Of all the things you can do with an old pair of jeans, recycling them into a cute apron is perhaps the most perfect application. By design, the denim is rugged and durable - perfect for protecting your clothes while out in the garden or BBQing. The fabric will hold up to continued use and washing as well. So make a cute apron and then have fun getting it dirty!
UPDATE! I've since made more adult aprons (including 3 to sell!). Check out more Farm Girl Apron pics or buy one if your sewing machine challenged here: More Farm Girl Aprons. Children's versions of this apron for both boys and girls can be seen here.
Supplies
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1/2 yard cute fabric
- Matching thread
- Scissors
- Iron
- Sewing machine
- Ruffle foot (optional)
**An important note about rights. I am delighted for you to make these for personal use, gifts and even to sell at local farmers markets or craft sales. I reserve the exclusive rights to sell aprons made following this tutorial online.**
Directions
Step 1: Cut Front of Jeans
Cut out the front of the jeans by cutting along the side seams and across the the front as shown by the yellow line. You'll be left with a piece that looks a bit like shorts.
Next, we'll clean it up a bit by folding it in half and cutting along the yellow line starting at the bottom of the crotch seam.
This is what your piece should look like. Go ahead and set it aside.
Once you have created your long strip of ruffle, tuck the short ends inside of themselves and top stitch the ends closed.
Once you're done, trim all your tiny threads and enjoy your new apron! Perfect for digging in the dirt or whipping up a cake in your kitchen.
Step 2: Cut Out Cute Fabric
Fold your fabric so that the 1/2 yard length is running in front of you. Fold the fabric widthwise or "hamburger" style twice so that the 1/2 yard length is across the table in front of you and the piece is about a foot tall, making it a manageable height to cut strips from.
Using a straight edge (in my case, I used a smaller cutting mat...the one with the pink numbers laid out on top of the fabric), cut strips in the following widths:
- 4.5 inches wide - cut 2
- 4 inches wide - cut 1
- 1 inch wide - cut 2
Step 3: Make the Waist Ties
Cut the 4 inch strip in half to create 2 shorter 4 inch strips. Fold them right-sides together lenghtwise or "hotdog" style so the strip appears to be about 2 inches wide. Stitch down the long side and one short side (red lines), leaving one short side open.
Fold the pieces right side out, press, and top stitch all the way around.
Step 4: Make the Ruffle
Lay the 4.5 inch strips on top of each other, right sides together. Sew across one of the short sides to create an extra long 4.5 inch wide strip.
Fold the strip lengthwise or "hotdog" style, WRONG sides together and press. Sew along the long raw edge to create a ruffle. Use a ruffler foot if you have one or set your machine to high tension and a long straight stitch. Depending on your machine, if this does not create enough of a ruffle, you may need to use my patented "scrunch and push" technique. As the name implies, you scrunch some fabric together and then push it through the machine and it stitches your "scrunch" in place.
Step 5: Assemble the Bottom of the Apron
Lay your waist ties on top of the jean front as pictures. The raw edges of the ties should entend slightly beyond the raw edge of the jeans. Fold the rest of the waist ties in and safety pin in the place so they don't get tangled while you are working.
Line up the short, top stitched ends of the ruffle with the top of the waist band. Line up the raw edges of the ruffle and the raw edges of the jean front all the way around, pinning in place as shown.
Set your machine to a medium length straight stitch and slowly stitch all the way around the edge. Be very careful to not stitch over any of your pins. Go over the top edges where the waist ties are twice for added security.
Open up the ruffle and press.
If you just want a cute little half apron, you could stop here. If you would like a full apron as pictured at the top, continue to step 6.
Step 6: Cut Out Apron Top
Cut one leg from the jeans. Cut down the length of one of the leg seams and open it up flat on your work surface with the bottom hem from the jean leg facing up.
Lay the bottom of the apron you already assembled on top of the leg. Line up the remaining leg seam with the fly from the apron bottom.
Slide the apron bottom down until the top part exposed is the right length for you. The apron shown in the pictures was made in a size medium petite and I made the top about 10.5 inches long. If needed, you could tie the apron bottom around your waist and measure from the waistline up to where you'd like the apron to begin in order to determine the right length for you.
Once you've determined how long the top needs to be, draw a gentle curved line in and straight up. I just eyeballed mine. To keep the sides symmetrical, just draw on one, fold in half and then cut both sides out together. Leave about 3 inches straight down on each side and cut across.
Step 7: Make & Attach Top Straps
Make the 1 inch strips you cut earlier into 1/4 inch double fold non-bias tape following this tutorial.
Once the bias tape is made, open it up and line the edge up to the raw edge of the top. Pin it in place like so (but keep going up the entire right side). Then, using a medium straight stitch, stitch in the fold (shown by the dotted red line).
Once you're done, fold the bias tape over to the other side and use a short straight stitch to go all the way up the side. Keep going after the top of the apron to stitch the bias tape together to make the neck ties.
Repeat for the other side.
Step 8: Finish the Top
Use little scissors to snip one of the back pockets off.
Center the pocket on the top of the apron, pin down and stitch around the edges, leaving the top open.
Fold up the bottom half inch of the apron top toward the right side and stitch across.
Step 9: Attach Top and Bottom Pieces
Lay the apron bottom on top of the apron top and pin in place. Stitch across the waistband, following stitching that is already in place in order to hide your stitches.
Once you're done, trim all your tiny threads and enjoy your new apron! Perfect for digging in the dirt or whipping up a cake in your kitchen.
Did you notice you have a whole leg left from your pair of jeans? Don't throw it out! I have another project you can make with the leftovers from the pants you used on this apron that I'll share soon.
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