Refashioned Apron Tutorial:)

 

Find a Men’s dress shirt in your man’s closet, a yard sale, or  fav. thrift store. Lay it out and get HAPPY because it’s time to CUT! I typically use the back portion of the shirt first. This particular piece has  been cut up. I have used pinking shears and over casting to finish most of the seams here. If you have a serger use that!

 

I start at the hemline and follow the seams all the way up and through the arm hole until I reach the back (yoke, maybe, kinda guessing here:) panel.

 

Follow it all the way across to the other armhole. Follow down the other side. APRON FRONT is cut!!

Lay your apron front over the lining material (I use sheets, Yard sale $.5o and lots of material, but do check for stains! :). Pin in place.

Lining is cut. Take the bottom edge of the LINING and trim with pinking shears and overcast, if you are not using a serger. We are on a ROLL girls!

Next up is the apron’s “halter top” piece. For this and the “apron strings” I am using a vintage blanket seam binding from YES you guessed it a YARD SALE!(got simply oodles of sewing/craft goodies at that one). IF you are using a long sleeved shirt or other coordinating/contrasting material you could cut the strings out of that. The width is adjustable to your preference. Just make sure that you have a doubled over piece of cloth(adding 1/2 inch for seam allowance) or are cutting twice the width(add an inch for seam allowance) then what you want on a single layer of material. The seam binding is really a great time saver! Also I cut to 24 inches as shown, but that is adjustable depending on your height and weight. The best way I know is to put the “string” around your neck and then down to where you want the apron to start(adding a couple of inches for the insertion into the apron piece). Cut two “strings”.

For the apron “strings” I cut to 36 inches. This is also adjustable to your preference.

 

Sew as close to the open edge as you can. This is simply a top stitch.

You will do this for all three pieces that you just cut

 

 

Fold and pin one end of both of the apron’s strings. Sew closed.

Next I took the accent material(umm, SHEET)and cut out the pocket. By using the edge of the sheet I save a step or two:) YEA! I will have two sides that do not have to be “finished”. I made this pocket 9 by 9 (in). That includes the seam allowance.

 

 

 

I overcast the other two sides of the pocket. To do this your settings need to be on  a width and length of 4.

This side has been overcast. It’s a little hard to see….

 

I am using some of the blanket seam binding for embellishment on the pocket. Topstitch as close to the edges as possible down both long sides of the binding. Turn edges over and pin.  I have one of the finished sheet ends as the top (open part of the pocket) With the right side of the pocket facing out topstitch pocket to apron front.

Next, pin“strings” in place on the front of the apron. You want to be sure that the ends attached to the apron are the ones you did NOT finish earlier. Also, make sure you have the topstitched sides running the same way on the two “strings” at the side. I prefer the top stitching to be the bottom of my of my string. I then pin the two side “strings” in the middle of the apron so that I don’t sew over them accidently. (YES, i have done that b4!) Try it on to make sure that all the pieces are placed to fit well(according to height and weight). Adjust if necessary.

 

Pin the lining and apron front with right sides together, leaving the bottom of the apron open.

This is the top of the apron pinned. Sew from beginning of side seam all the way to the end of the other side seam, leaving the bottom portion unfinished.(At all the places where the “strings” are I reverse and stitch back over again for added strength.) I used pinking shears to cut off excess.

Overcast edges if you are not using a serger.  Pull the apron out thru the bottom opening. We are almost THERE girls:)

Now, we are cutting the strips to make the bottom ruffle. I cut 37 inches plus 20 more for a total of 67 inches. Again, I used the sheet ends with the selvedge so that I don’t have to sew up the “hemline” of the ruffle. Join the two pieces together. Trim with pinking shears and overcast.

 

Next, gather the ruffle. I personally do this by hand. However, you can use a gathering foot if you have one(sewing machine attachment). The pic. below shows the beginning of my gathering.

You want to make sure that you are gathering about an inch to 11/2 inches below where the seam will be when it is attached to the apron. When you have reached the end of the ruffle leave the thread hanging so that you can pull the gather together. Adjust to length  of the apron hemline.

Pin the ruffle to the apron with right sides together. Make sure that you are pinning the apron lining with the apron. Sew seam.

AS YOU ARE SEWING Make sure to keep your bobbin supplied with thread and this will NOT happen to YOU! Yes, I was at the end of the ruffle, thanks for asking!:(  If it does happen just, STOP, take a deeeeeep breath and start again….

 

Be sure to PRESS the apron. Hope you enjoyed the process! If you have any questions???? or have a suggestion or correction for me PULEEZE leave a comment. Thanks for looking and May God Bless You:

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