, old and new, that are suddenly everywhere. Aprons take us back to our favorite place-hearth and home. Vintage aprons help us remember home and family the way they used to be, while bright and sassy contemporary aprons confirm that nesting is all the rage. Actress and trendsetter Julia Roberts has a closetful of vintage aprons. Celebrity custom-made apron auctions have become an annual event for several popular charities in the past few years. The Apron Book provides full-color photos of new and vintage aprons from the author's collection, patterns for four basic apron styles and myriad variations, recipes, tips on collecting and preserving vintage aprons, and heart-tugging stories from the author's traveling apron exhibit. The book also explores the heyday of aprons and looks at the various roles aprons still play when worn in the kitchen, around the house, by the backyard grill, on the job, and for special occasions. Warm and inviting-but like an apron quite practical!-this book is a celebration of a great American icon and reminds us of what we loved about the people who wore them.

When an eight-year-old boy helps his uncle at his job as a plasterer, he takes a fancy to his workman's apron with a pocket. As a result of his fascination, his aunt makes him an apron of his own and he spends a few days as his Uncle Adam's assistant. The text is brief and simple but clearly conveys the warmth between the man and his nephew and the child's satisfaction in a job well done. The line/tissue paper illustrations are colorful and somewhat geometric, reminiscent of French Cubist Leger's work featuring laborers. - SLJ

“Hot sex, looking good, scoring journalistic triumphs . . . nothing made Alyssa love herself enough until she learned to cook. There's a racy plot and a surprising moral in this intimate and delicious book.” --Gael Greene, creator of Insatiable-Critic.com and author of Insatiable: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess Apron Anxiety is the hilarious and heartfelt memoir of quintessential city girl Alyssa Shelasky and her crazy, complicated love affair with...the kitchen. Three months into a relationship with her TV-chef crush, celebrity journalist Alyssa Shelasky left her highly social life in New York City to live with him in D.C. But what followed was no fairy tale: Chef hours are tough on a relationship. Surrounded by foodies yet unable to make a cup of tea, she was displaced and discouraged. Motivated at first by self-preservation rather than culinary passion, Shelasky embarked on a journey to master the kitchen, and she created the blog Apron Anxiety (ApronAnxiety.com) to share her stories. This is a memoir (with recipes) about learning to cook, the ups and downs of love, and entering the world of food full throttle. Readers will delight in her infectious voice as she dishes on everything from the sexy chef scene to the unexpected inner calm of tying on an apron.

Here are 35 fantastically fabulous aprons to make for every occasion. With pretty projects for work and play, why not maintain an air of classic composure with the Chanel-inspired Rue Cambron apron, the epitome of chic Parisian style, or put on the Spring Fever pinny and keep those green fingers busy with a spot of gardening? Remember the classic gingham aprons mother used to wear? Or the traditional blue-and-white striped aprons you saw in the grocer’s store? Well, those are all here plus many more stunning pieces, ranging from the traditional to the trendy. With aprons this gorgeous you will soon be trying to find excuses not to have to take them off! There are fun designs for both adults and children and in no time at all you will be stitching the prettiest and simplest design for daytime, or sewing a gorgeous piece to glam up an evening spent entertaining—after all, an apron is the most practical and versatile of garments. Each apron comes complete with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, plus fold-out patterns where necessary, and the beautiful illustrations ensure you won’t miss a stitch, even if you are a first time crafter. All the key techniques needed to sew are explained in a way that is simple to understand, including bias binding, slipstitches, using templates, fastening, and more.

For decades, smart stylish women have worn different aprons to suit their various needs. They are a must-have in the kitchen and elsewhere. This book brings new life to vintage styled aprons that women of today will find irresistible.

"This material originally appeared as part of A is for apron..."-- P. [1].

Recognized as one of the most influential pastors in the country, John Ed Mathison along with Willie Spears challenge readers with one simple question: Bib or Apron? The same way we choose paper or plastic at the grocery store, we make a daily choice to serve or be served. We chose to wear a bib or apron. Those who wear a bib are asking others to serve them like a baby. Those who wear an apron are seeking out someone to serve.

The Apron Book showcases full-color photos of new and vintage aprons from Geisel's vast collection, patterns for four basic apron styles and myriad variations, recipes, tips on collecting and preserving vintage aprons, and heart-tugging stories from the traveling apron exhibit. The book also explores the history and heyday of aprons and looks at the various roles aprons still play when worn in the kitchen, around the house, by the backyard grill, on the job, or for a special occasion.