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One of my favourite pastimes is baking, and as a family we seem to spend so much time in our kitchen – I am blessed with a husband who loves to cook {and a three-year-old who loves to help!}. So many of our friends are also keen cooks, so I came up with this simple apron pattern, and gifted alongside some other kitchen-y, cooking utensils makes a sweet gift. This gathered apron is a great gift for the lover of baking and home cooking; a perfect way to use your scrap fabrics or favourite charm packs this apron is almost too cute to dirty with cake batters!
Fabric used for this project is Country Girls by Tasha Noel for Riley Blake Designs {one of my all-time favourite Riley Blake collections!}
To make your apron you will need:
– 20x 5″ x 5″ {charm} squares
– 1 1/2 yards coordinating fabric {lining and waistband}
1. Start by laying out your fabric squares. We used 5×4 layout – you could use more squares based on the desired finished size of your apron {or less and make a child-size version for the little chefs in your life!}.
2. Join your squares, sewing with a 1/4″ seam, in a simple patchwork layout. I used the webbed chain-piecing method. Such a timesaver!! Press seams in alternate directions so each seam nests – this reduces bulk and ensures your squares and points line up perfectly.
3. Measure your finished apron front piece. You will now cut a lining piece from your coordinating lining fabric {in this case our piece measured 23″ x 18 1/2″}.
4. With right sides together sew, with 1/4″ seam, around both sides and along the bottom raw edges. Leave top edge open. Clip corners and turn apron skirt so right sides are facing out. Press and top stitch 1/8″ from edge.
5. With a large basting stitch, sew along the top raw edge of your skirt, through both layers of fabric. Tie the top and bottom bobbin threads together at one end and, pulling on the bobbin thread of the other end make slight gathers in your skirt. Manipulate until the skirt is the desired width and/or you are happy with the gathers. Secure gathers by tying the threads off the same as the other side.
I set my machine to the longest stitch length when basting or creating gathering stitches.
6. Find the centre of your skirt and mark with a pin.
7. Cut two width of fabric strips at 10″ wide {10″ x WOF}. Remove selvage edges and join strips together by sewing end to end along short edges. Make your waistband by folding your fabric in half lengthwise with right sides facing out. Press.
8. Unfold, and line each raw edge up with the centre crease created in previous step. Press. This will enclose the raw edges of your strip.
9. To create the angled edges of your waistband ties, fold each corner in to meet the centre crease. Continue for each end of the tie. Fold strip in half again and give it a good press. It helps to secure the ends with a pin ready for top-stitching.
10. Attach your skirt to the waistband by matching the centre seam {from joining your strips} with the centre of the skirt {marked with a pin}. Pin your skirt in place, making sure to catch all layers of fabric.
11. Top stitch 1/8″ around all edges of the wastband, removing pins as you go. Take your time when stitching the skirt edge to make sure you stitch through all layers. These stitches and this edge will enclose the raw fabric edges of your skirt.
The size of your apron can be altered to suit any size or style you are after. Make a fuller skirt by adding fabric and pulling gathers tight or keep it simple and have a straight skirt. You could add cute pockets to the front of your apron, or pom-pom trims or a bow!
I’d love to see your gathered aprons so remember to tag me in, or email me your finished photos {@livelovesew}.
Join me again tomorrow for a special Christmas giveaway!
Keera
x
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