Prairie Apron Tutorial

In my last post, Aprons for Art Camp,  I shared a couple of the aprons I made using thrift store bargains. Since then, I've finished a third one. Now I will have one to wear for each day of camp! I also promised a tutorial for each one. I'll start with the Prairie Apron.

 

I started with a pair of denim bib overall shorts,

a blue cotton patchwork skirt and a cream cotton skirt.

Step 1 - Cut the front of the overalls away from the back leaving the side seams and straps on the front piece.

 (the back piece is shown here)

Step 2 - On the front piece, stitch the pockets so they will lay flat but are still usable.

Step 3 - Trim the overalls to shorten them.

Step 4 - Cut off the bottom piece from the front of the cream cotton skirt. (I wanted this apron to have a rustic look so I didn't clean finish any of the edges but you may want to)

Step 5 - Sew two rows of gathering stitches along the top edge of the cotton piece. Carefully gather to fit the width of the overalls, pin into place on the outside of the overalls and stitch.

Step 6 - Cut the patchwork skirt along the side seams.

Step 7 - Lay the patchwork piece on the overalls and trim the bottom edge allowing most of the cream ruffle to show.

Step 8 - Cut a thin strip from the lining of one of the skirts or from the cream cotton skirt. Sew a gathering stitch down the center of it and gather it to fit the bottom of the patchwork piece. Pin into place and stitch.

Step 9 - Pin the patchwork piece onto the overalls just below the waistband at the center. Create a center tuck, pin and stitch tucks. Pin the sides and stitch down each side several inches (depends how deep you want the pockets to be) Then stitch across the patchwork piece to form the bottom of the pockets.

 Close-up of the center tuck.

Step 10 - My patchwork skirt had a tie string so I cut a piece of it, tied it in a bow and stitched it at the top of the tuck.

 

 Step 11 - Cut two strips from leftover patchwork fabric.

Step 12 - Sew a gathering stitch down the center of each strip. Pull gathers to fit the bib pocket. Pin into place and stitch.

 Step 13 - Cut a strip from the overalls back piece.

Step 14 - Cut two riveted buttons from the back piece and sew one to each end of the strip. This will become the apron belt. (mine was a little too long once I sewed the riveted buttons on so I added some tucks to each side of the buckle)

 The finished belt will button onto the apron like this.

 In a few days I will be posting a tutorial for my Black & White apron.

 I hope you will stop by and check it out.

Happy Sewing!

Linking to: One Artsy Mama: shine on Fridays, Fireflys and Jellybeans: Show Off Your Stuff, I Gotta Create!: Wildly Original Link Party, Too Much Time On My Hands: Get Schooled Saturday, Funky Junk Interiors: SNS 176, Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Craft-O-Manicac: Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What You Got, Threading Your Way: Apron Party, Creating My Way to Success