DIY Frilly Apron

It is no secret, I love to bake. I also love spending time with my family so it only makes sense to combine the two. My daughter is still a little too young to do too much, but I will usually pull up a chair and let her dump the cups of ingredients into a bowl. In my fury of sewing over the last month I felt it necessary to make a lovely little apron for her. It turned out a bit big, but that is better than too small.

If you are new to sewing or even just new to drafting patterns, this is a good one to start out on. You don't need to be precise and the only thing that gets technical are are the scallops, which you could easily leave out. Also, if you love picking up fabrics on discount from the remnant bins this is a good use of your stash. As always, if something doesn't quite make sense with this tutorial, I will happily answer any questions I can, just shoot me an email at [email protected].

Materials:
Large paper or smaller pieces taped together
Pencil/Scissors
Circle template or a small cup (for the scallops)
1 yard Fabric (wash and dry before cutting)
1/2 yard Accent Fabric (wash and dry before cutting)
Sewing Machine/Pins/Thread
3 yards Ribbon

Directions:
Start by drafting your pattern. Draw out half of the basic apron shape so that the apron is symmetrical. Add the seam allowance and cut out the piece. To make the scallops, I used a wonderful tutorial by Coletterie. It is for a hem, but the basic idea is the same. Draw a heart for your pockets, add a seam allowance and cut. Cut all of your pieces from the fabric as well as a 2 1/2" to 3" wide strip long enough to go around the bottom one and half times.

Next up, sew the scallops and attach them to the top of the apron. If you followed the  tutorial, your piece should look like the photo at the bottom of the left column below. Next, line up your scallops where you would like them to sit, pin, then top stitch in place. Next, fold down the top and sew a straight line across the top of the scallops. Cut about 1/4" above the seam you just made. Fold the top of your scallop piece back in place and iron.

For the pockets, place two hearts, right sides together and sew, leaving an opening to turn right side out. Clip around the bumps and in the valleys. Turn right side out and iron. Repeat with the second set of hearts. Place and pin one heart onto the apron front. Fold the apron in half and put a pin in two prominent places where the heart lies. Use the two pins to position the second pocket and pin in place. Sew around the bottom of each heart.

If you had to cut multiple strips for the ruffle, sew them together as show below. Create a rolled hem along one side, then baste and ruffle the other side.

Line up and pin the ruffle along the lower edge of the apron, folding the ends in at a 45 degree angle as shown below. Sew along the edge a depth smaller then the seam allowance. Cut the ribbon into 4 equal lengths and pin to the front apron piece and sew in place with a zigzag stitch, also at a depth shorter than the seam allowance. Lay the back of the apron on top of the front and pin in place, taking care that none of the ribbons or the ruffle slip into the seam. Sew around the edges, leaving an opening. Once sewn, clip around the corners, turn right side out through the opening and iron. Top stitch around the apron.

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