Saturday, August 14, 2010

How to make a child's apron.

Each year we find that about 90% of the gifts that we buy are for friends and family overseas. The postage alone nearly cripples us. Each individual gift may not seem overly heavy but by the time each parcel is packed up we find that the postage is about $60-$100 per family. There is a sea-mail option which is almost half the cost but it takes 12 weeks. It needs to go off to the post office by the end of September. We did this last year and were so disappointed when it failed to arrive until late January. This year we are aiming to post mid-late August just to be sure. It seems madness to be thinking of buying Christmas gifts right now but it has to be done.

I decided to try to make some of the younger girls cooking aprons this year. I have a sewing machine but am not overly practised at using it. I bought some lime green and stripy fabric and here is how I made them...

*Disclaimer: If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, are female and aged between 7 and 10 and your names begin with C, G or J you may want to look away now or you will spoil your Christmas surprise!!!

I cut out two apron shapes, one from each piece of fabric. 


I cut long strips, put a green and stripy piece together and sewed along the edges before turning them inside out. These became the straps and the neck loop. Sian told me they needed pockets so we cut pocket shapes and ironed in the edges underneath. On the third and fourth apron I became more adventurous and stitched the child's initial with white thread. 


When the pocket was sewn onto the body I started to pin everything together right sides facing inwards making sure all the straps were positioned correctly. 


I started at the bottom of the apron and sewed a line of stitching just inside the outline shape. I left a gap with no stitching so I could pull everything through right way round! 


Magic!


I hid the gap in the bottom seam by folding the raw edges in and running a line of decorative stitching along the bottom to close it up.


A final iron to smooth everything out and the result is a beautiful reversible child's apron. 
I couldn't resist buying some cute butterfly shaped silicone cake baking trays to complete the present. 


4 presents down. 798 to go....Joke!

 

5 comments - click here to leave your comment:

  1. Anne in Oxfordshire On 8:27 pm Wrote

    Clever you Gina .. it must you an absolute fortune, not just in postage either.

    We don't do presents anymore.. not unless we see them .. and that includes the UK .. might sound harsh .. and not christmas like. I always get phone calls " what would you like " .. well if my family don't know by now they never will... so I say not to buy me anything. I have two things I always love ... Book tokens .. or really really luxury bath items .. they won't buy them as they say its boring ... its my choice.

    I buy for the grandchildren regardless if I see them or not..

    I hope your friends and family get them before January .. happy sewing :-)

     
  2. Crystal @ Semi-Crunchy Mama On 10:59 pm Wrote

    What a fun gift! There's something about handmade presents that I absolutely love -- there's so much MORE about a gift that was made by a loved one, the thoughts and love invested in these gifts.

    I'm hoping to make quite a few of the gifts we give this year (and should probably get started soon!). I might have borrow this apron idea...my 6-year-old nephew would get a kick out of his very own apron and some baking tools!

     
  3. Gina Johnson On 12:28 am Wrote

    You are good! I am impressed and I am on board about the expense of shipping Christmas presents. My family is only 1500 miles away and I feel the pinch of shipping. I say "gift cards" baby! That is an American thing.

     
  4. Diana Lesjak On 1:53 am Wrote

    Great idea!! I ship a lot of things to Tegan and Kelley in Colorado... I feel SOME of your pain! I wish I had a good excuse to start the Christmas madness early. I am on of those last minute Joes... I am going to really make a good effort to change that this year. Thanks for inspiring me to get started!!

     
  5. Aprons for Anyone On 12:37 pm Wrote

    Learn why Aprons are very special to us and why they became a part of hospitality and service industry at http://www.jazzbassment.com/general-info/aprons-for-anyone.php

     

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