Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to sew a sturdy, cheerful kitchen apron you can wear all summer long.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric first
This is Homespun Patriotic Diagonal Stars Red from Santee Printworks.
It is a 100% cotton quilting fabric.
It measures 44"/45" wide.
It is sold by the yard.
The brand is Santee Printworks, from TC Studio.
The collection is called Homespun Patriotic.
The color is Red.
The print is diagonal stars on homespun-look red.
The product notes say it suits patriotic quilts.
It suits Americana sewing too.
And it works with other Homespun coordinates.
I love that homespun look, y'all.
It feels warm and a little bit country.
Those diagonal stars give it real movement.
You do not have to fussy-cut them.
Cut your pieces and let the stars land where they land.
Completely up to you.
Why it suits an apron
We are making a classic bib apron.
It finishes about 28" wide by 32" long.
That gives you good coverage from chest to knee.
An apron is a perfect weekend project, folks.
It is mostly straight seams and simple hems.
This fabric does the heavy lifting for style.
One large panel shows off those stars beautifully.
No piecing needed to make it look special.
The red hides a splash or two really well.
That matters when the barbecue sauce gets lively.
And quilting cotton is easy to press and sew.
It holds a crease and it behaves under the needle.
Super duper fun for a Fourth of July cookout.
Materials list
- 1 yard of Homespun Patriotic Diagonal Stars Red — enough for the apron body and pocket
- 1/2 yard of a coordinating cotton for the waist ties and neck strap, or use leftover main fabric
- Thread to blend with the red
- Rotary cutter, mat, and a clear ruler, or fabric scissors
- Pins or clips, a marking pencil, and a safety pin for turning ties
- Your sewing machine and an iron
- A paper apron pattern, or a favorite apron to trace for shape
Brief steps
First, press your fabric well.
Wrinkles will lie to your ruler, every time.
Lay your pattern on the fabric and cut one apron body.
Keep the top about 12" wide.
Let it widen to about 28" at the waist and hem.
Cut one pocket piece, 8" by 10".
From your coordinating cotton, cut waist ties.
Cut two strips, each 3" by 28".
Cut one neck strap strip, 3" by 24".
Fold the top edge of the pocket down 1".
Press it, then topstitch that fold in place.
Fold the other three pocket edges in 1/4".
Pin the pocket centered on the apron front.
Place it about 7" below the waist line.
Stitch the sides and bottom, close to the edge.
Use a stitch length of about 2.5 millimeters.
That is roughly 10 even stitches per inch.
Add one stitch line down the pocket center if you like.
Now you have two handy pockets instead of one.
Next, hem the apron body all the way around.
Fold raw edges in 1/4", then another 1/4".
Press, pin, and stitch slowly around the curves.
Slow down on those arm curves, folks.
Go too fast and the hem puckers on you.
Make each tie by folding it right sides together.
Sew the long edge with a 1/4" seam.
Turn it right side out with that safety pin.
Press it flat and topstitch if you like.
Do the same for the neck strap.
Attach the waist ties at the waist corners.
Stitch a small box, then an X inside it.
That keeps a tie from popping off.
Attach one end of the neck strap to the top corner.
Try the apron on before you sew the second end.
Adjust the length, then sew that end down too.
Just like that, your apron is done.
We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Practical tips from my sewing table
Press every hem before you stitch it.
A good press makes a simple project look store-bought.
Test your tension on a scrap first.
If a star lands upside down on your pocket, breathe.
Nobody at the picnic will be checking, I promise.
And here is your permission beat, folks.
It does not have to be perfect.
If one tie is a tiny bit longer, that is okay.
You are your own worst critic.
Everybody else will just see a happy, patriotic apron.
Take your time.
It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Alrighty. Go tie that apron on and cook something good.
Thanks for spending a little time with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Homespun Patriotic Diagonal Stars Red Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
