pretend and play restaurant set: little chef's apron

Last week we walked through making the chef's hat for the pretend and play restaurant set. 

Every little chef needs an apron too! And these aprons are made for children to be able to put them on without any assistance with an elastic neck strap and a velcro waist strap. 

The Little Chef's Apron

for personal, non-commercial use only

Here's what you need:

2 - 15 x 22 inch rectangles  (body of apron)

2 - 5 x 11 inch rectangles (long pocket on bottom half of apron)

2 - 4 1/2 x 5 inch pieces (smaller pocket on upper half of apron)

2 - 2 x 30 inch pieces of fabric (neck strap)

1 - 18 inch piece of elastic

2 - 2 x 18 inch pieces of fabric (waist strap)

1 - 2 inch strip of hook and loop (to attach to waist strap and apron body)

Here's what you do:

1)  Fold long rectangles in half length-wise leaving a 7 1/2 x 22 inch rectangles.  At the top corner where you joined the two edges, mark off a 3 x 8 inch rectangle with a disappearing ink pen.  Draw an arch in this rectangle.  Cut out the arch.  Unfold and you will have the apron shape.  (Shown in bottom picture.)

2) Put 5 x 11 inch rectangles right sides together.  Pin them right sides together. Sew around leaving 2 inch hole for turning. Turn. Top stitch one long edge of pocket (this will be the top of the pocket and will not be sewn to the body of the apron). Then pin pocket to the lower half of the top fabric piece of apron and sew around the remaining three sides - this will close up the turning hole. Add pocket dividers where desired.

3)  Put the smaller pocket pieces right sides together.  (I rounded the bottom of these pieces for a rounded pocket.) Follow the same steps for the long pocket to sew and attach pocket to upper half of apron body.

4)  Pin 2 x 30 inch pieces right sides together.  Sew down each long side leaving both short ends open.  Turn.  Top stitch down each long end of tube.  Attach safety pin to elastic strip and insert into long tube.  Make sure to pin the other end to the edge of the fabric strip when it is pulled even with the end. Bunch fabric up around elastic and sew ends.

5)  Sew one side of hook and loop to 1 of the 2 x 18 inch waist strap rectangles.  Sew the other side of the hook and loop to the body piece that does NOT have the pockets.  (Make sure you sew it around where the waist is on the child . . . about an inch under the arch.)

6)  Pin the two 2 x 18 pieces right sides together and sew around three sides (two long side and the one short side closest to the hook or loop).  Turn and top stitch around the same three sides.

7)  Pin waist strap to back body piece on the opposite side of the hook and loop.  Make sure that the hook and loop on the waist strap folds under and matches up with the hook and loop on the body of the apron.

8)  Pin neck strap in a u-shape around the top of the body of the apron.  Sandwich in between the two body pieces right sides together.  Pin.  Sew around leaving a turning hole.

9)  Turn and top stitch closing up opening in the process.

Done!

Coming up later this week . . . hot pads/oven mitts.

Craft on!

Check out the great parties I may link to by clicking on the blog name below or visiting my "I like to party" page that shows off all the party buttons.  These gals go to a lot of work to host these parties.  If you participate in parties please take time to look through a variety of the projects linked up.  They are a great source of inspiration!

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Friday - The Sabby Nest, A Little Knick Knack, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It's Fun to Craft!, It's a Hodgepodge Life, Kojo Designs, Simply Sweet Home, Frou Frou Decor, Remodelaholic; Momma's Kinda Crafty