Saturday, February 28, 2009

Frilly Reversible Apron


Copy and enlarge the pattern pieces found at the end of the instructions as indicated.
Cut out the apron pieces as directed. Set them aside.
Place fabric A, unfolded, on the work surface. Refer to figure 1 to get all the pieces out of 1 yard (90 cm) of material. Pin the front bottom to the fabric, and mark the bodice, casing, and bias strips for the ruffle. Cut out all the pieces.

Making the Buttonholes
Make buttonholes in the bodice casing through which you’ll thread the ties. Mark the center point of one casing piece. Using this as a reference, move 3/4" (1.9 cm) down into the fabric to mark the spot to make a 1/2" (1.3 cm) buttonhole. Use the tear-away stabilizer to reinforce the hole as you construct it, following the instructions for your sewing machine. Slice the buttonhole open with the seam ripper. Repeat for the second casing piece.
Pin and stitch one bodice casing piece made from fabric A to one bodice piece made of fabric B, with right sides together. Stitch the other casing made out of fabric B to the bodice in fabric A. Trim the seams, and press them toward the bodice.
Baste one end of one tie to the wrong side of either casing (figure 3). Don’t push the tie through the buttonhole yet. Baste the other tie to the other side. Baste the strap to the same bodice, placing it 5⁄8" (1.6 cm) from the side, with the raw edges even with the raw edges of the casing (figure 4). Be careful not to twist the strap.




Pin both bodice pieces together, with right sides together, aligning the seams and matching the center points. Beginning and ending 1/2" (1.3 cm) from the bottom edge, stitch along the sides and top, leaving the entire bottom open, being careful not to catch the ties or straps in the stitching (figure 5). Trim the seam of the casing only, at the buttonholes, to 1⁄8" (3 mm) to allow the ties to come from either side. Reinforce the stitching at the upper corners of the casing. Turn it right side out.


To create the channel for the ties within the casing, pin across the top of the casing, and topstitch close to the edge. Thread the ties through one buttonhole to the right side, and pin in place in the center of the channel. Using a zipper foot if necessary, topstitch along the bottom of the casing as close to the existing seam as possible.
Knot the ends of the ties. (When you reverse the apron, untie the knots and slip the ties through the buttonhole on the other “right“ side of the casing. Knot them again to secure.)
Mark the center points of the bottom edge of the bodice pieces. Gather the bottom edge of the bodice pieces, using long basting stitches.

Making the Ties & Waistband
For the ties, first cut the two 24" x 16" (61 cm x 40.6 cm) tie pieces in half lengthwise to yield four 24" x 8" (61 cm x 20.3 cm) pieces. Stack and cut them again to yield eight 2" x 4" (61 cm x 10.2 cm) pieces.
For the waistband, cut the 16" x 8" (40.6 cm x 20.3 cm) waistband piece in half lengthwise to yield two 16" x 4" (40.6 cm x 10.2 cm) pieces. Mark the center point of each waistband piece.
Construct the first waistband/tie with four tie pieces and one waistband piece. Stitch the two tie pieces together along the short edges, right sides facing. Repeat for the other two pieces.
Sew the waistband between these pieces, right sides together, leaving the side seam open 1/2"(1.3 cm) on either side of the bottom of the waistband (the edge that you’ll sew to the front bottom). See figure 6. Repeat to make the second waistband/tie, but stitch all the seams completely.



Stitch the first waistband/tie piece—the one with the open seam—to the bodice, with the right side together with the fabric A side, along the top of the waistband section only, gathering the bodice to fit and matching side seams and center points. Begin and end the stitching at the 1/2" (1.3 cm) seam left open in step 11 (figure 7). Repeat for the reverse side of the waistband/tie and the bodice.


With the bodice inside out and the right sides of the waistband/tie together, stitch the long edges and short ends of the ties together, stitching to the 1/2" (1.3 cm) side seam left open on the waistband in step 16, and leaving the front section free. Trim the seams, and turn the waistband/tie right side out. Press it down.

Construct a ruffle by cutting strips from fabric A on the bias (figure 1) and piecing them to get one strip 110" (2.8 m) long. Repeat to construct a second ruffle from fabric B. With the right sides facing, stitch the ruffle pieces together, leaving one long edge open. Trim the seam, turn it right side out, and press it down. Mark the center point of the ruffle.
Gather the raw edges of the ruffle using two rows of basting stitches. Pin them to the bottom of one front bottom piece, beginning and ending 1/2" (1.3 cm) from the side edge. Connect the fabric A side of the ruffle to the front bottom of fabric B. With the marks aligned and the raw edges even, baste the ruffle to the front bottom piece. Trim the seam.
With the right sides facing, pin and stitch both front bottom pieces together along the sides and hem, leaving the waist open. Begin and end the seam 1/2" (1.3 cm) below the waistline.
Pin the fabric A front bottom piece to the same side of the fabric A bodice, right sides facing. Stitch them together.
Turn and press under the seam allowance on the remaining waistband/tie. Place it on the 1/2" (1.3 cm) seamline of the fabric B front bottom piece, and slipstitch the opening closed. Decide which pretty side you feel like showing off today, cinch it on, and give a little sashay because you look so good!
Pattern Template



Skill Level
Intermediate
Materials
Pattern (found at the end of the instructions)
1 yard (91.4 cm) each of two fabrics—A and B—for the reversible bodice and front bottom
1 yard (90 cm) of a complementary fabric for the neck strap, waistband, ties, and drawstrings

1 yard (90 cm) of muslin
Tear-away stabilizer
Thread
Tools & Supplies
Access to a photo copier that enlarges images
Rotary mat, clear ruler with 45° angle lines, and cutter
Fabric shears
Scissors
Pins and needles
Tape measure
Sewing machine
Iron and ironing board
Seam ripper
Water-soluble fabric pens
Seam Allowance
1/2" (1.3 cm)

3 comments:

CathyJean said...

I love this pattern! Thanks for sharing:)

Janet, said...

This is a beautiful apron! I love it.

handyhomemaker said...

Hello. I really like this apron - but there is no links to print out the pattern like you suggested? Can You post them? Thanks!