Box Pleat Apron

This retro style apron has a fitted waist and a full skirt. It will keep you from getting cake batter all over your child-bearing hips, while also making you look spunkily elegant. It has box pleats at the waist, which look neat and tidy, and which spare you from having to even out a gather. (I really don't like evening out gathers.)

Materials:
1 yard of 60 in wide cotton print fabric
1 package double fold bias binding (or make your own)
2 different kinds of pins. I use long yellow-headed quilting pins and regular straight pins. I doesn't really matter as long as you can tell then apart. You could even just stick some tape to the head of some.
thread
sewing machine
scissors
measuring tape or ruler
iron

Step 1 Cut the fabric

Cut one piece 60 x 17 inches. (This will be the whole width of your fabric. Note: if you want to use a smaller width fabric, you will need to buy more yardage and seam two pieces together to make 60 inches.

Draw bib pattern:
On a piece of large tracing paper (or kraft paper or cut open paper grocery sacks), draw a link 14 inches long. At one end of this line, draw a 12 inch perpendicular line straight up. At the top of the 12 inch line (point A), draw a 4 inch line parallel to the 14 inch line. Mark a dot 2 inches above the beginning of the 14 inch line--this is point C. From point C, draw a 8 inch long line that is parallel to the 14 inch line. Draw a smooth curve connecting the 8 inch line and the 4 inch line. Cut out pattern. Place the 12 inch line on the center fold of your fabric and cut out your bib.

Cut one strip 2.5 inches by the width of your fabric. This will be the neck ties.

For the waist ties, cut four 2.5 inch strips that at least 18 inches long. The longer the ties, the bigger the waist they can tie around. You make want to use fabric that matches your binding here, or maybe you want to skip the fabric ties all together and use ribbon or something else instead.

Comments

[grooooovy]

This looks really good- nice idea.

[skolljumper]

You inspired me to make my own apron. It turned out I was too lazy to do box pleats, so I just rouched it instead. Thank you for your tutorial.

[kamadesign]

I really hope seamallowence is included because I'm off to cut up my fabric :) I'll let you know how it turns out.

[luvit]

that looks nice. like june cleaver.

[sleebus.jones]

Totally hot. :P

[thepelton]

I was reminded more of Dorothy from "Wizard of OZ", myself. Nice.

[seamster]

Very nice. Good clear photos, too!

[pwhite66]

I can't wait to try this. I don't like messing with gathers either!

[tumblingblocks]

yeah. I've done countless gathers, and they never come out quite as even as I want them to. Maybe I need more patience. Or just more pleats

[mossy322]

Very nice...Now I just have to get a sewing machine and some skills! :)