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Saturday, April 26, 2008

Jeans Half Apron Tutorial

Tute 15
I couldn't help myself. I had to make another apron tutorial. I vowed I wouldn't do anymore after last year but I miss them! I love creating aprons. I can't take all the credit for this. I got the idea from my niece Angelic's Spring Sassy Apron. It was just so sweet and simple. I had to make one and I thought you might like making one too.

Supplies:
an old pair of jeans (actually just one leg)
Scraps of fabric
1 1/2 to 2" Ribbon (optional)

The instructions - (I won't be giving exact measurements because I didn't really make them and you can tailor this to fit what you have on hand.)

Tute 1
1. Cut the leg off an old pair of jeans and cut the inside leg seam open. Lay the leg out flat.

Tute 22. Fold the fabric in half and trim off the leg hem. I measured down 18 inches and made a straight cut. This is easily done with rotary cutting tools.

Tute 3
3. You will notice that one side of the pant leg is wider than the other. Trim them up so they are even.

Tute 4This is what it should look like now.

Tute 6
4. Fold the sides under and top stitch to finish the edge.

Tute 55. Cut a piece of fabric the width of the top of your apron plus about 2 inches or so. I cut mine about 6 inches wide. This will be your waist band.

Tute 7
6. Take your waist band piece and fold it in half lengthwise and press. Then fold each of the long sides in about 1/2" to 3/4" and press. Sandwich the apron top inside of this band now. Take the ends and fold them over the apron top and then fold the band piece down. I know that sounds confusing but I hope the picture shows this.

Tute 8
7. Cut two pieces of wide ribbon for the ties (about 32" long each) and sandwich them into the layers of your waist band. Top stitch all the way around the band to secure everything.

Tute 9
8. For the quick pleat ruffle, fold the apron bottom in half. Fold it in half again. Fold it in half one more time. :o) Yes three times. Now press it really hard with your iron.
I cut out a ruffle piece that was about 5 inches wide by the width of my fabric. (that was the size scrap I had so I used it.) Hem one long side of it and the two short ends by folding under and stitching. Fold this ruffle in half three times like you did the apron bottom. Press it very well with a hot iron.

Tute 10
9. When you unfold the apron bottom, quickly pin where the creases are or they will disappear quickly.

Tute 11
10. Unfold the ruffle piece and pin it to the bottom of the apron matching up the crease lines.

Tute 12
11. Eyeball the pleats now which ever direction you want them to lay. Have fun. I made box pleats.

Tute 1312. I almost forgot the pocket. I cut out two 7" squares from my fabric scraps. I sewed around the edges leaving a hole to turn the pocket. I top stitched across the top of the apron and the pinned it in place where I wanted it and stitched it in place. I like my pocket on the right side because I am right handed. I think the pocket looks better on the left for some reason but works better on the right for right handed people.

Tute 14
13. To finish off your ties, cut the ribbon at a 45 deg. angle. You must seal the edge or it will ravel really bad. You can do this by running it quickly over a flame from a lighter or a match. I just couldn't take a picture and demo it. :o)

Now you are done!
Tute 16
Tute 17
Tute 18
Ruffle detail.

Ok Now that you made it all the way to the end, I have a treat for you. I just love this apron. I would like to share one with one of my many bloggies. So in honor of my Birthday on Tuesday, I am going to make another one of the puppies and offer it to one of my bloggies. What I will do is post a picture of it on Tuesday morning and I will watch all the posts that day. At midnight, I will put all your names in a pot and pick a lucky winner that I will ship my apron off to to celebrate my birthday. I can't wait to see which of my blog land friends gets to have the sassy jeans apron.


****Edited May 26, 2009 *****

Dear bloggers,

I have had some questions asked about how to make this apron just a little wider. This might be necessary if the jeans you are using are not really big. I use rather large men's jeans because that is what I have access to.
To widen the apron simply cut off the other pant leg of the jeans. Cut it as long as the desired apron. Cut the let seams open and trim up the pieces so you have two equal sized pieces. Simple add each of the pieces to the sides of the apron and sew them on. Then follow the tutorial as normal. You will now have a much wider apron with a very similar look to the ones in the pictures.
Hope that helps!

27 comments:

greetingarts said...

Oh, I hope you don't ever stop your apron tutorials... I miss them, too! And visit the old ones frequently. Hope you're celebrating your birthday early and that it lasts at least from this weekend clear through the next one. Best wishes to you!

angeliclenore said...

Lucy, I love it!! I love the colors, the ribbon, everything!! Great job!!!

Cynthia said...

THis is a GREAT apron. I love it. It makes me want to rethink my summer sassy apron idea, since I haven't started yet. Hmm...


Oh, happy birhtday, and I will be back on Tuesday!

val of the south said...

That is so cute. It's funny, I just found a cut off pant leg in my fabric stash, picked it up and thought...that'd make a cute apron - but I didn't think it any further. Now I don't have to, you figured it out for me - Thanks!!!

Irma's Rose Cottage said...

What a cute apron. I have several old blue jeans. I think I will give it a try.
Hope you have a wonderful Birthday! Will check back with you on Tuesday.


:)Irma

Paige said...

I have recently found your apron tutorials and LOVE THEM. As soon as I finish the four half completed aprons I am working on for friends, swaps, and myself I will have to give them a try! And I LOVE the jeans apron idea. Finally an apron that is virtually indestructable!!

CathyJean said...

Please DON'T stop making apron tutorials, Lucy!!! We love them!
Thank you!

Anonymous said...

too lovely Lucy! Thanks for the tutorial...!

jillytacy said...

I loved this apron when I discovered it on Val's blog. I just had to give a recycled jean apron a try today. Of course I varied the apron quite a bit since it was for my 4 year old but she loves it. I put pics on my blog. I hope to try your actual tutorial soon! And don't stop the apron tutorials we love them!

Shelly G said...

Oh my goodness... I love this idea... I have a pile of jeans... and I have gotten so many ideas from your aprons... Thank you ...Thank you...OH......... and Thank you :)

Terri Lee Takacs said...

Hi! I just had a blast with this! I made one this week-end and posted a link to your site on my blog. I can't wait to create some differnt styles! Thanks SO much for inspiring me!
www.lavenderbetweenthecracks.blogspot.com

Nikki's blog said...

I just found this cool site! Your aprons are sooo cool! That's all I've looked at so far, so you may have more stuff. You are too kind to share your tutorials! I'm gonna have to make some now. Thank you!

Sienna Starfish said...

I collect old denim and usually make rag quilts out of them for dog blankets. I'm always looking for new ideas to use up all the denim I seem to be collecting. This apron is just gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing. I've promised myself I'm making one of these!

Jane said...

I love this apron! I just took an old pair of my jeans that I haven't worn in years. I cut the leg off but the width is too narrow. It looks like it would not make a basic adult size. What size jeans do you use for this? I'm thinking I should go to the thrift shop and find a really big pair of men's jeans?

Lucy said...

I do use really big men's jeans. I have also just added some instructions to the tutorial on how to widen the apron. Hope that helps.

Anonymous said...

Well, I just LOVE this apron. My husband just gave me 2 pairs of jeans that has a hole in one knee on one leg of each pair so this should work perfectly to make a couple of aprons! Thank you so much for sharing your instructions and design.

Lynell said...

I just LOVE your Aprons. I made two for a friend and her little girl, she loved them so much that she has asked me to made two more for her to give as Christmas gifts. Now if I can only find the time to make Me one...lol
Thank you so much for sharing

Lucy said...

Thank you! I love to hear how people are using these tutorials. :o)

Marci said...

I just found your web-site by accident. I am so-o-o excited by your tutorials and patterns. I have to tell you how much I enjoyed your music while I read your posts. I especially love the duets!!:) You have a gift with making your directions clear. I love your ideas. I will be back frequently!

Lucy said...

Marci! You are so sweet. Thank you. I am so happy that you like it here. :o) You made me one happy blogger. I will post some more tutorials soon. Just have to down/up load them. :o)

chhipa said...

Nice pattern of Apron it sounds really cool definitely try to make one for myself.

Anonymous said...

Just finished making this for my 5 year old son! In addition I used left over blue gingham duvet cover to make the straps and a co-ordinating pocket (in order to accomodate the boy's design input, which was that it should have a pocket with his name on it - well his initial anyway). He loves it. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Oops! In my enthusiasm for having completed the project, I posted on the wrong tutorial! I did of course make the more boy-friendly apron shown at the top of the page I was viewing! Sorry.

Anonymous said...

Hi. I wanted to drop you a quick note to express my thanks.



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half apron said...

This is one of the best personalized apron I've ever seen...I love the colors, the ribbon...good job!!!
I love it.

kim said...

Thanks so much for your tutorial! I have been looking for an apron that was cute and not quite so "girly"... love the repurposed blue jeans! It screams, "ME!" :)

George Archer said...

Great tips of making a cool skirt from the material of jeans. Thanks for sharing your tips with us.

Mens Jeans

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