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Cost
$ $ $ $ $
Difficulty
• • • • •
Time
3h00

an adorable and versatile apron
This apron is a little bit girlie with the gathers but still functional. You could wear it in the kitchen or while you're crafting. You could modify this pattern by making the corners rounded (if you do that, make sure you cut the binding on the bias; if you don't know what bias means, then you should stick with the square apron). It's easy to personalize this too.

NOTE: You can click on any of the photos to make them larger to see the needed detail for this tutorial.

Posted by athenamat from New York, New York, United States • Published See athenamat's 19 projects »
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  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 1
    Step 1

    Prepare your fabric -- press and cut the following

    You may use all the same fabric or contrasting fabric like I did for a cute patchwork effect.

    1 piece: 10" x 25" for the apron body (mine is the pink/green polka dot)

    I piece: 6" x 25" for the apron pocket (mine is the green dot)

    I piece: 14" x 3" for the waistband (mine is the pink floral)

    2 pieces that are 18" x 3" for the ties (mine is the pink floral; it should be the same fabric as the waistband)

    a total of 72" of 2" wide fabric for the binding (mine is the dark green) -- if you want to use store-bought binding instead, use the 1/2" double fold bias tape. You will need to sew the strips together to get 72".

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 2
    Step 2

    The next few steps are how to prepare and use the binding. If you use purchased binding, skip to step 5.

    First, press the strip in half length-wise so that it's 1" wide.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 3
    Step 3

    Unfold the strip and press each of the ends into the center (one at a time). You use the line that you pressed into the fabric in the previous step to know how far to fold the ends in.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 4
    Step 4

    Re-fold the fabric in half length-wise along the line that you previously pressed. Press again for good measure and to ensure that the fold line is bold.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 5
    Step 5

    Unfold one edge of the binding tape so that the raw edge lines up with the raw edge of the top of the pocket (the long side of the pocket is the top). You should be pinning the binding to the right side of the pocket.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 6
    Step 6

    Sew the binding to the pocket piece with the stitches nearly in the fold line. Click on the small image to see the large version if you don't understand what I mean.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 7
    Step 7

    Fold the binding around the back and pin in place. The raw edge should still be folded under so that the clean edge is showing on the back. Cut the binding when you reach the other edge of the pocket (you'll use the rest later).

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 8
    Step 8

    Sew the binding to the back side of the apron with a 1/8" seam from the binding edge.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 9
    Step 9

    If you want to add any decorative touches to the pocket do so now. I made mushroom applique by using fusible web to iron the pieces to the apron pocket. I really should have applique stitched around them at this point also. Instead, I want to use puffy paint to ensure that the mushrooms don't peel off. If you want to sew on patches or anything else, now is the time to do it.

  • Step 10

    Pin the pocket to the apron piece. Both of the right sides should be facing up.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 11
    Step 11

    Repeat steps 5-8 to sew binding around the edge of the apron.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 12
    Step 12

    Divide the apron into thirds (mark this point, you'll need it now and in the next step). Sew the pocket to the apron along those lines to make the giant pocket into three smaller pockets. Be sure to backstitch where the pocket joins the apron as this will have the most stress on the stitches.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 13
    Step 13

    Gather the top edge of the apron on the outer two-thirds of the apron (leaving the center flat). To gather, set your sewing machine on the longest stitch you have. Make sure you leave a long tail at the beginning and sew along the edge with an 1/8" seam. Leave a long tail at the end too. The fabric will gather itself because of the long stitches. You shouldn't have to pull too much except to even out the gathering so that it looks pretty.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 14
    Step 14

    Sew the tie pieces to the waist piece. Press the seams.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 15
    Step 15

    Press the tie pieces in half length-wise, right sides together. Don't press the waist section in the center.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 16
    Step 16

    Sew the ties into tubes with a 1/4" seam. Again, don't sew anything on the center waist section.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 17
    Step 17

    Turn the tubes inside out and press with the seam along the bottom edge. To turn the tubes inside out easily, put a safety pin in the end and feed it thru itself.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 18
    Step 18

    First, mark the center of the apron and the center of the waistband with a crease. Line up those creased and pin the waistband section to the top of the apron. The right side of the waistband should be against the wrong side of the apron. This is the trickiest part. You may need to pull the gathers a little bit to make the apron shorter to fit the waistband. It will fit, trust me, just adjust as needed.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 19
    Step 19

    Fold the waistband over to the front. Turn the edge under 1/4" and pin to the front. Sew along the edge as close as possible.

  • Step 20

    Turn the ends of the ties under 1/4" and sew along the ends to hide the raw ends.

  • How to make a full apron. Half Apron - Step 21
    Step 21

    Here's a close-up of the finished mushrooms with puffy paint. My swap partner loves kawaii so I made cute little faces too.

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Comments

sweetsundae0
sweetsundae0 · Ajax, Ontario, CA · 50 projects
Very cute Happy
Reply
itsjuliaaa
itsjuliaaa · U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, US · 2 projects
Such a cute apron, I'm going to have to make my work apron look all girly like this!
Reply
Gabby.
Gabby. · U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, US · 19 projects
I luv it! its so cute and girly Happy
Reply
Shantessa K.
Shantessa K. · 6 projects
Hey my apron!
Reply
Janel F.
Janel F.
Whaat a cute apron... Love it...
Reply
Rachael S.
Rachael S. · New South Wales, New South Wales, AU
This is about the cutest thing ever. The wee little mushrooms are great!
Reply
Shivi
Shivi · Perth, Western Australia, AU · 14 projects
Cute! I'm really getting upset at my lack of sewing ability right now!!!! Aargh!
Reply
Darling Niki
Darling Niki · Clearwater, Florida, US · 20 projects
<3 the mushrooms! Great project! Happy
Reply
Eien
Eien · Conyers, Georgia, US · 3 projects
I like! I really like how you can get super creative with aprons cause they don't take up much fabric and time.

I made a guy friend a apron out of fabric with motorcycles and flames on it. He calls it the "Apron of Vengeance"
Reply
Jasmin N.
Jasmin N. · Campbell River, British Columbia, CA · 9 projects
i love it so much, its cool
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