A couple aprons {ok, maybe 7}

I ALWAYS get carried away.....ALWAYS!!!!

I needed to make ONE apron for a friend....and I ended up making SEVEN!!! Yes, I have a problem! I should open a factory!! I LOVE how they all turned out!!

FULL APRON:

Take an apron you like {I used two different ones to get exactly what I wanted} lay apron on top of fabric you wish to use. Pin to keep in place. Cut exact pattern ADDING 1" to each side. {I didn't add to the bottom because I didn't want my apron any longer and I knew I would be adding the ruffle.}

From coordinating fabric cut the following pieces:

5 - 5" x 45" {2 for ties, 1 for ruffle}
1 - 4" x 22" {neck strap}
1 - 3" x width of apron {strip at top}

1 - 2" x width of apron {strip at bottom to cover ruffles}

1 - 8" x 16" {pocket}

Cut out apron and serge all around the edges. 

Cut all extra pieces. Sew the straps, turn and iron. 

I just serge all the ruffles and then ruffle hem with my ruffler. 

I surged the bottom ruffle on the apron, and then sewed the ruffles 1"-2" away from each other. {depending on your style, I did one of each and like the 2" better}.

Sew the neck strap together and finish the ends. 

Sew the pocket together, turn and iron. 

Assemble the apron as desired. 

SHORT RUFFLE APRON:

1 - 24x13" canvas/duck cloth/denim {this will be the back piece that you won't see

7 - 5" x WOF - 5 ruffles and 2 for the ties.

Serge the bottom of all the ruffles and ruffle the top edge. Sew the two ties together and then sew them in a long tube, turn and iron. 

Serge the bottom ruffle onto the piece of canvas. Sew with a zig zag stitch the other 4 ruffles 3" apart all the way up the canvas.

Sew the strap on the top of the apron making sure you cover up the top of the first ruffle and keep in lined up with the top of the canvas. 

Getting Ready for Christmas

I've been trying really hard this year to get in control of my never-ending list so that I can enjoy the holidays. I started early working on a few projects {and I lowered my expectations and didn't add so many new things to my list this year}. It might be because I work full time this year and I KNOW that I don't have time to add new things to my list.

I redesigned one of my designs and added a little more to one of my aprons.....I added an extra strip of the green striped fabric to the top and the pocket. I added three smaller ruffles to the bottom and then covered it up with a strip of the green. It turned out super cute. {too bad I made it for someone else to give as a gift...oh, and I can't find the Christmas fabric this year}

Just in case you are wondering: The original tutorial is HERE, I added a 2" strip to the top and pocket. The strip across the ruffles is 1" and the ruffles are 4" each.

Ruffle Apron TUTORIAL.....finally!!!!!!

I am SOOOOOO sorry it has taken me so long to get this Tutorial to you. Thank you for being patient with me. Instead of giving you all the reasons why it's taken me so long, I will just get right to it......Here is the finished apron....below are all the details {and pictures}

MATERIALS NEEDED:
Pair of old overalls
18-20"x 19" of bottom weight fabric {width of your overalls x 19"}
1 yard of MAIN fabric (the one you want to use for the ties)
1/2 yard of 2 DIFFERENT fabrics
Follow instruction for flower HERE.  {I serged the edge on mine with a rolled hem stitch to make it more finished.}

First of all you will need a pair of overalls. You can use any kind, in any condition....you mostly just need the bib and the hardware....I have used pants, shorts, a dress, anything that will work. I find most of mine at a thrift store, but you might still have some in the back of your closet! Cut off the bib just below the waist band seam. You will be cutting off the pockets and the legs. You just need enough of an edge to serge the canvas material to the bib.

Serge overall bib to the piece of bottom weight fabric. Don't worry too much about how it looks right now because it will all be covered up when we are finished. Lay out on your table and mark up your piece in the following locations. Horizontally you need to mark 3" down from the surged edge and then 3" down from each marking. You should have 5 marks. Vertically, you need to mark the center (I used the middle stitching on the overall bibs. Then mark 1/2 way between that mark on the right and left. You should have 3 markings this direction.

Now. Cut your fabric into the following strips.
FABRIC #1 - Main COLOR - use for straps and waist tie.
CUT:
2 - 5 1/2" x WOF (Width of Fabric) {ruffles}
2 - 5" x WOF {waist tie}
2 - 4" x 22" {neck ties}


FABRIC #2 - 
CUT
2 - 5 1/2" x WOF (Width of Fabric) {ruffles}



FABRIC #3 - 
CUT
2 - 5 1/2" x WOF (Width of Fabric) {ruffles}

Serge, Zig-Zag or finish the edges of your ruffles. {make sure you use the 5 1/2" width pieces} I used my serger and just surged both edges of the ruffles. The top edge will be zig zagged onto the apron and will be completely covered. You can choose to finish the bottom edges if you desire. I liked the serged edge on these aprons to give it a more "pioneer" feel.

Now divide your fabric in the middle and then in the middle again. I pinned it {shown above} and then matched these pins to the markings on your bottom weight fabric. {shown below}. Use the horizontal lines to make sure your ruffles stay straight across the apron.

I used my ruffler on my serger to make the fabric ruffle on it's own. If you need more help or have questions about ruffles, see this TUTORIAL on MAKE IT AND LOVE IT.

REPEAT for all 6 ruffles. Pin the bottom ruffle first and then move towards the top ruffle. You can sew on each ruffle as you go or you can pin them all and sew them all at the same time...just be careful not to get poked with all those pins.

Zig Zag each ruffle to the bottomweight fabric. You are done with the ruffle part. If you just serged the edges of the ruffles, you will need to zig zag the excess threads onto the ruffles or use fray check on the ends where the serger thread stops.

NEXT: Take the hardware off the straps that go around the neck. You can throw away the fabric, you won't need it.

Take the 4"x22" pieces of fabric and sew them together into a long tube, turn and then topstitch around the entire piece of fabric.

Pull one strap into the hardware. Going around the middle piece and back through about 1".

Sew down and make a box that is about 1/2" on the strap. I tried to get this as close to the hardware as I could on my sewing machine.

Now thread through the clip and back through the hardware. Repeat with other strap, and connect to the overalls. These will just tie behind the neck.

Now take the 2 - 5"xWOF pieces of fabric. Sew them together on the SHORT edge to make it 2xWOF in length. Now sew them the LONG direction into a long tube. turn tube and topstitch entire length of waist tie.

Now you just need to connect your waistband to the apron. Find the center of your waistband {where you sewed it together}. Pin across the apron front making sure to overlap over the top ruffle edge to cover it up. Sew across the top, sides and bottom making a rectangle

......at the sides you will want to angle slightly to stay ON the fabric.

This is the back of the apron.

I hope it's not clear as mud. I realized I am assuming you have some sewing experience. If you have any other questions, please leave me a comment with your email and I would be happy to help. Enjoy!

Pioneer Aprons...

I spend the weekend in Nauvoo, IL. We had a youth conference with 200 adults and youth. It was AMAZING! I made these aprons for the Stake YW Presidency. They all LOVED them and wore them almost the entire time. {I am working on a tutorial for them, but I've had no sleep in 5 days so I will wait until I am more with it so you can understand the instructions!}

UPDATED: TUTORIAL FINALLY AVAILABLE HERE!!!!!!



They are pretty easy, I used overalls that I got at the thrift store and strips of fabric that I surged the edges and didn't even hem....I promise to get all the measurements and instructions soon!

Child's Artist Smock

I have been in a crafting mood lately and have been making things for the last couple of days.  I realized on Thursday that I needed a smock (or old shirt) for Kirsten for Kindergarten.  I opted to make a cute artist smock.  I found it at Sew Mama Sew and thought it would be fun to make.  I had an old valance that I bought at the thrift store awhile back for less then a dollar that I pulled apart and used the material.  I think if I were to make it again I would use a little bit thicker material or double up, but hindsight is always 20/20.  Since Peter is starting Joy School with some friends and needed a smock of some sort.  I pulled out some material I had also bought at the same time for less then a dollar and made him one too.  It cost me more for the bias tape to go around each one.  The pattern is made from an old t-shirt as the base.  Sew Mama does a good job of teaching you how to make your own pattern and I think they turned out pretty cute.  Peter's is almost the same size and it seems to have more coverage.  I think I would make Kirsten's a little longer.  Now Kirsten will be the cutest girl in her Kindergarten class when they go to paint.  Now I just have to figure out how to put her name on it . . .

Did you notice we added a flicker slide show?  We just wanted to add some of the projects that we repeat over and over again and not bore you with pictures of yet another totebag or apron, etc.  Although I'm still thinking about adding my MONGO HUGE tote bag I made for going to the beach or the pool.  I will consider it if you are interested in knowing how to make it.

Teacher gifts - pretty aprons

I have been busy the last couple of weeks with sewing projects.  Although I haven't been posting all of them because I haven't had time. We have also had a lot of rainstorms which make for pretty crappy pictures and so I wait for a sunny or not so cloudy or windy day to take pictures.

I made these last week for my daughter's preschool teachers.  I have really appreciated all the hard work they do for her and the other kids in her class.  So I decided to do something fun for them and maybe a bit different then most mom's might do.  I know I have this cute butterfly fabric that I have used for other projects and so I cut out some aprons using Liberty's instructions.  I made them with different fabrics so if they choose to wear them at school they won't be exactly the same color.  My daughter got to pick what fabrics went to which teacher.  Pink for Mrs. M.  and Purple for Mrs. W.  Hopefully they will enjoy them and know of our appreciation for all their work.