By MARY TOBIA

tneditor@tnonline.comI recently read in a popular magazine that a trend is developing among younger woman. They are rediscovering their homemaker genes and learning to sew, cook, can and garden. Along with this "let's get back to basics" revival comes the rekindling of the kitchen apron.Growing up in the late 50s and early 60s some of my best memories are of my grandmother, my mom and my aunts in their aprons.Aprons back then were functional and basic.Aprons were easier to wash than dresses and they served the purpose of protecting their clothing while the flour was measured for the homemade bread and pies or caught the spattering of grease from the frying chicken. The aprons were always handy to wipe up small spills or dry their hands after washing dishes.My fondest memories are of my grandmother. She had her everyday bib aprons which covered her from her neck down to her knees. It had a neck strap, full front and two ribbons near the waistline that would tie behind her back. Two large pockets were sewed into the front. They were usually in shades of her favorite color yellow. She always had a freshly laundered white hankie in one of the pockets.But for Sundays or holidays she would wear her "fancy" aprons. Those she made and were more than likely decorated with colorful rickrack or embroidered with her own design.My grandmother's apron came in very useful outside of the kitchen also. She would put her clothespins in the pockets when she hung clothes out on the line. The apron was used when it came time to pick eggs. It was handy when she was in the garden to pick all sorts of her fresh vegetables. It was always there to wipe the sweat from her brow as she worked, inside or out.As I think back to those days with my grandmother, I visualize her warm and welcoming kitchen all over again. I can almost smell the homemade yeast rolls that would be baking in her oven along with the apple pies cooling on the windowsill in the kitchen. My husband remembers his grandmother with her apron on and the wonderful smell of homemade Italian tomato sauce simmering on her stove. Oh to go back and rejoice in those days again!A fact: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the windowsill to cool while today her granddaughters set theirs on the windowsill to thaw.The aprons of today are now stylish, alluring, cheerful and bright. Some even have an extra side top pocket for your cell phone.They are still there to serve the same purpose. Lots of working mothers get home from the office and don't have time to change before making supper so they grab an apron to protect their clothing.Aprons in the kitchen are a good idea to prevent contaminates from our clothes to reach the food that we are cooking.They can be worn just to make household chores more interesting.Now a days it is chic and trendy to wear an apron so go out and find the apron that fits your personality.Just remember this old wives tale that is still told today, "If your apron strings become loose accidentally, your true love is thinking about you."