The Kitchen Linens Book: Using, Sharing, and Cherishing the Fabrics of Our Daily Lives (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: kitchen linens, Miss Fanny, Aunt Skeeter, South Carolina

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Gather 'round! The endearing follow-up to The Apron Book is now served. EllynAnne Geisel graces us with her new treasure, The Kitchen Linens Book. It's a lovely treat.

Family kitchens are where our days begin and end. And one constant is threaded among the people, the stories, and the moments: America's kitchen linens. If only these prized pieces could talk.

The Kitchen Linens Book invites women of all ages to visit with the past. In this book, Geisel gives us an up-close look at tablecloths, dishtowels, and napkins with details and histories as fine as the stories themselves. Embroidered or hemstitched, linens or oilcloths--these are the fabrics and the memories of our mothers and grandmothers. And each one has an endearing story and a vivid history.

*The book features over 20 projects and 8 recipes.

* The book includes a classic Butterick transfer pattern for a vintage kitchen towel motif, circa 1945.

* Rich photography highlighting every detail accompanies stories passed from generation to generation.

* EllynAnne's passion for finding and saving linens from flea markets, estate sales, and antique stores will inspire you to dig through your own closets and cupboards.

Visit: apronmemories.com

About the Author

EllynAnne Geisel, who lives at Pueblo, CO, is the author of The Apron Book and the creator of Apron Chronicles, the traveling exhibit. Her apron designs have appeared in Vogue and have been worn by Bree in Desperate Housewives. She's been a guest on both NPR's All Things Considered and CBS News' Sunday Morning. She continues to make nationwide appearances to promote her books and exhibit.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (March 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0740777637
• ISBN-13: 978-0740777639
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #216,998 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #25 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Subjects > Children

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Brilliant Book From EllynAnne, March 23, 2009

By	Lesli Peterson (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

The Kitchen Linens Book is a tribute to the past - to the women who made, used and loved their linens. EllynAnne encourages her readers to embrace the memories these linens hold, appreciate their handiwork, and "go green by going vintage." This is a beautiful book, worthy of sitting on anyone's coffee table. Don't, however, gloss over the stories in light of the stunning photography - they are a must read.

Being from the South myself, I have to tip my bonnet to EllynAnn. I felt like I was sitting in her kitchen and listening to her tell stories of her family (and others). The writing is so warm and friendly, you almost forget you are reading a book and not in her company. Additionally, I love the stories written by other women that she has woven throughout the pages. There are also tips, tricks, recipes and craft suggestion. But the heart and soul of this book, in my opinion, are the testimonies she gives about her tablecloths, napkins, dishtowels, aprons and more. Every word she writes drips with her love and admiration of the times in which the linens were made, the hard work that went into making them, and the lives their previous owners led.

To be fair, there was a disappointment. There were suggestions and ideas that she mention (like layering her linens) that sound amazing, but I could not picture how to do it (and I desperately want to know so I can recreate it) but there were no images of how this was done. It seems, considering how many lovely pictures this book contains, that there would be more pictures of the ideas she discusses.

Nevertheless, I adore this book. I am encouraged to pick up a little embroidery of my own. Maybe, a few generations from now, some woman will use my tea towel and honor my life the way EllynAnne has done for generations past.

This book is delightful and a must-have for your book collection.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweetly nostalgic trip through your Granny's cupboards, April 10, 2009

By	Helen (Scotland) - See all my reviews

LibraryThing Book Review - The Kitchen Linens Book by EllynAnne Geisel
Note to readers: This book was received as part of the Early Reviewer's Group on LibraryThing. My thanks to LT and the publishers for a copy of the book. This review can also be found on LT.

This book is a celebration of the everyday textiles which are taken for granted, used, abused and often thrown out. Interspersed with memories from a range of people, a few recipes and ideas for using vintage linens, this is a sweetly nostalgic trip through the author's collection, and by extension, lifestyle. If you find the thought of entertaining friends with afternoon tea, dished up on a table dressed with hand-embroidered tablecloths and linen napkins, whilst wearing a 1950's apron completely alien, this is not the book for you. However, if you are interested in a celebration of an area of handwork that is often overlooked then this may well be of interest. This is not a serious text on textile history or sociology however.

The author gives a range of ideas for making use of vintage linens of all kinds, and many memories are shared of these pieces being used and loved over generations. One minor quibble - the author describes Scottish Terriers as being an English-bred dog. I think an entire nation of Scots may be offended by that one!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a lovely book!, February 27, 2009

By	NotQuiteJuneCleaver "Susan" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

Thank you Ellynanne for another beautiful treasure in book form. You made me more aware of the value of these vintage linens and how timely! I just found some embroidered linens in my mother's things. After she passed away in Oct '08, I have been slow in going thru her things. I decided to do one box at a time and I found these lovely linens (table scarves - why dont we use these any more??) starched and folded just so.

I thank you again for a lovely book!