Hey everyone! Today you will learn to make a simple, cheerful apron that brings a little safari-morning warmth right into your kitchen.
Meet the Fabric
Here we go. This one makes me smile.
It is Savanna Sunrise, pattern 52987-X. It comes from Windham Fabrics. The collection is Savanna Sunrise.
It gathers African savanna motifs across the fabric. The description calls it a wildlife novelty. Grassland calm is exactly right.
This is a quilting fabric, 45 inches wide, sold by the yard. It comes from High Country Quilts through Linda's Electric Quilters.
The motifs do the talking here. That useful width gives you plenty for a project you will actually wear.
Why It Works for an Apron
An apron is one of my favorite makes. It is useful every single day. It is also forgiving if you are new.
We are aiming for one adult apron. It will finish about 28 inches wide by 32 inches long. Big enough to protect your clothes. Small enough to finish in an afternoon.
This fabric suits an apron for a simple reason. A novelty print looks best where you can see it flat. An apron front gives you that nice, open space.
You do not have to piece little bits together. You do not have to match a repeat at a bunch of seams. One good panel of fabric, and you are set.
I learned that the easy way and the hard way. My first novelty apron was cut from scraps. Oh my goodness. The motifs landed every which way.
You have options here, too. Make a full bib apron, or make a simple half apron. My preference is the bib style, with a pocket. But it is completely up to you.
What You Will Need
- 1 yard of Savanna Sunrise for the apron body
- 1/2 yard of a coordinating quilting cotton for ties, pocket, and trim
- 50-weight cotton thread in a color that blends with your fabric
- An 80/12 quilting or universal needle
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and your iron
- Paper or an apron pattern for your bib shape, plus scissors for the curves
We are not reinventing the wheel here.
Brief Steps to Make It
Step 1: Cut the body. Cut one piece 28 inches wide by 32 inches long. For a bib shape, fold it in half lengthwise and trim the top corners in a gentle curve for the arm openings. Take your time and check twice.
Step 2: Cut the extras. Cut two waist ties at 3 inches by 32 inches. Cut two neck ties at 3 inches by 22 inches. Cut one pocket at 8 inches by 9 inches.
Step 3: Make the ties. Fold each tie in half lengthwise, right sides together. Sew the long edge with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn right side out and press flat. Set your stitch length to about 2.5, roughly 10 to 12 stitches per inch.
Step 4: Hem the apron. Fold the raw edges in 1/4 inch, then again 1/4 inch, and press. Topstitch around the sides and bottom, and along your curved bib edges. Go slow on those curves.
Step 5: Add the pocket. Hem the top of the pocket, fold the other three sides in, and press. Center it on the front, pin well, and stitch the sides and bottom close to the edge. Backstitch at the top corners for strength.
Step 6: Attach the ties. Pin the waist ties at the sides and the neck ties at the top. Stitch them in place, then stitch again in a small square for strength. Give it a final press.
Just like that, you have an apron. Super duper fun, and really really useful.
Practical Tips From My Sewing Room
First, press as you go. A crisp hem looks neat, and it sews straighter, too.
Second, watch the curves. Slow down or the needle snaps is not just a saying. Ease the fabric through, and do not pull.
Third, test your pocket placement while wearing it. Pin it, look in the mirror, and move it if you need to. Placement matters more than perfection.
And here is your permission beat. It does not have to be perfect. If a tie is a little crooked or a hem wobbles, that is fine. You are your own worst critic. Nobody at the stove is checking your topstitching.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Take your time. It is not a race. Make it for yourself, or make it as a gift. Either way, enjoy it.
Thanks so much for sewing with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 52987-X Savanna Sunrise 45" wide fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
