Kiddie Apron Tutorial

Aprons are useful things, especially when you have kids. Penelope is an artist and a chef and her apron collection has saved her cloths countless times. Isla makes good use of them too. for Penelope's 5th Birthday party i made an apron for each of the kids attending. i thought i would share my patten/process with you if you have toddlers and/or young kids needing an apron. This apron pattern is for 2-6 year-olds, but it is super easy to size up for bigger kids.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Bias Tape (~3yds per apron)

Coordinating thread

Paper to build your pattern (newsprint or a paper bag work fine)

Heavy weight fabric (roughly 1/2 a yard per apron.)

Scrissors

Sewing machine

Step 1: Make Pattern

You can dive right in and use your fabric and not make a pattern, but if you want to make multiples a pattern helps. 

This will fit a 2-6 year old. If your child it tall, you can add a couple of inches to the bottom. Isla (2yrs) fits these. I just need to tie the neck loop up a little smaller for her.

-Cut your pattern piece into a rectangle 8"X 18"

-Measure over 3" from the top right corner and make a mark

-Measure up from the bottom left corner 10" and make a mark

-Draw your armhole from your first mark to your second curving more at the bottom and straightening out at the top

Step 2: Cut fabric

-Fold your fabric in half and pin your pattern to the fabric with the long straight edge on the fold.

-Cut out apron

Step 3: Hem top and bottom edges

-Fold top edge down 1/2" and then again another 1/2"

-Iron

-Top stitch across fold

-Repeat process for the bottom of the apron

 

Step 4: Sew bias tape to sides

-Pin your bias tape to the sides of your apron, folding under at the bottom edge

-Topstitch your bias tape to the sides of your apron using zig-zag stitch. Back stitching at the top and bottom.

*Make sure the bias tape is securely fastened to your fabric. It is easy for the fabric to slip out while you are stitching. 

 

 

Step 5: Sew neck loop, arm & ties

Now we are going to apply the bias tape from one tie, up the arm, around the neck and down the other side.

 -Measure 18" of bias tape and pin it to the top of one of your bias tapped sides

-Pin bias tape along the curve for the arm

- Measure 17" bias tape for the neck loop (if you are making this for a smaller person you can make the loop 16"

-Pin bias tape along the other curve for the arm

-Make your last tie by measuring 18" of tape and cutting

-Now sew with a zig-zag stitch starting at the end of one tie, folding over the end 1/4", and working your way up around the neck and down the other side finishing with the tie, folding the end under 1/4"

ALL DONE. Now go and make a dozen, like i did...

salt dough necklaces

We made heart-shaped, salt dough necklaces. Penelope had a great time cutting out the hearts and painting them after they cooled.

Here's what we did:
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup luke warm water

Mix together the ingredients and add extra water if needed.  Roll out the dough 1/8th to 1/4th inch in thickness and cut out your shapes (if you are doing necklace, remember to add a hole for the string before baking. bake at 200 degrees until hard turning every 30 min or so. (i baked mine 3hrs).

done!

nourishing lip balm

 I made this lip balm yesterday and I'm already loving it. my lips have been in really bad shape and I've been wanting to use my essential oils more with my skincare, so i decided to make my own lip treatment. this balm is wonderful on lips and I've been using it on my hands too. I was able to find the coconut oil at Trader Joe's. instead of coconut oil you can use other oils like olive oil, almond oil or jojoba oil). i ordered Shea butter and beeswax on Amazon.com. you can also use other essential oils, next time i plan to try peppermint oil with lavender for a more tingly lip balm. these are incredibly easy and will make great gifts and stocking stuffers.

2T Beeswax (about 1 oz)
2T Shea butter
2T Coconut oil
1/2 t. Vitamin E oil
5 drops Lavender oil
5 drops Melaleuca (tea tree) oil

1. place beeswax in a glass jar (i used a mason jar)
2. put jar in a sauce pan of boiling water
3. once wax is melted add shea butter, coconut oil and vitamin e oil. 
4. after everything in the jar is melted and well mixed stir in essential oils and pour into your lip balm containers.(you can buy little  jars online here.

I am getting excited about making lotion bars, too.  i might use this recipe.

penelope's twirly skirt

 

you will need:

3 different fabrics

3/4" elastic (you can use 1/2" instead)

thread

measuring tape

step 1: measure waist and the length that you would like the skirt to be (i think it looks best at the knee or a little longer.)

penelope's waist was 19" and i wanted to make the skirt 10" long

 

step 2: select your 3 fabrics and cut them accordingly:

fabric 1: (1 & a 1/2 of waist measurement) X (1/3 of length measurement + 1 3/4")

i cut penelope's 28 1/2" X a smidge over 5"

fabric 2: (2 X waist measurement) X (1/3 of length + 1")

i made penelope's 38" X 4 1/3"

fabric 3: (2 1/2 X waist measurement) X (1/3 of length measurement + 1 1/4")

i made penelope's 47 1/2" X a smidge over 4 1/2"

step 3: take all of your fabric pieces and fold them in half with right sides together and sew raw edges with 1/2" inseam. finish edge with zig-zag stitch or pinking sheers and iron seam open.

step 4: make elastic casing.

take fabric piece #1 and fold down 1/4" and iron, then fold down 1" and iron. top stitch 1/8" from the bottom of the fold leaving open 1" to thread elastic through. 

step 5: basting stitch along the top of fabric piece #2 and #3.

step 6: make hem.
fold the bottom of fabric piece #3 up 1/4" and iron and then fold it up 1/2" and iron. top stitch 1/8" from the fold.
 

now you have the elastic casing, hem and you are ready to gather.

step 7: gather fabric 2 by pulling one side of your basting stitch. pin it in place at the bottom of piece #1 with right sides together. make sure that your gathers are evenly spaced.

 

 step 8: sew along gathered edge with a 1/2" inseam. finish raw edges with pinking sheers or a zig-zag stitch.

step 9: repeat steps 7 & 8 working with fabric piece #3 and sewing it to piece #2

step 10: cut elastic 1" shorter than waist measurement and use a safety pin to thread the elastic through the hole we left open on the elastic casing, thread it around the elastic casing and out the same hole. sew the ends of your elastic together and then sew shut the opening (you may want to wait on sewing it shut until after you've tested it on your model. )

 

clip all your loose threads and you are done. with isla's wee skirt i only made 2 layers.

p.s. i am NOT a seamstress. soooo i am just trying to share something i think turned out cute with you. don't pay too close attention to my terminology and what not.

happy making.

isla booties free pattern

here is a free crocheted booties pattern just for you :)! i know i don't post many of my patterns on the blog. i will try to do more free patterns, but things are just happening so slowly, that i do not know when that will happen.

i hope you enjoy these cute mary jane style booties.

*IMPORTANT: THIS PATTERN IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY! THANK YOU.

isla booties
newborn size


5mm hook
(and a 3.75 mm hook if you chose to crochet your ties)
Worsted weight yarn


Sole:
Ch 11
Rd1- put 2 hdc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in each of the next 8 ch, put 5 hdc in the last ch, (work along the back side of chains) put 1 hdc in each of the next 8 ch, put 3 more hdc in the last ch, sl st to the first hdc (there will now be 5 hdc in each end.) 26 hdc


Rd2- ch 2 (counts as first hdc,) put 2 hdc in the next hdc, put one hdc in each of the next 8 hdc, put 2 hdc in each of the next 5 hdc, put 1 hdc in each of the next 8 hdc, put 2 hdc in next hdc, put 1 hdc each of the next 2 hdc, sl st to ch2. 33 hdc


Bootie
Rnd 3- (work in back loops) put 1 hdc in each hdc around, sl st to first hdc.


Rnd 4- ch2, put 1hdc in each of the next 10 hdc, dc in each of the next 2 hdc, dc2tog 4 times, dc in each of the next 2 hdc, hdc in each of the next 8 hdc, sl st to ch 2.


Rnd 5- ch2, hdc in each of the next 10 hdc, dc2tog, dc4tog (work next st as though you are going to dc, but don't pull through the last time. Repeat this 3 more times and then pull through all 5 loops on hook.) dc2tog, hdc in each of the next 8 hdc, connect to ch 2 w/ sl st, weave in ends.


Back
Find the middle of the back of the bootie by folding it in half, count up 7 stitches and reattach your yarn there.


Row 1: ch 2, hdc in the next hdc, *ch 1, skip 1 hdc and put 1 hdc in each of the next 2 hdc* repeat from * to * 3 times.


Row2: ch 2, hdc in each of the next 13 stitches, sl st, weave in ends.


Make 2 ties by ch 72, turn and put one sl st in ea ch across


or make 2 17" ties out of ribbon or some other material


weave ties through the holes made in row 1 of the back of each bootie.

thank you notes

here's a fun project for anyone needing notecards...or thank you cards like i did. at Micheal's i found packs of 8 cards for $1. so...i thought i would get crafty with my thank you notes (i have so many people to thank.) i used the scraps from the quilt i made for isla and cut out hearts. i sewed a line across the heart (remember to backstitch at the beginning and end.) i have a thank you stamp that i use for my shipments, but you could hand write, stencil, print or just leave it blank.

fabric cover for book or notebook

this is a little tutorial on how to make fabric covers for books or notebooks. i made some for my scriptures and they are super cute. enjoy.

step 1

measure height of book this is measurement “A”

measure width of book this is measurement “B”

 using a fabric measuring tape measure around the whole book this will be measurement “C”

step 2

cut fabric

height= A + 1 3/4”
width = C+B+1 3/4”

step 3

fold top and bottom of fabric under 1/4” and again 1/2”. topstitch.

 fold right and left sides under 1/4” and again 1/2”. topstitch.

step 4

fold  both the right and left sides under 1/2 of measurement B and pin into place. this is making the side flaps that your book covers will slip into. stitch 1/16” from the edge on the top and bottom of each side flap.

all done