Learn how to make an apron with very little work. You can easily make this smashing tea towel apron with some basic sewing skills. Leave off the ruffle and you only have two lines of stitching. It is the perfect beginner sewing project!
If you’re sewing this for a gift, you’ll want to add a coordinating hot pad and oven mitt. Handmade gifts are the sweetest way to show your appreciation for a hostess or to celebrate a new homeowner.
(Thanks Zack for being my fabulous model and rockin’ out my apron! You are a great kid and a really good sport!)
Supplies
1 tea towel (mine measured 20″ X 28″)
1/4 yard of coordinating fabric 44″-45″ wide
4 yards of ribbon (mine was 1/2″ wide)
about 21″ of twill tape (width of towel plus a touch extra to turn ends under)
Before starting pre-wash fabric and tea towel
The Ruffle
With right sides together sew across each end of fabric.
Turn right side out and press.
Gather the fabric. I zig zag stitched over dental floss close to the edge, then pulled the dental floss to make my ruffle.
Sew ruffle to bottom of tea towel(right sides together). Before turning lay a piece of twill tape across the raw edge and stitch using a long stitching length. Tuck ends of twill tape under before stitching
Turn (open ruffle flat) and lightly press the top edge. This is how it will look from the back side of the apron.
Edge stitch across on the front. Although the ruffle isn’t necessary for the apron pattern, it certainly makes it super cute!
The Apron
Fold in top two corners of the tea towel and trim. I folded my towel in thirds to decide where to cut. If you want it wider at the top of the apron, try folding them in only 1/4.
Trim off corners, turn raw edge under slightly and stitch close to the edge. Fold the fabric edge over wide enough for the ribbon to slip through, allowing enough for seam. Press. Really though, you could just fold over the corners like the above picture and sew the casings!
Stitch, making a casing for the neck strap using ribbon. Feed ribbon through each casing.
The ribbon goes through each casing, crosses in the back and ties in the front.
Finished! This is such an easy apron sewing pattern that you should be able to whip it up in no time. The tea towel saves a little time, and is the perfect fabric for the kitchen.
more fun sewing projects
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I LOVE this! It’s so simple, yet so perfect! I can’t wait to try one. I just HAD to feature this on my blog today and there’s a direct link right back to you at http://whittskitsfabricscrafts.blogspot.com/2013/03/find-it-for-free-on-friday-apron.html
I might have to go in search of MORE tea towels!
Haha!
Thanks, Carrie
what a beautiful apron!
Awesome tutorial – there’s only one step I’m confused about.
“Before turning lay a piece of twill tape across the raw edge and stitch using a long stitching length. ”
How do you do that before turning the ruffle over? What obvious point am I missing????
THANKS for the tutorial!
Great tutorial! You’ve been featured on the Quality Sewing Tutorials blog.
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I love this tutorial! Just included it in a post about making aprons over at my blog: http://makeithappenmama.blogspot.com/2011/12/so-good-news-i-have-officially.html
Fold the towel over to make the casing for the ribbon to feed through.
so…. did you fold the diagnal side down again to make the casing or is there two pieces of fabric (front and back) that the ribbon is inbetween?
thanks! way cute apron!
Awesome tutorial! featured you!
http://allawesomelinks.blogspot.com/2011/06/simple-apron-tutorial.html
Thank you! I was able to quickly whip up 7 for party favors for a clay party this weekend. They turned out so cute!
I used literally the exact same green polkadot towel to make myself an apron a couple of months ago! Nothing like a cute apron to make you willing to cook! Mine didn’t have the cute ruffle, though– I like how it adds some detail without making it too complicated. (Who wants to spend all day sewing an apron?) Great tutorial!
I made one! Thanks for this tutorial!
http://crossyr.blogspot.com/2010/09/apron.html
This is a great quick craft for gift giving. The only thing I will change is to buy extra ruffle fabric to add pockets.
Very very cute! Just wondering on the zig zag step, did you thread your machine with dental floss? I have never heard of that but it sure would make the gathering step a lot easier. My threads always tend to break! Thank you!
Thread machine with your regular thread. Place the dental floss under the presser foot (leave a long tail) and then zig zag over the floss (http://www.skiptomylou.dev/2009/08/05/childs-apron-tutorial/) making sure not to catch it with the stitches. It is a great technique — I always have trouble when I just use gathering stitches, as they break.
If fabric is really heavy, fishing line works well.
What a beautiful apron! I’m in desperate need of a new one, and perhaps I’ll use this lovely tutorial. Thank you so much for sharing!