Far from having a checkered past, gingham aprons were popular kitchen fashions in the mid-twentieth century. This charming volume of over 300 full color photographs is devoted to beautiful, meticulously handcrafted garments in a myriad of designs: unpretentious, complicated, serious, and whimsical. Lively geometric patterns, stars and flowers, kittens and butterflies, trees and acorns, prayers and blessings are all presented in the cross stitch section alone. Another section is devoted to rickrack decoration, including regular rickrack, miniature and jumbo rickrack, as well as rickrack-cross stitch combinations. Yet another section is filled with techniques that include aprons with pulled thread patterns, smocking, Teneriffe Lace, and stairstep borders. This lavish volume includes engaging, informative captions with values and is a must for all textile designers and collectors of vintage household linens.[AuthorName]By Judy Florence[/AuthorName][AuthorBio]Judy Florence is a textiles conservator who has worked with fabrics for most of her life. Many of her original quilt designs have been published and her quilts have garnered numerous awards. Currently gathering and studying various household linens, she has previously authored Aprons of the Mid-20th Century: To Serve and Protect. She resides in Eau Claire, Wisconsin with her family.[/AuthorBio][NumIllustration]377 color photos[/NumIllustration][CoAuthor][/CoAuthor][SubTitle]A Checkered Past[/SubTitle][ColorPattern]377 color photos[/ColorPattern]