Continuing with our current obsession with linen, we'd like to share with you a super simple sewing project that makes a really great gift or addition to any kitchen. This half apron is customizable for your specific needs, and is a great item for any cook. We love having a place to clean our hands while we're cooking, and the lining on this apron makes keeping the front clean easy! It's the perfect apron if you don't have to worry about oil splatter on your top half, just enough protection and wiping space for typical cooking. Click more to see the full tutorial!
We made this half apron for someone that is very serious in the kitchen, so we considered function as well as beauty in this project. We wanted something sturdy, as items like aprons can make it to the wash more often than other garments. We also wanted it to look beautiful, and we love an apron that ties in the front so we made extra long straps. The exterior is made using a Robert Kaufman linen/cotton blend that has a coarser texture than many blends -- we love this for durability. The liner uses a vintage bed sheet for the material, a fun floral that is soft for wiping the hands.
Materials:
1 yard linen or linen/cotton blend
2/3 yard lining cotton
Thread
Process:
1. Cut materials
From exterior fabric:
Cut one 28" by 21" rectangle for the main body. You can adjust here based on your desired width/length. You'll need to account for 2 inches of fold-over on each side, and 2 inches on the bottom for the hem when adjusting measurements.
Cut two 4" by 36" strips for the straps.
Cut one 13" by 20" rectangle for the front pocket.
From lining fabric:
Cut one 26" by 21" rectangle.
2. Prepare pocket
Iron down the two short sides of your 13" by 20" pocket piece, 1/2" with the iron. Press down another 1/2" to create a closed rolled hem on the sides. Repeat on two long sides, creating a closed hem on all 4 sides. Stitch closed all the way around close to the interior hem edge to secure the hem flap down (DO NOT attach to main body yet). You will just have one line of stitching about 1/2" in from the edge here.
3. Attach pocket to main body
Center the pocket on your main body piece, approximately 5" from either side edge. Pin in place, approximately 4-5" from the top of the apron. Using a disappearing ink marker, draw a line to show where you want your pocket separated -- we did one down to the center to create two large pockets.
Stitch pocket to the main body piece, keeping your stitching close to the exterior edge of the pocket piece and going around the side, bottom, and other side of the pocket. Stitch down your pocket separation line, too, making sure you backstitch twice over the pocket top, each time you reach the top. We finished the pocket edge with two diagonal stitch lines, to further secure the opening from ripping stitches (see photo).
4. Prepare main body
Iron down 1" on two short sides of the main body fabric. Make sure they are pressed heavily. Lay lining material right side up on the back of your exterior piece, edges should rest just along the ironed crease. Fold over the side edges (lining and main fabric) in once more 1" and press with the iron, encasing the lining fabric into the rolled hem on the two short sides. Pin to prepare for sewing.
With the iron, press in the bottom of your apron hem, folding over 1" twice to encase the lining with the main fabric. Iron down & pin to prepare for sewing.
Stitch down your 1" hem on all three sides, staying close to the flap opening, approximately 1" from the apron edge. Follow around all three sides again, this time staying close to the exterior edge, making two parallel stitch lines around the sides and bottom of your apron.
5. Prepare straps
Join the two strap pieces on one 4" side, stitching right sides together with a 1/4" seam allowance. Finish with scalloped or pinking shears.
At the iron, fold each short (4") side of your long strip in 1/2" toward the wrong side, and press. This will close the end seams. Next, press your strap piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides touching, all the way down the long strip, making a center crease. Open the flap, and iron down each long side 1/2" toward the center crease to tuck in the edges. Fold in half completely lengthwise, and you will have a binding strip.
6. Attach straps
Center your strap on your apron, using the seam you used to attach the two strap pieces as your center guide. Fold over the top of the apron, completely enclosing the top raw edges. Pin to prepare for sewing. Pin all the way down the straps, making sure the open ends match up evenly. Beginning at one end of your strap, topstitch the short end closed, then pivot around the corner to continue stitching down the open end of your binding strip/strap piece. Follow it all the way down, attaching to the apron and finishing off the open ends on the other side. You may choose to go all the way around the strap piece, stitching across the top edge as well, to make sure it won't separate when washed.
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