APRON HOOKS

[Stanley]

APRON HOOKS

Many years ago I happened to go into John Elmer’s shop when he was clearing out some old stock. I bought a box of apron hooks off him. These were brass hooked pins about three inches long and the heads were in the shape of playing card suites; diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades. They were pieced at two old pence each and must have been on the shelf for many years. I have never seen these anywhere else but am sure that they must have been common at one time.

Over the years I have given them all away, one of them to a lady I know who now lives in St Louis. She mailed me asking a question about the hook and how they were used to make a fent into a brat and I replied to her. It struck me that this is a fairly esoteric bit of knowledge and might interest OGFB members. I’ve asked her to do me a pic of her hook for the archive. I’ll post it as soon as I get it. Here’s the reply I sent:

‘If you don't ask questions you never find anything out....  How do you think I got to know so much?
 
A fent was no particular size and the weaver would sort through what was available until she or he found one the right size.  This was scrap cloth so there was no particular care taken over how they were folded etc.  As long as it was long enough to reach round the waist and give enough overlap to cover you that was all that was needed.  Most looms in Barlick were weaving 36" 0r 40" cloth so the selvedge was used at the waist and the hem and if any adjustment in depth was needed it was simply folded over at the top.  Many brats were just fastened with a safety pin and I can see where the word 'pinafore' came from.  It was a piece of cloth that was pinned afore or in front.  This makes sense when you think that if the overlap was at the front it made it easier to take a full stride.  I've also seen brats fastened by making a hole in the appropriate places and threading a piece of tackler's band (strong string) through and using this to fasten the brat.

SCG/19 February 2005