Hey everyone. Today we're making a farmhouse apron, letting a warm, classic check do the styling.
Meet the Fabric First
This is Bri's Home Collection - Tan Checkered from Choice Fabrics. It's a 100% cotton quilting fabric, 45 inches wide, sold by the yard. The color is tan. The pattern is a check. Simple as that — a classic check in warm tan from Bri's Home Collection.
That matters for an apron, y'all. This collection suits home décor sewing and farmhouse quilts, and those same qualities work beautifully in a kitchen. The check looks tidy. It looks homey. It doesn't shout. It just belongs next to a mixing bowl and a well-loved recipe card.
Because it's quilting cotton, it's easy to press and easy to cut. It holds a crease when you fold a hem. If I can do this, y'all can do it. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
The Project: A Farmhouse Kitchen Apron
An apron is one of my favorite first makes. It's useful on day one. It forgives a wobbly stitch. And you get to wear your work, which is super duper fun.
Here's why this fabric suits it. That tan check hides a little flour dust and a splash. The 45-inch width gives you room to cut a generous body panel in one piece, with no piecing down the middle. And a straight check helps you see if your cutting is drifting.
We're making a classic bib apron, about 28 inches wide by 34 inches long. That's good coverage for most adults. Want it longer? Add 2 inches. Want it narrower? Take an inch off each side. Completely up to you.
Materials List
- 1 yard of Bri's Home Collection - Tan Checkered
- Matching all-purpose thread
- Scissors or rotary cutter, ruler, pins or clips, iron
- Sewing machine — a standard 80/12 needle is just right for quilting cotton
That 1 yard is real math, folks. From 36 by 45 inches, you can cut the body panel, neck strap, waist ties, and a pocket. Lay it all out before you cut. It saves headaches.
Brief Steps — Here We Go
Step 1: Prep. Prewash and press your fabric. Quilting cotton can shrink a little, and an apron will get washed a lot. Better to shrink it now.
Step 2: Cut. Cut the body at 28 by 34 inches, keeping the check straight. Cut two waist ties at 2-1/2 by 36 inches. Cut one neck strap at 2-1/2 by 22 inches. Cut a pocket at 7 by 8 inches if you want one.
Step 3: Hem the body. Fold the sides and bottom in 1/4 inch, press, then fold another 1/4 inch. Stitch close to the edge at about 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Go slow on the corners.
Step 4: Shape the top. Fold the top corners in on an angle to form the bib — about 6 inches down and 6 inches in works well — press, hem the angled edges, then hem the top. Try it on as you go. Aprons should fit your body, not a diagram.
Step 5: Make ties and strap. Fold each strip in half lengthwise, right sides together. Stitch with a 1/4-inch seam, turn right side out, and press flat. Topstitch about 1/8 inch from the edge. Just like that, they look finished.
Step 6: Attach and add the pocket. Pin the waist ties at the waist and the neck strap to the top corners. Stitch securely — I backstitch twice here. Hem the pocket on three sides, stitch it to the front, and divide it down the middle if you want two smaller pockets.
Practical Tips From My Table
First, let the check help you. Line your ruler up with a check line when you cut. If your line wanders, you'll see it right away.
Second, press every step. A quick press makes hems behave, ties lay flat, and the whole apron look really really good.
Third, slow down at the strap joins. That's the spot that takes the pull when you tie it. Slow down or you'll get a skipped stitch right where you need strength. A second row of stitching there is cheap insurance.
And here's your permission beat. It does not have to be perfect. A check that's a tiny bit off, a pocket that's a hair crooked — nobody at Sunday supper is measuring. You're your own worst critic. Take your time. It's not a race.
Make one for yourself, or for the cook who always shows up for everybody else. Alrighty — that's a project that earns its hook by the door.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Bri's Home Collection - Tan Checkered at Linda's Electric Quilters.
