Sewing: Child's Reversible Fat Quarter Apron (Tutorial and Pattern)

A friend invited us to a tea party this week. Such a fun idea to do with friends and just what we needed after a few weeks of Winter storms. We're so ready for Spring! She said we didn't need to bring a thing, so because I was off the hook for food I thought it would be fun to make the girls some little aprons to wear.

With the rickrack and pom poms these have a dressed up feel but they are easy to wear, perfect for throwing on over school clothes, and double as a full length napkin! I made some just like them years ago for my nieces (along with a matching tablecloth and an apron for their mother), and again for Audrey (here's a peek) with matching napkins when she had a kitchen set to play with.

They are the perfect excuse for buying a bit of fabric you love, but for which you have no other plans! Or maybe you have a bunch of odd pieces in your stash and this would be a great way to use them up. I actually went to Joann earlier in the week and found the six different fabrics I used in their quilting section. All so cute!

I also bought this great big pom pom trim there. Very soft and great saturated colors.

This pattern calls for 2 fat quarters for each apron. I first saw the idea when my friend, Amy, shared it with me years ago. She had purchased a kit at a quilt shop. But you can certainly use some yardage and cut your fabric to the size of a fat quarter: 18"x22"  In fact, if you are using fat quarters you'll need to be sure the pattern on the fabric is oriented the way you want it for the apron. I made the mistake the first time of not checking and I had ladybugs creeping sideways instead of up and down, which is what I'd wanted.

These little aprons fit toddlers and children. You can see ages 2 to 6 here. Audrey's (the pink and orange floral) is the full size pattern. I actually used pieces that were about 18" long for Tess's and Scarlett's aprons, so they are shorter. I was trying to squeeze them out of some half yards I bought and it worked just fine.

The little pocket is formed with the armhole cut out so you use every bit of fabric. nice to have a place to stash some buttons, or chocolate chips, or small toy. Tess is always excited to discover a pocket on something she is wearing.

Ready to sew some?

Click through for the tutorial and pattern.

CHILD'S FAT QUARTER APRON TUTORIAL

For each apron you'll need:

• 2 fat quarters (or two pieces of fabric measuring 18"x 22" each) quilting weight cotton (NOTE: as mentioned in my post above, you'll need to check the direction of your fabric printing, if there is a direction to be sure the pattern is oriented the way you'd like it, or buy 3/4 yard in a traditional cut to be certain you have enough length either parallel or perpindicular to the selvedge.)
• 18" pom pom trim (optional--giant rickrack is really cute too!)
• A scrap of rickrack to trim the pocket -- about 8" will do
• 2 yards  of 1" wide grosgrain ribbon (a bit more than you'll need)
• 1  3/4" or 1" button
• My pattern piece for the Fat Quarter Apron ARMHOLE (which doubles as the POCKET) found here

Download the ARMHOLE pattern piece (found here) and print it at 100%. Be sure your printer isn't set to print "to fit" or "scale."  There is a 1" square on the page for you to check that the page has printed correctly. Cut out the pattern piece from the paper.

Fold your fat quarter in half lengthwise (it should measure 9"x22") and position the pattern piece with the straight edges aligned with the top and side of the fabric (not the fold) as illustrated below. Cut two armhole pieces this way from each fat quarter. You'll have four triangular pieces for making two POCKETS, and the remaining fat quarters (minus armholes) will be the APRON pieces.

If you want to use rickrack, baste a piece of rickrack along the top curve of one of each of the two ARMHOLE/POCKET pieces. Baste down the center of the rickrack.

Pin two POCKET pieces together with right sides facing and stitch all the way around using a 3/8 inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening in one of the sides for turning. IMPORTANT NOTE: if you are using rickrack you may need to adjust your seam allowance along the top cure of the pocket so that the stitching is aligned with your basting down the center of the rickrack. this way your rickrack will be positioned perfectly.

Clip your corners and turn right side out. Press, being careful to tuck in the raw edges where you left the gap for turning.

Position the pocket on the center of the apron piece, about three inches below the bottom of the armholes. Pin and stitch in place along the straight sides as close as possible to the edge of the pocket.

Baste the pom pom trim along the bottom of one of the APRON pieces. Place the pom pom trim so the pom poms are facing up away from the hem. (After you sew the two APRON pieces together and turn the apron right side out the pom poms will hang down from the hem.) This is a matter of personal taste, but I like a bit of the webbing showing, but you could use a zipper foot and sew closer to the pompoms so that they dangle out of the hem...

Cut two pieces of ribbon 21 inches long for the apron ties, and one piece 16 inches long for the neck. Turn under a raw end on each of the pieces twice (turn under 1/4" and turn under 1/4" again) and zigzag or straight stitch it down to prevent it from fraying.

Baste the raw edges of two of the 21 inch pieces of ribbon to the sides of the apron 3/8" below the armholes. Align the edge of the ribbon with the raw edge of the fabric so the ribbon is lying towards the center of the apron.

Now place the other two apron pieces right sides together and pin around all the edges except for the top. Leave that open for turning. Be careful to keep the ribbon ties and pom pom trim out of the way. You'll have a bit of bulk along the hem depending on the size of your pom poms.

Stitch around all sides (except for the top) using a 3/8 inch seam allowance. Clip the corners. Turn right side out and press well.

Turn the top raw edges of the apron in 3/8 inch and press. Tuck in the raw edge of your shorter ribbon and pin in place.

Top stitch the top of the apron closed close to the folded edge being sure to catch the raw edge of the ribbon.

Create a button hole large enough for your button in the corner of the top of your apron, opposite the neck ribbon. I like to put these at a diagonal. Open the buttonhole using scissors or a seam ripper.

Now sew your button to the ribbon about 1 inch from the finished edge. (Or try it on your child and find where it fits best.) With just one button you can easily twist the ribbon to reverse the apron, and won't have the discomfort of another button on the wrong side of the apron.

Enjoy your Fat Quarter apron!