Springtime = Gardening

April showers bring May flowers —- and we all develop a ‘green thumb’ this time of the year. I found this cute gardening apron on the Baby Lock website from Totally Stitchin’.

Supplies:
small cuts of a variety of fabrics

Cutting Directions:
One apron panel 20” x 12”
One pocket panel 32” x 7 ½”
One waistband and ties strip 4” x 52” or longer
2 1/2” x minimum 44” of fabric to make binding along bottom and sides of apron panel
2 1/2” x minimum 32” of fabric to make binding for top edge of pocket panel
The binding strips do not need to be cut on the bias

Sewing Directions:

1. Press all binding fabrics in half lengthwise with wrong sides together.
2. Sew a strip of pocket panel binding to the top edge (32”length) of the pocket panel, right side of binding trim to wrong side of pocket panel.

3. Press the binding to the right side of the pocket panel.  Stitch the binding to the pocket panel with a top stitch or use a decorative stitch.
4. Divide the pocket panel into three equal sections. Press, or use a fabric marking pen to mark the two dividing/stitching lines.

5. At each division, make a pleat that has a 1” depth on each side of the line.
6. Press pleats and pin.

7. At each end of the pocket panel, fold at two inches from and one inch from the end to form a pleat that measures 1” deep.
8. After folding all the pleats, the pocket fabric should be the same width as the apron fabric. If necessary, increase or reduce pleats so the pleated pocket panel measures the same width as the apron panel (20”). If this is hard to read or say, practice the Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers tongue twister.

9. Pin the pocket panel onto the apron panel, matching the bottom and side edges. Baste the ends of the pocket panel to the sides of the apron panel. DO NOT baste the lower edge of the pocket panel at this time.

10. Between the left and middle pockets, then between the middle and right pockets, pull the pocket pleats open and sew down the center of each pleat to attach it to the apron panel (refer to white dashed line in photo above).

11. Refold the between-pocket pleats, and baste the bottom edge of the pocket panel to the apron panel.

12. Sew binding to apron panel sides as follows:  with the binding trim on the wrong side of apron, sew binding trim to the side of the apron panel with 3/8″ seam allowance.

13. Press side binding to the front of the apron panel and top stitch or a use a decorative stitch.

14. Cut the bottom binding 1 inch longer than the bottom edge of the apron panel (21”).  Fold both ends in ½ inch. Pin to the wrong side of the apron panel bottom edge, and stitch with 3/8″ seam allowance.
15. Press bottom binding to the front of the apron panel and top stitch or use a decorative stitch.
16. For the waistband and ties of the apron, stitch enough strips of 4” wide fabric together to form a 52” or longer strip.
17. Find the mid-point of the length of the waistband and tie strip. Match the mid-point of the waistband and tie strip to the mid-point of the apron panel top.
18. Pin the right side of the waistband and tie strip to the back of the apron panel, and stitch with a 1/2” seam allowance.

19. Magic has taken place….. the long strip has become a waistband (attached to the apron panel) and two “ties.” Each tie must be sewn and turned inside-out, so pay close attention to these instructions. Fold each tie in half, with right sides together. Sew along the tie end and length with a 1/2” seam allowance. Do not sew across the apron panel.

20. Stop sewing at the edge of the apron panel, DO NOT stitch into the apron panel.

21. Trim tie corners.

22. Turn the ties right side out and press.
23. The waistband section will fold naturally to the right side of the apron panel.  Fold the raw edge under and press.

24. Top stitch the edge of the waistband to the apron panel.

Find your garden supplies and most useful lightweight garden tools (no full-size shovels or picks) and load up your garden apron.  Don’t forget to apply or put on sun protection (such as sunscreen and hat) before venturing out to your garden. Don’t forget those gloves – dry, rough skin tends to catch on the surface of many fabrics and you don’t want to have to wear some type of gloves while sewing to keep the moisturizing cream off the fabrics of your next sewing project(s).