You may notice (how can you not?) the silhouette of dress forms shadowing my blogs title.
Just think, if you were sewing clothes for every member of your family, in the "good ole days" you would need a separate, wooden dress form for each of them.
Today, we are fortunate enough to have adjustable dress forms. You need only adjust the dress form each time you sew (if you are, indeed, fortunate enough to own one.) This, however, can take time.
Thankfully, there are aprons.
Aprons are great articles to sew if you want something quick, easy, and that fits almost everyone in your family.
As a matter of fact, this is why I sell aprons.
You can make your own apron following the instructions below [read on.]
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
How to Sew an Apron
Would you like to sew an apron from materials at hand?
Quick--look in your cabinets and see if you can find a table napkin--it must be very wide. If not, just a grab a tea towel or any hand towel. Lay it length wise across your waist, and tie a shoe string around it. There... a quick apron in 30 seconds or less.
Are you laughing yet? This really is how the concept of making aprons began.
Over time, they evolved into full length garments called pinafores, covering the entire bodice and most of the skirt.
Today, aprons have pretty much become a thing of the past. Many homemakers elect to simply wipe their hands on a nearby towel or even (gasp!) their denim trousers.
If you would like to resurrect the icon of the domestic apron in your own life, here's how.
Measure your waist from front to back, with no gapping. In other words, the entire width, full circumference.
Write down the measurements, and add two and a half feet to it.
Above these numbers, write "tie".
Now, decide how wide you want your apron to be. Ideally, it should cover you from hip to hip. Take this measurement, starting at your left hipbone, and pull the measuring tape snugly over the fullest part of your midriff.
Stop measuring when you reach your right hipbone, and write down the numbers. Add two inches, and above the total, write "Apron width".
Now decide how long you would like your apron. if you run around the kitchen in short shorts all morning, you probably don't want a full length apron. If you get dressed early, and wear long skirts, then you probably want more length to your aprons. Measure according, starting at your waistband. Pull the tape snugly down to the length you want to cover. If the length of your apron doesn't at least cover your crotch, it will look...strange.
Here's a good guide: If you are a blue jeans gal, try to make your apron come to th fullest part of your thigh.
If you wear dresses, then you don't want the apron to come any further than six inches above your dresses hem.
There are, however, no hard fast rules.
Half aprons typically cover less leg than full aprons.
Back to the instructions: once you measure from your waist to the desired length, add two inches to the measurement, and write this number down as your apron width.
Now, you are ready to cut your fabric.
Start with the front panel. measure off a rectangle with the same dimensions as your apron width and length. It doesn't matter if you cut it cross-grain or on the grain, just as long as you don't cut on the bias.
Next, cut a strip that is one and a half inches wide, and as long as the amount labeled "tie".
Fold this strip in half, lengthwise, with the right sides of the strip facing inward. Sew a quarter inch seam down the length of the apron tie, along the open edges.
Now, sew a quarter inch seam along the bottom edge of the tie. Turn the tie inside out, using a long, thin rod to push the closed end through to the open end. Set aside.
Take the front panel, and sew a quarter inch hem around the sides and bottom, leaving the top portion unhemmed.
Now, back to the tie. As you may notice, one of the ends is finished, while the other is open ended. Gently fold in the ends, (just eyeball it), until you have a nice looking edge. Topstitch the end closed.
Next, take your tie, and center it evenly on top of the apron panel. You will want at least half of your finished tie to cover the actual panel. After you pin the tie to the front of the panel, flip it over and sew the tie directly onto the apron.
Congratulations! You now have a finished half-apron.
Quick--look in your cabinets and see if you can find a table napkin--it must be very wide. If not, just a grab a tea towel or any hand towel. Lay it length wise across your waist, and tie a shoe string around it. There... a quick apron in 30 seconds or less.
Are you laughing yet? This really is how the concept of making aprons began.
Over time, they evolved into full length garments called pinafores, covering the entire bodice and most of the skirt.
Today, aprons have pretty much become a thing of the past. Many homemakers elect to simply wipe their hands on a nearby towel or even (gasp!) their denim trousers.
If you would like to resurrect the icon of the domestic apron in your own life, here's how.
Measure your waist from front to back, with no gapping. In other words, the entire width, full circumference.
Write down the measurements, and add two and a half feet to it.
Above these numbers, write "tie".
Now, decide how wide you want your apron to be. Ideally, it should cover you from hip to hip. Take this measurement, starting at your left hipbone, and pull the measuring tape snugly over the fullest part of your midriff.
Stop measuring when you reach your right hipbone, and write down the numbers. Add two inches, and above the total, write "Apron width".
Now decide how long you would like your apron. if you run around the kitchen in short shorts all morning, you probably don't want a full length apron. If you get dressed early, and wear long skirts, then you probably want more length to your aprons. Measure according, starting at your waistband. Pull the tape snugly down to the length you want to cover. If the length of your apron doesn't at least cover your crotch, it will look...strange.
Here's a good guide: If you are a blue jeans gal, try to make your apron come to th fullest part of your thigh.
If you wear dresses, then you don't want the apron to come any further than six inches above your dresses hem.
There are, however, no hard fast rules.
Half aprons typically cover less leg than full aprons.
Back to the instructions: once you measure from your waist to the desired length, add two inches to the measurement, and write this number down as your apron width.
Now, you are ready to cut your fabric.
Start with the front panel. measure off a rectangle with the same dimensions as your apron width and length. It doesn't matter if you cut it cross-grain or on the grain, just as long as you don't cut on the bias.
Next, cut a strip that is one and a half inches wide, and as long as the amount labeled "tie".
Fold this strip in half, lengthwise, with the right sides of the strip facing inward. Sew a quarter inch seam down the length of the apron tie, along the open edges.
Now, sew a quarter inch seam along the bottom edge of the tie. Turn the tie inside out, using a long, thin rod to push the closed end through to the open end. Set aside.
Take the front panel, and sew a quarter inch hem around the sides and bottom, leaving the top portion unhemmed.
Now, back to the tie. As you may notice, one of the ends is finished, while the other is open ended. Gently fold in the ends, (just eyeball it), until you have a nice looking edge. Topstitch the end closed.
Next, take your tie, and center it evenly on top of the apron panel. You will want at least half of your finished tie to cover the actual panel. After you pin the tie to the front of the panel, flip it over and sew the tie directly onto the apron.
Congratulations! You now have a finished half-apron.
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