Featured Fabric: Henry Glass Pumpkin Kisses by Grace Violet Designs

Pattern Design by: Lindsay Conner

Sewn by: Lindsay Conner

A kitchen apron is an easy sewing project for beginners and it also allows you to show off some of your cutest seasonal fabric prints! This apron includes a phone pocket so you can keep your recipe (or timer!) nearby. The top ruffle and one-size-fits-all neck strap make it stand out from the rest. Let’s get started!

Skills Learned: Applying a pocket, ruffles

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

Finished Size: Approximately 40” long x 24” wide at bottom (101.6cm X 60.96cm)

Fabric Requirements:

1 yard of 2 different prints. I used:

-        1317M-96 Black-Multi Tossed Small Pumpkins (main fabric)

-        1315M-66 Orange Diagonal Plaid (accent fabric)

Sewing machine, iron, and thread

Binding clips

Scissors, rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat

Safety pin

Instructions & Cutting:

Make the Apron

1. With the 1-yard cut of the main fabric folded in half, position the fabric so both selvage edges are stacked to the right. Trim 3” off the bottom and set aside. The folded fabric should now measure 33” tall.

Place the fabric on a cutting mat, lining up the folded left edge with the edge of your cutting mat. Use a ruler to mark a dot along the top that’s 6.5” from the folded edge. Mark a second dot along the bottom that’s 14” from the folded edge. Use a long ruler and marker to draw a line between the dots. Cut along this diagonal line to make the main apron panel.

2. From the accent fabric, cut 2 strips 2.5” x 22”. Place them right sides together and stitch along both long raw edges, leaving the short ends open. Fasten a safety pin to one short raw edge, poking it through only one layer of fabric. Carefully push the safety pin through the tube to turn it right side out. Remove the safety pin and press the fabric strip. Topstitch 1/8” from the edge on both long sides of the neck strap. Set aside.

3. From the accent fabric, cut a strip 3.5” x 28” for the ruffle. Fold the strip in half widthwise with wrong sides together. Use a long basting stitch to sew a row of stitches 1/8” and another row 1/4” from the long raw edges, leaving a long tail of thread at one end.

Gently pull at the top long thread to gather the fabric. Continue making ruffles and sliding them along the strip until the entire length of the gathered raw edges is 13”. Clip the raw edges of the ruffled accent strip to the top raw edge of the apron (the 13” edge). On top of the ruffle, clip the neck strap with both raw edges clipped about 1 strap width away from each end, with raw edges aligned. Stitch together all layers using a ¼” seam allowance. You may use a zig-zag stitch over the raw edges to reinforce the seam.

4. From the accent fabric, cut 2 pocket pieces 6” x 7”. Place them right sides together and stitch ¼” around the perimeter, leaving a 3” gap in one side for turning. Use scissors to carefully snip off the corners of the pocket piece, then turn it right side out through the turning gap. Poke the corners out gently with a dull pencil and press. Topstitch along one short edge of the pocket about 3/8” from the end (this will be the pocket top). Set aside.

5. From the large main fabric scrap that is left over from step 1, cut 2 strips 2.5” x WOF for the waist straps. Fold one strip widthwise with right sides together and clip the long raw edges. Stitch ¼” from the clipped edge, leaving both short ends open. Fasten a safety pin to one short raw edge, poking it through only one layer of fabric. Carefully push the safety pin through the tube to turn it right side out. Remove the safety pin and press the fabric strip. Repeat with the second waist strap.

Take one short end of each waist strap and fold it over ¼”, then ¼” again to enclose the raw edge. Clip in place. Topstitch 1/8” around the perimeter on one waist straps, stitch over the long sides and the folded short side. Repeat with the second waist strap.

6. Next, it’s time to finish the raw edges of the apron. Fold the bottom of the apron ¼” toward the wrong side, then another ¼” and press. Clip in place. Fold both long edges of the apron ¼” toward the wrong side, then another 1/4" and press. Clip in place. Make sure to also fold over the raw edges of the ruffle at this time.

Measure 9” below the bottom of the ruffle. Insert the raw end of one waist strap there, tucking it under the folded edge of the left side. Repeat with the other waist strap, tucking it under the folded edge of the right side at the same 9” mark. Clip both straps in place.

7. Starting and ending at the ruffle, topstitch around the apron all around the clipped edges to finish. The waist straps will be naturally tucked back into the seams; pull each strap forward a bit toward the apron front. Add a short line of stitches where you topstitched the apron earlier to secure both straps to the very edge of the apron.

8. Finally, place the pocket on the apron, positioning it just below the strap on either the left or right side. The topstitched side should be positioned near the top. Pin the pocket in place, then topstitch it to the apron panel by sewing 1/8” from the left, bottom, and right sides, backstitching at both ends.

Now you have your very own kitchen apron, complete with a cell phone pocket and ruffled collar. These make great handmade projects for the holidays, and you can always whip one up to give as a housewarming or bridal shower gift!

Fabric Details:

To view the complete Henry Glass Pumpkin Kisses collection by Grace Violet Designs click here.

To find a retailer near you click here.

Learn more about Lindsay here.