Have I ever mentioned that the best part of my job is book selection? I love to peruse the catalogs and find the "perfect" books for you, our library patrons. I recently ordered a book that turned out to be a true delight. It is The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort by EllynAnne Geisel. This little gem of a book was a finalist for the 2007 Colorado Book of the Year.
The Apron Book celebrates the humble, but lovely apron. Jacki Lyden of National Public Radio's Weekend All Thing Considered, says "The Apron Book unfolds like a bolt of fabric . . . the pattern of a life remembered through a homely object." It overflows with full-color photos of new and vintage aprons and also has down home advice, recipes, collecting tips, and information on how to preserve your vintage apron.
I'm afraid this book may have created a "monster". I've been bitten by the apron collecting bug. My husband and I recently attended a flea market and stumbled on a booth selling vintage aprons. One immediately caught my attention. I am now the owner of a colorful vintage apron in the shape of an ear of corn! When I proudly display my find to visitors, the inevitable response is, "That's the corniest apron I've ever seen!" So, beware, if you check out this book, you too may catch the bug!
Another new book is the Garage Sale & Flea Market Annual. This book details what are "hot" collector items. It also includes a wide variety of categories of collectible items with background and pricing information. For example, in the area of vintage aprons, it states that hand-sewn aprons are more desirable than machine made. However, if the apron was made commercially and still retains the tag from the original maker, this doubles the value. They also suggest laying the apron across a chair to give the impression the wearer is only temporarily absent. If you frequent garage sales or flea markets this book is a good resource.
Forgotten Household Crafts by John Seymour is another new book full of nostalgia. Seymour advocates self-sufficiency, voluntary simplicity, and the traditional arts. If you long for "the good old days", then you will find this an interesting introduction to long forgotten household skills accompanied by detailed drawings. A whole section is devoted to kitchen crafts. Do you know how to cook on an open hearth or a wood burning range? How about preserving and chilling your food in the "good old days?" And then there is the whole topic of how to do your laundry. Do you know how to make lye soap and then use a dolly and dolly tub to wash your clothes? This is just a sampling of the many reminders of long forgotten skills.
And while I am on the topic of long forgotten skills, I want to mention two hobbies that are now almost forgotten arts. These are tatting and paper quilling. Tatting is actually the art of knotted lace and it became popular in Europe in the 17th century as a decorative art. The library has several books on this topic. One of the best is A New Twist on Tatting by Catherine Austin which gives general instructions to get you started and over one hundred patterns for practice. Paper quilling, also known as paper filigree, is the art of rolling, shaping, and fringing small strips of paper to create decorative pieces. This craft also dates back to 17th century Europe and today it would be a perfect compliment to scrapbook projects. Alli Bartkowski's Paper Quilling for the First Time provides an introduction to this, another almost forgotten art.
This column has been devoted to times past, but I have just opened my newspaper and find my mind has now been pulled back to the present. Honda has just announced they will take job applications starting Sunday, August 29 through Sunday September 9. Applications must be filed online at www.Indiana.Honda.com. If you do not have a computer, remember that the Greensburg Public Library provides free computer use in our computer lab.
We hope you will visit the Greensburg Public Library soon. Whether you want to revisit the "good old days" or get on the Honda train, the Library is the place to start. Hope to see you soon at the Library!