Kids Apron

I love love love this kids apron or bib.  This is a bigger size for kids who are learning to eat by themselves. The pattern is from  Cucito Spring 2013 issue.

The pattern piece is included in this issue and since it is only 1 size, tracing was a breeze.  Detailed instruction is given on how to sew. 

The back close with velcro and all the edges are bind with bias tapes. I use the 1/2" satin bias tape that I bought from Textile centre even though this call for a double fold bias tapes. So it will work, just be very slow and careful when you sew.
 

I cut the print upside down : (
but baby will get to see the print right side up when he wear right?

I made the blue bib for my colleague boy. Hope the boy will love the print.

Since I've already cut out the template, must well mass production right?

So I made 2 more for my brother-in-law's twins.  The print is so cute and cheery don't you think? I have used the same fabric but cut them differently so that they are not exactly identical.

The elephant cotton is from a shop in Chinatown and was told that this was from Japan so the price was higher but it was thick and holds the shape well.  I back the bib with a waterproof fabric that I got from Daiso and bind with Red satin bias tape.

For the other one, I bind with yellow satin bias tape.  With a different cutting layout, the bib looks very different right?

I hope the kids love their new bibs.  My 4 year old says 'Wah! So pretty." and she even tried them on. It fits, can you believe it? So, bib will last till 4 year old if they so desired! hahaha...

Kids Apron

I'm not sure why but I did a non-Christmas sewing in this hectic month of December! But I was looking for ways to use some of the fabric with animal picture and this idea of a apron with pocket just jump on me.

My girl loves baking. She always asked to bake cookies and such. It's a pity that I'm not much of a baker so we ended up always throwing away the cookies. The strange thing is, she always thinks that my cookies were the most delicious thing in the world and would devour them quickly! I'm blessed that she is such a sweet girl.

I'm not doing a tutorial here since it is simple and I didn't have time to document my steps as I'm trying to finish it within an hour or so.  

Basically, you cut a rectangle that fits around your kid to make the apron. As my cotton is quite see-through, I use 2 layers. Serged them together at the sides and use as 1 piece.  Fold in the bottom hem and sides. For the waist ties, I cut out 2 long pieces of the same fabric, fold into half lengthwise, Right side facing and sew up  the long side and turn it right side out. Top stitch around the 2 long sides.

Fold in the top of the apron to the wrong side.  The folded portion is about the same width as your waist ties.  Attach the waist ties at the 2 ends of the apron and topstitch the top of the waistband. Find the centre point of the apron and sew on the pocket.  I've iron on some interfacing on the pocket so that it'll not be too sloppy. 

The pocket is actually made up of 4 square panels that I cut out from a fabric panel that I bought from Fabric.com. Can't remember the name of the panel but the kittens and puppy look so cute against the blue background.

I think a matching chef hat will looks good with the apron too, don't you think?

tea towel turned apron

In the past weeks, I did 3 projects. One turned out bad and I gave up : ( , the other was ok but I'm not really happy about it : 8 and the last one was ok since it is really quick and easy. So, I'll share on this little project that was really easy and quick. All under 1 hour if you got all the materials on hand.

It's a tea towel turned apron. I've meant to make an apron for myself and my girl since she is very much into baking now and mine was getting old. Didn't want to waste money to buy one so I thought why don't I just use a nice tea towel and turn it into a simple apron. I've got this $1.50 tea towel from Ikea that I really like the nice red colour.  The bias tape was a steal at $0.50 from a shop at the textile centre.

Material
1 tea towel [I'm not sure of the size but it seem to be able to cover 2/3 of my body :- P]
bias tape

Instruction
Fold the towel lengthwise and cut away 20cm X 10cm from the top corner of the towel (cut it at the open side, opposite from the folded side). You can use a curve ruler to help you to draw the curve. This will be the arm holes. This is similar to what I did for the pillowcase dress.

Since this is a tea towel, all the edges are nicely sewn. So no worries about fray ends except the areas that you cut off at the arm hole. Open up the towel and get ready the bias tape.

Cut 108cm of bias tape. You can adjust the length based on how long you want the loop to be.  Open up the bias tape. Place the raw edge of the bias tape against the raw edge at the arm hole. Do this on the wrong side of the fabric. Start at the lower end of the arm hole and work upwards towards the top of the apron. Pin in place. Then, take the other end of the same bias tape and do the same on the other arm hole.

match raw edge of bias tape to raw edge of arm hoe

length of bias tape depends on how long you want the loop

You can start sewing the bias tape along the arm holes, taking out the pins as you go. After you have finished sewing them, you can snip along the seam allowance of the arm hole so that the curve is more natural. Fold over the other edge of the bias tape to the front of the apron and sew along the bias tape and arm holes.

Finished loop

For the tie behind, I've used bias tape of 45cm each. Sew the bias tape to the side of the apron for both ends and you are done!