Spring Cleaning - Part 1 ~ Sewing

Spring is here (and has been for a while) and we all know what that means, spring cleaning! Dust has been collecting in our house, and we decided that it's high time we did something about it! Remember yesterday when Rebecca mentioned something about a secret project? Well, this week we're going to show you how to make your very own spring cleaning set! Today we'll make the apron, tomorrow the mob cap, and after that the feather duster!

Part 1: Half-apron

Supplies:
1/4 yard fabric
15 inch piece of lace

Fold a piece of paper in half, draw a four inch line from the folded edge, make a mark on the fold edge 4 1/2 inches from the first line. Connect the line and the mark with a curve as pictured. 

Cut paper on fold. Pin pattern to folded fabric, matching straight edge of paper with fabric fold.

This is how your apron piece should look, 8 inches across and 4 1/4 inches tall in the middle.  NOTE: Kirsten's apron was made 7 inches across, but I wanted more gather so I changed it to 8. See the last photo for a comparison of the two.

Pin the together the lace and fabric about 1/4 inch away from the edge of the fabric

Sew lace to fabric. 

Turn fabric under at seam, iron flat

Turn apron right side up, iron flat.

Using a long machine stitch, sew about 1/8 inch away from the fabric edge. Do not backstitch

Pulling the loose thread ends, gather apron to a length of 6 inches.

Cut a strip of fabric 1 1/2 inches by 16 inches. Fold in half and iron flat.

Unfold strip. Fold one half in, matching fabric edge with fold. Iron flat. 

Repeat with the other side, ironing it flat.

Refold strip on original fold line, enclosing raw edges. Iron flat.

Mark strip at 5 inches in and at 11 inches.

Unfold one side of the strip. Matching fabric edges and marks on strip with apron sides, pin together and sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. 

Refold the strip, as pictured.

Fold strip all the way, enclosing the top edge of the apron. Iron flat

Top view

Sew right on the edge of the outside fold of the entire strip, catching the inside fold underneath.

Back view

Aren't they sweet?

What do you think? Was this simple enough? If you make this, please send us a picture and we'll post it! Thanks for joining us today, and come back tomorrow to make the mob cap!

~ Rebecca and Kirsten