thenorthnest: 2010 Teacher Gifts: Cafe Aprons {tutorial}

My friend Ashleigh mailed me a page out of a magazine this summer with some adorable aprons advertised and a note saying "I bet you can make these". She's sweet like that. When I had my own small biz several years back she was so supportive and was also one of my top customers. She's such a good friend and person, always thinking about others.

Did I tell you she's also a speech language pathologist? And we met because she was my daughter's speech teacher? All I can say is thank goodness Kher-bear was slow to talk, because I can't imagine how boring the past 2 1/2 years of my life would be if Ashleigh and I hadn't become friends. If you need a SLP in the Tampa area, she's the one, contact me if you want her digits.

So finally after hanging onto that magazine page for 6 months, I'm getting around to making my version of an apron we saw in Southern Living. I'm going to give these to the girls' teachers and aides this year for Christmas.

CAFE APRONS {tutorial}

1. Gather your materials:

-1 bathroom hand towel, cut in half
-1 coordinating piece of fabric 7"x44" (u can use anywhere from 30-44", I like more, gives it more ruffle)
-4 yards of coordinating 2" ribbon (or 2 different ribbons, 2 yards each)

2. Hem the long piece of fabric on 1 long side, and the 2 short sides. I fold it 1/4" twice and feed it through, but if you want to work like a professional you can iron it 1/2" and tuck the end under 1/4".

I was feeling lazy as usual and didn't feel like getting the iron out.

Here's what it should look like so far:

3. Now select the longest straight stitch (a.k.a. basting stitch) on your machine.

4. Sew across the unfinished side of your fabric panel, make sure to leave the thread long at either end of your stitches.

5. Pull the bobbin thread on the stitches you just sewed to "gather" the material. Gather it to the width of your towel. Pin the gathered fabric to the raw/cut end of your towel.

6. Baste the fabric to the top of the towel.

7. Put your two pieces of ribbon, wrong sides together and fold the ends in like this:

8. Sew the folded ends together, and continue to sew one side of the ribbon together, leaving the other side open.

9. When you get to the other end, fold those ends together and sew them down also.

10. Match up the center of the towel/apron with the center of the ribbon and tuck the towel/apron inside the ribbon, about 1/2".

11. Pin the rest of the apron inside the opening in the ribbon.

12. Starting at one end of the ribbon, sew the open side closed, continue over the apron, enclosing the raw edges of fabric and towel inside the ribbon pocket.