Vintage Ruffled Apron: Picture Tutorial

I used this cotton from Joann - it is wonderful fabric, not expensive at all, and it doesn't wrinkle!

You will need: 2 yards of fabric

Directions:

Cut out the following pieces:

Apron body (skirt): 28 1/4" x 31 3/8"

2 pieces (ruffles for the apron skirt): 4 1/4" x 72"

3 pieces (ruffles for the apron top): 2 3/4" x 42"

2 pieces (tails): 5 7/8" x 42"

2 pieces (waistband front and back): 2 7/8" x 21 1/2"

For the apron top, save the two pictures below, and print full size using legal size paper (8 1/2" x 14") and tape them together. This will make them the correct size. You may want to measure the length to be sure that this is long enough for you. Also make sure that your fabric is doubled over when you cut out this piece. 

Serge together the two large ruffle pieces; turn the hem over twice and sew.

Baste and gather ruffle piece.

Mark the halfway point on your apron body. Match the ends and middles of both the body and the ruffle piece. Pin ruffle piece to apron body.

Baste pinned pieces (ruffle and apron body) together. Remove pins.

Serge the ruffle and apron body together, cutting off about 1/2". 

Once you have done this, set it aside.

Turn over hem of neck ruffle twice. Sew hem close to the edge (about 1/16").

Serge the top edge of the neck ruffle piece. Turn over serged edge, just enough so that the serging is not visible on the right side. Sew turned over edge. Baste neck ruffle close to the top edge (about 3/16", and the other baste line 5/16"). Gather.

Serge neck edge of apron top.

Pin gathered neck ruffle onto apron top, letting the top edge of the ruffle overhang the apron neck by about 1/8".

Sew pinned pieces (neck ruffle and apron top) together in between the two baste lines. You may want to use a pin or needle to hold down the ruffles as you sew them. Sew another line below the second baste line.

Mark the half-way point on your remaining two ruffle pieces, and on the edges of the apron top. Turn over and hem the remaining two ruffle pieces in the same manner as the apron body ruffle. Baste and gather. Pin the ruffles onto the edge of the apron top as shown. Baste the pinned pieces (apron top and side ruffles) together. Remove pins.

Serge these pieces together, cutting off about 1/3".

Since the ruffle tends to stick up instead of out to the side, sew the serged edge down as shown below.

Sew serged edge down close to the <-- (inside) edge. 

See how this makes the ruffle lay down so much nicer? The right side has been sewn down, whereas the left side hasn't.

Repeat this same process on the apron body (skirt).

Serge the two open edges of the apron top. You will be serging these together anyway, but if you serge them first, the ruffles will be sure to lay the correct way.

Serge together the two edges of the apron top.

Mark the halfway points of the apron body and waistband. Baste and gather apron body. Pin to waistband. Sew the seam. 

Determine the exact length that you want your apron top. Pin the apron top to the waistband, with right sides together. Trim off excess apron top fabric. (I did not do this ahead of time, as you will notice in the pictures, but it is a good idea so that you are sure to get your seam allowances right.) 

Baste the pinned pieces together. (apron top and waistband). Remove pins.

Iron over about 1/3" of the second waistband piece. Pin the waistband onto the apron top/waistband pieces with the wrong side facing you. 

Sew the seam. 

This is what your piece will look like after you turn it "right side out."

Fold an apron tail piece in half, right sides together, and sew it at about 1/2". After you get around the corner, turn around and go back to the beginning so that your corner seam is very secure. The picture below shows the reinforced seam. Continue sewing to the end. Be sure to leave the other end open!!! Repeat with the other tail piece.

Clip the corner and trim the seam as shown. Repeat with other tail piece.

Turn apron tail pieces right side out, and push out the corners with a ruler or something pointed. Iron the pieces flat. You may wish to use a (metal) ruler to push out the edge seam as you iron it in order to get it perfectly flat.

Pin the open end of the tail together, making pleats, and baste as shown. Repeat with other tail piece.

Pin tail to the outside edge of the "inner" waistband as shown.

Fold the "inner" waistband over the tail. Pin again, making sure that the tail is securely "up against" the folded over waistband. Sew the seam at about 5/8". Repeat with the other tail piece.

Turn the sewn pieces right side out. This is what it should look like.

Sew down the inner waistband close to the edge, about 1/8."

This is what it will look like on the right side.

Fold over the end of the tail pieces as shown.

Sew the edges of the piece as shown. Repeat with the other tail. You are done!!!