The Apron: A Step-by-Step Guide

What you'll need:

 * 1/2 yard of lining fabric

* 1 yard of face fabric

* Coordinating thread

* Scissors

* Measuring tape

* Straight pins

*Pencil or water-soluble pen

* Sewing machine

* Iron

Taking Measurements

Apron Panel Width
1) Measure the width of your hips. If you're wearing pants or a skirt you can use the side seams of the garment as a guide
2) Add 5 inches to this measurement to account for tucks and seam allowance. This measurement will become the width of the apron panel.
3) Divide this number in half to use for drafting the apron panel. We will call this half-width.

Apron Panel Length
1) Decide on the length of the apron panel. Measure from the waist down to the desired length.
2) Add 1 inch to account for seam allowance.

Apron Tie
1) Measure around your waist.
2) Add 32 inches to this length to account for a bow

Cutting the Apron Panels and Apron Tie

  

Drafting the Apron Panel Pattern onto the Lining Fabric:

1) Fold fabric in half a little more than the half-width of the apron panel.

2) Using the tape measure and pin, measure down the fold of the fabric to the apron panel length and make a small mark.

3) At this mark, measure across the width of the fabric, making a mark at the half-width.

4) Connect the two points together with a straight line.

5) From the end of this line draw a perpendicular line measuring the apron panel length.

6) The measurements and lines will form a rectangular shape.

7) To make the curved edge, use a cup or plate as a guide to draw the curve.

Cutting the Apron Panel from the Lining Fabric:

1) Cut out apron Panel along the guide lines that you have drawn.

Cutting the Apron Panel from Face Fabric
1) Fold face fabric to appropriate width.
2) Pin previously cut lining fabric on top, lining up the folded edges.
3) Cut out.

Cutting the Apron Tie
1) Cut apron tie 5 inches wide, using the calculated length.
**If your fabric is not long enough to accommodate the tie length, simply cut enough piece to add up to the calculated length.  Sew these pieces together to create one tie.**
 

After the previous steps, you should have cut 1 apron panel from the face fabric, 1 apron panel from the lining fabric, and 1 apron tie.

Sewing the Apron Panel

Joining Apron Panels:
1) Place apron panels on top of each other, right sides together.
2) Pin in place.
3) Starting in the right hand corner, sew down and around the curved edges.  End in the left hand corner, leaving the top straight edge of the piece un-sewn.

Notching Apron Panel:
1) Notch apron panel curves by cutting triangles into the seam allowance. This will make it easier when turning the piece right side out.
**Be careful not to cut into the sewn seam**

Turning Apron Panel:
1) Turn apron right side out.
2) Push the corners out so that they lay flat and smooth.
3) Iron entire panel flat.

Top Stitch Apron Panel:
1) Top stitch around all edges of the apron panel 1/8 inch from the edge.
** Top stitch the opening as well in preparation for the tucks**

Adding Tucks to the Apron Panel

Measuring Tuck Placement:
1) Measure 3 inches in frorm the side and place a pin.
2) From that mark measure 1 1/2 inches in and place a pin.
3) Continue this process until you have 3 to 4 pins in place. These pins will determine the placement of the tucks.
4) Repeat these steps on the other side of the apron.

Forming the Tucks:
1) Taking one at a time, fold the apron panel in half (face fabric together) where the pin in placed.
2) Pin this fold together
3) Sew next to this fold 1/4 inch from the fold.  Sew 1 1/2 inches down and backstitch.
4) Repeat these steps until all pin markers have been formed into tucks.

Ironing the Tucks:
1) Iron all tucks in one direction so that the folded edges of the tucks face inward.

Sewing the Apron Tie

Ironing the Apron Tie:
1) Iron the raw edges of the apron tie in 1/2 inch.
2) Iron the ends of the apron tie in 1/2 inch.

 3) Fold apron tie in half, matching up the folded edges and iron flat.

Attaching Apron Tie to Apron Panel:
1) Lay out the apron tie and open it so that the pressed in seam allowance in exsposed.
2) Line up the raw edge of the apron panel with the raw edge of the apron tie seam allowance.
3) Fold the apron tie back over so that the fold lines meet up.
4) Pin in place.

Top Stitch Apron Tie:
1) Now that everything is pinned together, top stitch the entire apron tie.
2) Start on the apron tie side where the folded edges meet. Sew 1/8 inch from the edge.

Finishing Touches:
1) Iron one last time and then bake some cookies!!!

Happy Sewing!
-Katie

Sewing Tips: Facts about Fabrics

Below is an excerpt from 150 Sewing Tips by Mary Johnson, printed in Woman's Day in 1962. I found this booklet in my grandmother's sewing library. Reading it not only conjured up memories of my grandmother, but reminded me of the legacy of this crafting tradition.

Facts about Fabrics

* Woolens are the easiest to handle, especially the firmly woven medium weights. They come folded wrong-side out, all ready or the pattern.

* Cottons are the next easiest. They are folded right-side out and when printed, or when the right and wrong sides are different, as in sateen, they must be re-folded wrong-side out, before pinning pattern.

* Tubular jersey and other knits are often manufactured with the right-side out, but sometimes come the other way around, so inspect them carefully before laying out the pattern.

* Some wools have nap, a surface finish on the right side that is smooth to the touch when brushed with the hand one way, rough when brushed the other. Use with nap smooth in a downward direction.

* Some cottons such as corduroy have a pile, smooth to the touch one way, rough the other. The smoothness is usually worn upward for clothing, directed down for household items.

* Synthetics, made in many imitations of natural fabrics, often have a nap or pile too, and they are used in exactly the same way as their natural counterparts are.

* When silk, rayon or synthetic velvet is used for clothing, the pile is usually worn upward for richer color and better wearing quality.  

* With upholstery velvets, the pile is placed downward. The tone is subtler and it is easier to clean.

* Some fabrics must be held taut during stitching, with one hand ahead of the needle, the other behind it. This applies to heavy coatings on which the presser foot tends to move the top layer and cause uneven ends at the bottom of the seam; to plaids so that the lines stay matched; to synthetics and to sheers like organza, no matter what their fiber content, to prevent puckering.

Have more questions about fabric? Stay tuned for Textile Tuesdays where we highlight a different fabric's make and use every week.

Sew on people!
-Katie

Sewing Tips: Your Sewing Machine

Below is an excerpt from 150 Sewing Tips by Mary Johnson, printed in Woman's Day in 1962. I found this booklet in my grandmother's sewing library. Reading it not only conjured up memories of my grandmother, but reminded me of the legacy of this crafting tradition.

You Sewing Machine

* If the thread breaks when you stitch, the machine is improperly threaded, you've inserted the needle improperly or you are using the wrong make needle.

* If the machine has been unused for some time, oil it in the tiny holes provided for that purpose. Stitch through cotton strips to absorb excess oil.

* Regulate length of machine stitching to suite fabric texture. For heavy coatings, 12 to 13 stitches to the inch; for medium-weight suiting, cotton or synthetics, 14 or 15; for sheers, 16 or 18.

* Use a medium-size machine needle for general garment making.

* If the stitches don't look right, check threading and bobbin. If the trouble still exists, consult the instruction book.

* You can improvise a seam guide with a strip of adhesive tape about 2" long. Place it straight up and down on the machine plate as far right of needle hole as width of seam allowance (usually 5/8"). When you stitch, bring raw edges of fabric up against tape edge.

* If your machine puckers some fabrics take the needle out of the shaft and roll is on fine sandpaper; or sew through the sandpaper without thread (abrasive side up to sand won't get into the works).

* If machine skips stitches on synthetics, especially tricots, change to a fine machine needle and nylon thread.

Let the good times roll and happy sewing!
-Katie

Lunch Breaks are Dangerous!

We took a lunch break to interview Stephanie H., Design Assistant at SEW Moni. Our walk near the park turned a bit dangerous for a few moments. We are okay and still happy to be living in Brooklyn, NY!

XO

Sewing Up Love.

Fabric Experts Unite!

I recently took a trip to Staten Island to pick up fabric at a local Jo-Ann's store. While there I met an individual who sparked up a conversation with me about his design aspirations and quest to find the perfect wool blend. He noted how searching for fabric or even knowing an online site where fabric is critiqued, not just sold, is scarce. This brief discussion got me thinking that there are probably fabric critics out there and maybe we at SEWMoni could help build a list of such critics?

Selecting fabric is definitely personal and if not, a crucial decision regarding any project. Facets of a fabric's texture, down to weather or not it is washable, are important factors will affect your project.

All this to say, if you are a person who critiques fabric, we'd love to hear from you! Please send us your blog or contact information. Our goal is to link to students and craft peeps to one another as well as provide any information that might make sewing easier.

XO

Moni

A SewMONI Update

Some exciting things are going on at SewMONI this month!

This past weekend was incredibly successful as we participated in our first show of the season in Corpus Christi, Texas.  We sold out of all our aprons at the Peddler Show and we're looking forward to doing the same at our next craft show in Fredericksburg, Texas on November 27 through November 28.

SewMONI will also be making an appearance at the 3rd Ward/Brooklyn Base Handmade Holiday Craft Fair on December 12 in Brooklyn, New York.  Brooklyn Based is sponsoring the event which will include not only craft based vendors, but paper good and local food companies too!

Next week we are photographing our last round of still life images with Photographer  Winnie Au. Winnie is such a delight to work with and we wish her well as she travels to Paris for the next few weeks.

And, we are working on our very own fabric print designs, which look absolutely amazing in all their eclectic glory! It's wild to see creative inspiration take shape in such a short time.

All in all its been quite busy in our corner of Ft. Greene. When we are not completely consumed by work we seem to be by chocolate.  I think the cold rainy weather has brought on this chocolate craving, and it seems like hot chocolate is the only cure for the winter weather blues.  If in our neighborhood stop by Green Grape Provisions to get a pumpkin chocolate banana muffin. Better yet, sew with some chocolate thread and spare the calories!

-Katie