Wrapped in Purple: an Apron Tutorial

Good morning, friends!

Several weeks ago I did a post with all sorts of apron tutorials.  Some of you may know that I just started up a new blog, What's to Eat? Dining in and Out and I had this idea to tie the two together (I get a lot of ideas like that.)  How about making an apron and write a tutorial (for Whitt's Kits) and then offer the apron up to my readers at What's to Eat?!  A win-win!

Here's what I came up with:

Don't you love the purple?  The accent fabric is filled with delectable sprinkle-filled cupcakes!  A light, fun combo.

You will need:
36"x 23" piece for the body of the apron
6" x 44" piece for the tie
2 - 6" x 10" pieces for the pockets

Begin by creating the tie.  Cut your 6" piece in half so you have 2, 3" x 44" pieces.  Sew them together so that you'll have one, long piece.

Press it in half, right sides together.  Now the strip is 1 1/2" wide.  Sew the ends at an angle (see image below).  I like to do a zigzag as I don't have a serger (oh... someday...) to help hold things.  Trim at the angle to remove excess fabric.

Time for the pockets.  Take one of the 6" x 10" pieces, fold with right sides together and trim the corners round (an OPTION - NOT necessary).

Sew around the outside edge using a 3/8" seam.  Leave a 2" opening to pull the outside through.  Snip off the corners just beyond the stitching so your corners will be "sharp."

Right-side out each pocket and press.  Then topstitch at 3/8" on the top edge ONLY BEFORE sewing it on.

Time to go back to the body of the apron.  Starting with the bottom edge, fold over and press 3/8" once and then twice, to seal the edge.  Pin if you'd like.

Topstitch the folded fabric to create the bottom seam.  Repeat with both the sides.

Time to place the pockets.  I folded the body in half and then found what was the "half way point" of that portion, pinning the pocket to the center.  I held it up to my body as well to see how high/low to place them.  I found that 6" from the edge and from the center looked good.  When you have them where you want them to be, pin them on and sew from one corner, down and around to the other.

Ready to do some gathering?  If you've never gathered, it's really pretty straight forward.  You need to set you thread length so that it bastes.  L-O-N-G stitches.  Do one run along the edge at about 3/8".   Don't go back and forth to secure the thread - you want to be able to pull it.

Do a second run just inside that, about 1/4" away - you will now have two parallel lines of sewing.  It's important NOT to cross over the lines.  If you do, you won't be able to gather them!

To gather, pull the two threads from the top while sliding the fabric along.  It will gather.  Once I have what I like, I tie off both ends, just so it won't un-do before I sew it.

Now, let's get that tie ready and a waist-band constructed.  Fold under 3/8" on each edge and press with your iron.  I pinned it every few inches after I pressed it.

Once you have it all pressed, find the middle of the tie (seam) and the middle of the apron (just fold in half and find that point).  Slide the gathered body up into the tie and pin it down.  Continue one direction and then go back and do the other.

Once it's pinned, sew with a 1/4"-3/8" topstitch.  Press.

 Here it is!

A note:
If you chose to use a directional fabric, be aware of that when you are sewing things together.  I put one pocket on "upside-down and had to pull out my seam ripper.  Just an FYI.  :)

Ready to pull out your machine and try one?  No, then watch What's to Eat? next week for a chance to win this!  Whoo hoo!

Would you like to win this?  The drawing is May 15th - all you have to do is go HERE to enter!!  It's a Rafflecopter drawing.

Have a wonderful day,
Carrie
PS.  Don'g forget to check out yesterday's blog post for the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway!  It runs through this Friday and you could win four pillowcase kits!!