How To Make An Apron

I love to sew, but I am only a basic seamstress.  This is an easy project for beginners.  You don't even need a pattern, just an approximate measurement.  This apron was one that I made for my sister for her birthday.  I've never written out a sewing how-to, so I hope it is coherent.  Have fun!

1.  Select your fabric.

First select your material.  I like contrasting fabrics that complement each other for aprons.  This reminding me of a 1950s housewife, and since the apron was to be used for holding clothespins I thought it was perfect!

 2.  Wash, dry, iron and cut the front panel in the main fabric.

The main part of the apron is just a rectangle, and a single layer.  Measure the wide across the front of the person the apron is for, and then double the width.  You will be gathering the waistline.  For this pattern I used 1/2 yard of fabric for the main piece.  That determined the length of the panel.  See the white part on the fabric in the pic above?  That's the selvage.  You want to make sure the selvage is running vertically.  These will be your sides of the apron panel.  

3.  Finish the side and bottom edges of the apron panel.

 

I don't like to use pins.  They fall on the floor and little hands insert them into little mouths.  So you may see a few pins but not a lot in this project.  I like to press my seams and then sew. To get a clean seam, fold over fabric about 1/4" and then do it again.  Press.  Add a little spray sizing (light starch) to help it stay.  In this step, you will finish the bottom edge and the side edges.  Leave the top part unfinished.  You will have a rectangle finished on three sides when finished with this step.

It really doesn't matter on the width of the seam.  I like to put the edge of the fabric on the outer edge of the sewing foot.  Just make sure that you use the same size consistently for a uniform look.

4.  Gather the top edge of the apron panel.

Set the length of your stitches on the longest setting.  Stitch a line across the top about 3/8" from the top of the fabric.  Grab the bobbin thread on both sides and gently pull.  This will gather the fabric.

Determine the width of the front panel.  Once you've gathered the fabric to that measurement, tie a know in the thread on both sides.  Then even out the gathering so that the ruffling is consistent.  Set aside the front panel for now.

5.  Make the pocket.

There is no specific measurement for the pocket.  I eyeball it.  In this case I used a larger pocket because my sister would be using it to hold clothespins.  After you choose a size, add a little to the length and width to account for the seams.  Finish all four edges of the pocket before pinning to the front panel.  On the top of the pocket, I like to use a zigzag stitch, just for fun.  I used the same roll and press technique as I did on the panel seams.  Because this fabric is white, I used two layers of fabric to make it more opaque.  Normally this would just be a single layer of fabric, like the apron panel. 

Finish the seams on all four sides before pinning to front apron panel.

6.  Pin the pocket to the panel.

Pin the pocket to the panel, remembering to leave the top edge OPEN.  Stitch around the three sides.  I like to add a backstitch at the top corners for reinforcement.

 7.  Make the waist tie.  In this case, the tie/waist binding is in three pieces; the waist binding is the smaller piece, with two long ties on each end.  This forms a very long length of fabric.

The simplest way to do this is use a very wide ribbon or blanket binding and then fold it in half.  Since I wanted to make the tie and the pocket out of the same fabric, I made the tie.  And because this was for an adult, it's pretty long.  Measure how long you think you'll need for a good tie in the back.  I made this tie in three pieces:  one to bind the apron front panel, and two for the ties.  You can see in the picture the folding and pressing that I've done.  For the width:  I wanted the tie to be about 1 1/2" wide.  So I doubled that (because it folds) and added an inch (for folded seams), making the total width 4".  Normally, you could stop at this measurement.  In this instance, I added another 1.5" because it's white, and I wanted a second fold to make it more opaque.

After the pressing for the seams is complete, I stitched the end ties to the waist binding, right sides together.  Remember:  in the picture one side of the binding is double folded to make it more opaque.  Depending on your fabric, it may just be folded in half, not thirds.  (I hope that's not confusing.)  After the sections are stitched together, fold and press.

And then I centered and pinned the binding/tie to the apron.  Make sure the gathered edge is fully enclosed.

8.  Stitch the tie, enclosing the front apron panel in the binding.

Beginning at one end, stitch the tie closed on the end.  Then, close the binding by stitched a narrow seam along the bottom edge.  This will enclose the apron panel when it gets there.  Stitch the binding/tie along the length.  Then, stitch closed the other end.

 9.  If needed, tack the top of the pocket with a stitch or two at the top center.

Because the pocket was so large, I tacked it in the center of the top.  This stitch does NOT run the length of the pocket.  It's only a small tacking to keep the pocket from puckering.

10.  Trim all the hanging threads, and try it on for size.