The theme for camp this year is Defy the Odds: Hunger for Righteousness. The Hunger Games? How fun is that?! Each group at camp is a different district and Crafts is {perfectly} District 8 or Textiles. I am using old sewing patterns as table covers and I wanted to incorporate lots of fabric into our decor. I thought it would be fun for all the workers to have something that identifies us as the helpers the girls can turn to. That's where these fun tiered ruffle aprons come in.
Each one only took me about 30 minutes to make. Here's what you'll need:
Supplies
- 1 piece of fabric 25-inches x 16.5-inches for base of apron {This fabric doesn't show so it can be muslin or something very plain and inexpensive.}
- 4 strips of fabric 7-inches wide by the width of your fabric from selvage to selvage {about 42-inches usually} for ruffles
- 2 yards of 1.5-inch wide grosgrain ribbon for waistband and ties
- coordinating thread
Instructions
STEP 1: Make a narrow rolled hem on three sides of each piece of fabric {the two short sides and one long side.}
STEP 2: Gather the unfinished edge of your four long fabric strips to form ruffles.
STEP 3: For evenly spaced ruffles without a ton of measuring, fold your base fabric piece in half by bringing the bottom hem up to the unfinished edge and pressing the fold with an iron to crease the fabric. Fold fabric in half again by bringing the crease you just pressed up to the unfinished edge and pressing the new fold into a crease. When you unfold your fabric you will have 3 pressed lines, like this:
Each crease will act as a sewing line for your lower three ruffles. The fourth ruffle will align with the top of the fabric. So easy, right?
STEP 4: Lay fabric wrong side up on your work table. Beginning with your bottom ruffle, lay your strip of gathered fabric wrong side up on top of base fabric along the crease closest to the hem. Here's where it gets a teeny little bit confusing. Pin the ruffle on so that it seems like it's upside down as shown here:
This way, once you sew it in place you can flip the ruffle down and hide the raw edge under the ruffle. So go ahead and sew it in place, flip it down and press it so it lays nicely,
STEP 5: Repeat step 4 for the next two ruffles.
STEP 6: When you get to the top ruffle we're gonna' switch it up and confuse you again. Lay your apron base on your work table so that the ruffles are down. Align the raw edge of your top ruffle right side down with the raw edge of the apron base on the opposite side from the other ruffles, as shown:
Sew it in place then flip the fabric all the way over the top so it hangs with the other ruffles and press it in place.
STEP 7: Line up the center of your ribbon with the center of your apron and pin across the top edge. Stitch in place as shown:
That's it, y'all!! Simple enough to make and so happy-looking. How could you be sad wearing an apron like that?
I conned Sis into modelling it for me {and all of you}. It's so fun and girly she wants a whole skirt just like it! She'll probably have to wait until after camp for that . . .
That's such a pretty apron!! I've scheduled a post on Craft Gossip for later today that links to your tutorial. When it goes live, you can see it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-tiered-ruffle-apron-in-30-minutes/2013/07/22/
--Anne
Hi! I want to feature this on SewCanShe too! It looks to be okay according to your terms of service. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCaroline
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My dear, have you discovered how to gather fabric with fishing line? You'll just kick yourself. Purchase a spool of 20 lb fishing line, 250 yards of it (will last me a life time). Zig zag over it along your gathering line, leaving 4 inches hanging off the edge. I like to secure the ends with a binder clip till I'm ready to gather. Thanks for the ruffled apron tutorial. It's a great sewing project to teach to beginners.
ReplyDeleteGreat apron. I made one similar to this over the summer, but a full. I like how you sew your ruffles on, it is a much better way than what I did! Thanks for sharing. Do you have a button? Maybe we could link up?
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