sew. linen apron.

This wee project has been on my mind for ages! I was given a bundle of beautiful Irish linen and one of the things I had wanted to do was make an apron for my eldest who loves to cook and bake. Something simple and understated; not too young, not too old.

As I was about to sew it she decided to make her friend one for her birthday. This was a brilliant way to teach a few skills as she watched me sew hers and then had a go on her friend’s.  The photos we took are a bit of a mix between the two aprons we made but you get the gist!!

You’ll need:

Fabric 
Webbing
Any decorative touches – we chose a large button and some pretty ribbon or bias binding to trim the pocket edge.

Cut according to your measurements, I have included ours that we based on the girls (age 10):

// a rectangle of your fabric… 28 x 17 inches 
// a pocket piece out of the same or a contrasting piece if you prefer… 12 x 7 inch
// 3 pieces of webbing – 2 x 25 inches, 1 x 20 inches.

// Fold in half longways and measure 4.5 inches in from top corner and 15 down from the same corner. Cut along the diagonal of these 2 points and this gives you the basic shape of your apron.

We based our measurements on Abi’s frame…from where the top of the apron would be to her knees (as she wanted it quite long). We also measured her waist over her clothes and based the widest part of the apron on this. Add 1/2 inch for a seam allowance and once you have all your measurements worked out, the rest is easy!

// Cut your diagonal. Fold over 1/4 inch and press. Fold again and press. This will give you a neat edge. 
// Sew along the diagonal. Repeat on the other side. Tie and knot the threads as you go.

// Along the top edge of the apron, fold and press in the same way as the diagonals. Before you sew, tuck the ends of the webbing under the fold (as above). Sew along the bottom edge of the fold.

// Now fold the webbing up so that it is in the correct position. Pin and sew along the top edge of the fold.

// Now fold in the two long edges of the apron and press, fold and press again to get that nice, neat edge.

// Take the two longer pieces of webbing, tuck one end into the top of the fold and pin (as above). Sew along the inner edge of the fold. Fold the webbing back over the fold, pin and sew along the outer edge. At the end of each piece of webbing, fold over and sew to stop fraying.

Your two edges are now finished.

// Hem the bottom of the apron and the main piece is complete.

// To add a little detail we decided on some trim for the pocket and to split the pocket into two, one large compartment and one small.

// Iron the trim in half and turn in each end to give a neat finish.

// Pin over the long edge of the pocket piece and sew along. Tie and knot.

// Position your pocket piece on the main apron and pin in place when you are happy. Sew carefully along the three outer edges of the pocket (and a vertical line if you want to split your pocket like we did). 

// We added a button at the top for a bit of extra colour and detail.

That’s it…you’re done!

 This was a great project to do along with our Abi (age 10)…with someone to copy and with a voice to guide her along some of the stages, she really felt like she did it herself. Some of her lines are wobbly and we had to add an extra row of stitching along the top as it didn’t ‘catch’ the webbing but it was perfect and it was gorgeously and totally hers. She loved giving it to her friend and gave her a bit of confidence with some of her sewing skills that she hadn’t practised in ages! A perfect way to spend the afternoon!