Soft Pleated Apron Tutorial

Happy Valentine's Day Sweet Readers.

My gift to you.
My first tutorial.
This pleated style body is based on a vintage apron I found when out treasure hunting. The waistband and ties are pieced using the technique from
Jona Giammalva's Apron in an Hour.

Fabric Required
Body 1/2 yard
Waistband Ties & Trim 1/2 yard
Thread to match fabric

Supplies
Basic sewing supplies
"Quick Turn" fabric tube turners by Dritz
Iron

Cutting Your Fabric:
First, remove all selvage edges from fabric.
For apron body cut 1 piece of fabric 39" wide by 18" long
For waistband, ties & trim cut 4 strips 4 1/2" by width of fabric

Adding the bottom trim piece.
Take one of the 4 1/2" strips and iron in half.
Place this strip on the bottom raw edge of apron
right sides together.

Stitch, using a 1/4" seam. I like to zigzag the seam allowance.
You could also use pinking shears.

Trim strip even to match apron edges.
Iron seam upward.
Top stitch on front of apron.

Side Hems

Turn and press under 1/4" on each side edge.
Fold and press again.
Stitch.

I like to top stitch a second line of stitching.

Adding the pleats.

On the wrong side of the body apron piece
measure in 5" from the side edge.
From this mark measure every 2 inches.
Number your marks 1-2-3-4-5-6

Working on the wrong side of the fabric
bring line 1 to line 2 and pin.
Bring line 3 to 4 and pin.
Bring line 5 to 6 and pin.
Repeat for second side of apron.
Baste the pleats in place, keeping the top edge straight.

The folds of the fabric will be facing
toward the middle of the apron.

On the right side of your apron, the pleats
should be laying towards the outside edge
going away from the middle.

Adding Waistband and Ties

Take one 4 1/2" strip and lay on the top edge of apron.

Cut strip to fit adding 1/2" for seams.

Take one 4 1/2" x 44 strip and sew to one end of waistband.
Take 2nd 4 1/2" strip x 44 strip and sew to the other end of waistband.
Press seams open.
Smaller strip piece should now be in the middle.

Fold the waist tie strips right sides together matching raw edges.
Pin and stitch leaving the center above the main apron piece open.
Turn ties right side out.
Press, making sure the seam edge is flat.

Fold under 1/4' and press unfinished edge of your waistband strip
directly above the main apron body.

Fold the unsewn part of the waistband over so that
the folded edge covers the stitch line.
Pin in place.
Stitch close to edge.

Top stitch waist band and ties.

YOUR FINISHED!!!
Now try it on and take a picture.
I'd love to see what you've done!

If you have any questions please email me.
The link is at the top of the page.

Now let's hear the hummmmm of those
sewing machines.

*P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment on the Vintage Inspiration post
to be entered into the drawing for the pink apron.