Pleated Apron Tutorial

I’ve been on an Apron Love for the past 6 months. I decided to put my ideas down…… and here is another one. This one I made for my neighbour for Christmas 2012.

The original Pattern:

You will need to make yourself a pattern for this apron but it is very easy. Just one pattern piece is all you will need for the skirt.

The measurement across the top of the panel is 6 1/4″, across the bottom it is 8 1/2″ . From top to bottom it is 17 1/4″.

Make sure to mark which is the top and which is the bottom of your pattern pieces.

To get the panels to fit on fat quarters, see below! I changed things from the original blog. The link is at the bottom.

Unless stated, sew with a 1/4" seam allowance, and zigzag or serge raw edges

Supplies:

5 fat quarters= 4 different colours

FQ x1

FQ x1

FQ x1

FQ x2

about 28" - 30" ruffled bias

thread to match

Cut pieces:

fabric A (light pink) (the behind color of the skirt)
Cut one fat quarter equally into 4 rectangle pieces x 18".
Measure about 1" from each side of the tops of these rectangles.
Draw a line from the new point to bottom corner on both sides of all rectangle pieces. Cut this angle on all sides of the rectangles. 

fabric B (brown w/white) (main skirt color)

Cut one fat quarter into 3 rectangle pieces, same size as above (keep leftover fabric for neck tie ends)

fabric B, cut 2 pieces 8 ½” x 4 ½” for neck ties

fabric C (brown w/pink) (secondary skirt color)

Cut one fat quarter into 2 pieces, same size as above (keep leftover fabric for bib)

fabric C  9" wide x 10" tall for bib, rounding the top corners (if you wish)

fabric D (pink w/brown), cut 12 pieces 2 ½” x 18" long for waist ties

fabric D, cut 2 pieces 18 ½” x 4.5" for neck ties

1. Cut 4 pattern pieces from your coordinating fabric A. This is the fabric that will be under the pleats on the apron.

2. Cut 3 pattern pieces from your main fabric choice. This is the fabric that will be on the “outside” of the apron. We will call this Fabric B.

Be sure to keep your pattern straight on your fabric, especially if it has a print. You don’t want it to look all crooked when you are done.

3. Cut 2 pattern pieces from your coordinating "outside" fabric. We will call this Fabric C. (If you are not limited to the selection of Fat Quarters, you could cut 5 main pieces of the same fabric instead of 3 of one, and 2 of another.)

The Apron Skirt

1. RST, sew one Fabric A and one Fabric B with a ¼” seam up one side. Repeat with your remaining fabric, remembering that you want your fabric in this order = B-A-C-A-B-A-C-A-B

2. Go back and finish each of those seam edges. You can serge the edges or just overcast (zigzag) stitch like I did.

3. Make pin tucks by folding along the first seam you made, right sides showing.

Pin and press. Repeat with each seam. Stitch along the edge of the folds you made using a very small 1/8” seam allowance.

4. Finish the raw sides and bottom of your apron. First, working on the sides, make a 1/4″ fold and press. Fold over 1/4″ again and press. Pin. Stitch. Do the same thing across the bottom.

*Remember when stitching along the bottom to sew in such a way so as the pin tucks you made are lying flat. If you iron the box pleats into the skirt (first part of Step 5), you will see what direction your pin tucks need to go. It will be much easier to stitch that way then to go over the pin tucks the “wrong” way. Now the only raw edge that should be left is at the top of the apron.

5. In order to make your pleats, you must find the midpoint of the Fabric A panels. Measure along the top and mark the middle with a pin. Do that with each Fabric A panel.

Fold the first Fabric B panel in to meet the midpoint mark you made on your first Fabric A panel. Pin.

Go to your Fabric C panel and fold it in to meet the midpoint of your first Fabric B panel. Pin. Repeat with the remaining panels. Baste across each of the pleats you just made. Press.

The Bib

1. Cut 9" x10" of fabric C. It's taller than it is wide. Round the top corners if you wish. 

2. Cut ruffle bias tape to fit bib. Sew around the raw edges.

The Waistband/Tie

1. For one side of your waistbands, you will need 6 pieces of fabric D, 2 ½” x 90" in total. RST, sew pieces end to end to make one long piece. Press seams open.

Repeat for other side of waist tie. 

2. WST (Wrong Sides Together) pin both ties together lengthwise.

Find center of waist tie and mark with a pin. Set aside.

3. If you look at your apron, you will notice the center of your apron is in the middle of the second Fabric B panel. Match up the center of the skirt to the center of the bottom of the waistband.

Mark an opening in the waistband that you will need to accommodate for the skirt.

4. Do the same for the bib. Find centers on bib and waistband. Mark the top of the waistband for the bib opening. (Do not pin the bib and the skirt to the waist tie yet.)

5. Sew one side of waist tie: RST, stitch around one side of the waistband between markings, starting at one bib opening, down the length of one tie, turning at the corners, and ending at the pin where you marked for the skirt opening.

Repeat for other tie. Clip corners.

6. Turn right side out thru the bottom (larger) opening, making sure to make your corners pointed. Press.

7. Repeat for other tie.

8. Press the raw edge of the waist ties: Press top opening in ¼”. Press the raw edge of the bottom opening in ¼”.

9. Slip the skirt and bib into their openings in the waistband. Pin. Top stitch on all 4 sides of the waistband, using a small 1/8″ seam allowance and ensuring you catch the apron in the waistband when you sew.

Neckties

1. Cut 2 pieces of Fabric D: 18 ½” x 4 ½”. Cut 2 pieces of Fabric B: 8 ½” x 4 ½”. The neck ties are to be 24-26" long. 

2. RST, sew one Fabric B to one Fabric D on the short end. Press seam open. Fold in half lengthwise. Press. Pin. Repeat for other tie.

3. Stitch along one end and one side of a tie. Clip corners. Turn right side out. Press. Edgestitch at 1/8".

4. Find where you want the neckties to be placed.

5. Because of the ruffle that I used, I had to stitch rip out a few stitches in the ruffle. Then I inserted the neck ties from the back side of apron.

Topstitch in place, sewing the ruffle back together.

I Love Dem Aprons! By Auntie Dem

adapted from http://www.sawdustandpaperscraps.com/2011/07/06/pleated-apron-tutorial/