Double Apron Tutorial Day!

It's Double Apron Day today at Ruffles and Stuff!

The first apron tutorial is from my creative-style soulmate, Mellissa, of Frakers Acres! You may remember her as the "Ruffle Your Stuff" grand prize winner last month. She's all about cute, fun, and bright, and I can't get enough of that! She was gracious enough to consent to be a guest on my blog during "Celebrating MOM", so please give her a warm welcome for me! :o)

Hello Everyone!
I'm Mellissa, from Frakers Acres.
I am so happy and thankful to be guest posting today on the most darling blog around! I first found Ruffles and Stuff just a few months ago when Disney held the "Ruffle Your Stuff" contest. I am so happy I did. Being a ruffle lover myself, Disney spoke right to my heart with all her thrifty, creative, refashiony ideas. Plus, who couldn't love her? When you read her blog, don't you feel like you are chatting on the back porch with a tall glass of raspberry lemonade enjoying a summer evening? I do, and I am so thrilled Disney has asked me to help celebrate all the moms and women out there.
Since nothing shouts "I love you" more than a home cooked meal, we thought Grandma's Apron would be a perfect turorial to share.

Skill Level: begginer-intermediate

Needed:

*1/2 yard front fabric

*1/2 yard back fabric

*1/4 yard band fabric

*2 extra wide double fold bias tape in complimentary colors

*1/4 yard pocket fabric OR scraps from front and back fabrics

Seam Allowance: 1/4 inch unless otherwise stated

Fabric Choices: Cotton Calicos

Preparation: Wash, dry, and iron all your fabric before using.

CUT. Decide on the shape you want your apron. Cut both front and back fabrics into that shape. Cut the band fabric down the middle lengthwise to make two 4 1/2" x 45" long strips. This picture shows white fabric to be used for the pockets, but at the last minute, I decided to use scraps from the apron front and back fabrics.

SEW. With right sides together, sew the back and front fabrics around the rounded or bottom edges.

Snip around rounded edges to allow fabric to lay flat after being turned and ironed.

Estimate the length of bias tape needed to sew a boarded and cut to size. Do this with both colors.

Turn and iron flat.

Open bias tape with right sides together. Sew.

Sandwich the bottom edges of the apron in the bias tape. Pin and sew. Sew once as close to the far right edge of bias tape as possible and once as close to the far left edge of the bias tape as possible.

Decide a shape and fabric for the pocket. Cut two.

Leaving top open, sew with right sides together. Turn and iron flat.

Using the left over bias tape, sew around all the edges of your pocket.

Make a bow using the last of the bias tape.

Untie the bow and sew the bias tape together.

Find the middle of the bias tape bow. Sew it to the middle of the pocket.

Tie bow. Sew back of the bow loops to the pocket.

Decide where to put the pocket. Pin to TOP LAYER only. Sew leaving top open like a pocket.

Repeat with back pockets.

Pin to TOP LAYER only and sew.

Waisteband. Sew band strips together at the short ends.

Iron sewn seam open.

Pin the waisteband on the top of the apron with right sides together. Sew them together starting where the two fabrics meeting and ending where they don't.

Iron the sewn seam and continue down the strap.

Iron a fold in the other side of the strap to match.

Iron the strap in half.

Pin the fold together.

Sew strap from one end to another

Tuck end in and sew. Repeat on other end of strap.

You are done!

Mellissa, thank you a million times!

This apron could not be any cuter. I can't decide which side I love more! :o)

See more of Mellissa HERE!

And everyone be sure to check back later today for my own little apron-invention!

Check out Dana's fun posts today, too!