Sewer’s apron

By Spotlight

This apron can be made with or without the removable pin cushion. All the pockets make it a handy accessory for any artist or crafter.

Final Result

Materials

• 55cm or 2 fat ¼s blue print cotton fabric for front & back - fabric A
• 1 fat ¼ darker blue print cotton fabric - fabric B
• 1 fat ¼ light orange print cotton fabric - fabric C
• 1 fat ¼ orange print cotton fabric for strap & pin cushion
• 85cm matching blue rickrack
• 65cm matching orange rickrack
• 1.3m orange bias binding
• 7cm sew-in Velcro
• small amount of polyester stuffing
• scissors
• sewing machine
• sewing thread
• tape measure/ruler
• pins
• iron

Step 1

Body of apron
For front and back of apron cut 2 rectangles 54cm x 34cm. With wrong sides together, tack or pin together. Lay flat.

Step 2

Pockets
Cut out pockets from printed cotton fabric for placement as shown in diagram.

Fabric A: 20cm x 21cm, fold 20cm side in half wrong sides together and press. Press right edge under 1cm. Pin to bottom left corner of apron front, raw edges aligned.

Fabric B: 15cm x 35cm, fold 35cm side in half wrong sides together and press. Press left edge under 1cm. Pin to bottom right corner of apron front fabric, with raw edges aligned.

Cut another piece 17cm x 24cm. Fold 24cm side in half wrong sides together and press. Press raw edges, of remaining 3 sides, under 1cm and put aside.

Fabric C: 22cm x 24cm, fold 24cm side in half wrong sides together and press. Press raw edges, of remaining 3 sides, under 1cm. Pin to apron front along bottom edge between pockets A and B.

Cut another piece 16cm x 30cm. Fold 30cm side in half wrong sides together and press. Press right and bottom edges under 1cm. Pin to apron front as per diagram with the bottom of pocket in line with the top of the other C pocket.

Pin the other B pocket next to this pocket, as per diagram, reaching half way along the other C pocket.

Sew all pockets to apron through both front and back pieces by topstitching 2mm from all side and bottom edges.

Leave the folded tops of all pockets open and unstitched.

Step 3

Trims & binding
Pin then topstitch rickrack to apron front to cover the side and bottom edges of the pockets. Be careful not to sew over any pockets.

Trim any uneven side edges of apron. Bind side and bottom edges of pocketed apron, front and back together, with bias binding.

Step 4

Waistband & tie
From orange fabric cut 4 x 12cm wide strips. From the end of one strip, cut 2 rectangles 10cm x 12cm and put aside for pin cushion.

Sew fabric strips into one long strip and press seams open.

Fold in half lengthways, wrong sides to together. Sew together with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a 55cm gap in the centre of one of the long side.

Clip corners, turn right side out, press flat.

Insert 1cm of the top of the apron into the 55cm gap in the strap and pin closed.

Topstitch around waistband and strap, enclosing apron in stitching.

Step 5

Pin cushion
Sew one side of the strip of Velcro to the right side of one of the orange rectangles in the centre.

Place the right side of the other piece on top and sew together leaving a 5cm opening on one of the longer sides.

Clip corners, turn right side out and press. Stuff with polyester filling then hand sew opening closed.

Sew the other side of the Velcro to the apron front, centering over the rickrack on the right-hand side 8cm from the top of apron front.