It's a cover-up!

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Original screenprint by Francis Phoenix

I grew up with a mother who taught me about knitting, crocheting and wearing aprons. In the last few years I’ve done a small amount of knitting but no crochet and no aprons. Today, however, I wore my mother’s old suede suit and there’s nothing like a suede suit to make you think of wearing an apron in the kitchen. It made me realise how slack I’d become about clothes. Instead of protecting my clothes while cooking I’ve just thrown them into the wash if they got dirty – my rationale: something’s going to get dirty and need washing – your clothes or your apron so why bother?

I think, though, that you can let an apron be a little dirtier than your clothes and they’re also usually a lighter fabric which makes them easier to wash and to dry … especially if you’re wearing suede, or wool or some other heavier material. The less washing, the less water wasted and

the less carbon emitted … and the clothes last longer!

My mother had the most extraordinary aprons that she’d embroidered herself and she put much more care into her clothes than I’ve ever done … these aprons however now feel more precious to me than any clothes I have:

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On the political front today I met with two of the Blackheath Climate Action Now members – it was such a hard thing to do … we sat outside at Cafe Memento drinking coffee, lapping up the sun and talking about making contact with other climate action groups around the mountains. It’s always inspiring to get together with the other people in our group. Catherine gave me a book that had been really important to her a while ago and I’m looking forward to reading it: “Soul of a Citizen – Living With Conviction In A Cynical Time” by Paul Rogat Loeb

“A book that should be placed in the hands of every cynic who sees societal problems and then retreats to their private sanctuary, shrugs and says ‘there’s nothing we can do.’ A powerful prescription for the cure of the insidious disease of cynicism.”

Back at home later I continued with my food sorting and cooking up of things that had been in the cupboard for too long (and wore an apron!). When the boys were very little they loved sultanas. I bought large packets of them and then suddenly they stopped eating sultanas. Today I decided to deal with the sultana glut and made an orange and sultana cake. (I cheated a little here and went out to buy some butter). I also found a bag of sunflower seeds, perilously close to ‘use by’ date. Fortunately I also had a beautiful block of couverture chocolate so I experimented and made sunflower seed chocolate … such a hit that the boys thought it was the best chocolate they’d ever eaten!

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For dinner I made an “Interesting Meal” using lentils in the cupboard, tomatoes, silverbeet, chilli and broccoli out of the garden and a range of unnamed spices that have been there such a long time I can no longer read their labels … the general direction I was attempting to head in was Indian Curry and I think it came fairly close.

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8 thoughts on “It's a cover-up!

  1. Brigitte G.

    Hi Lis,
    I think the apron (although considered old fashion thing) should be back into fashion ? i think i’ll make myself one i/l/o yes, dirtying my good clothes and throw them in the washers !
    Brigitte

  2. Heidrun Baar

    Hi Lis,
    Egg Yolk is a very good hairconditioner, you leave it on for ca.10-20 minutes,a glass of beer is also very good to rinse your hair with.
    The French have been conducting tests on plankton at Spitzberg near the Polar Caps and have discovered that Sea Plankton is changing its composition. It’s not as rich and fat as it used to be, ressembling more the Atlantic Plankton which is less rich.
    Cheers
    Heidrun

  3. Nada

    Aprons are indeed making a resurgence….check out apronistas (google them….link somewhere ????). They have some cool apron links.

  4. Frances

    I must be old fashioned because I still wear an apron when I am cooking. I was amused to see your photographs as I have an apron almost identical to your second image embroidered by my Oma.

  5. Tina

    Hi Lis,

    I have always used aprons. Generally not as beautiful as yours but still servicable. Have only just been informed of your site and am already spending too much time reading all the great stuff. Am I adding to global warming with the computer on too long ???????

    I have always been a re-user. Sheets are cut/sewn sides to middle when they get worn and then later become pillowcases, then soft hankies or rags. Jumpers are undone and the wool reused for other projects.

  6. Barbara

    Well Lis, I am making aprons now as well as teapot cosies. This is the first time I have ever written a comment on a “blog” – there is a first time for everything hope I have pressed the right buttons.
    Barbara a.

  7. Lis

    Yeah Barbara …. I think a lot of us are blogging for the first time and discovering how addictive it is … can’t wait to get some photos of your aprons up on the blog

Comments are closed.