The New and Improved Apron Top Tutorial

I know, finally!! I successfully made a 2 day re-do tutorial take over a month. After the entire mishap with my first one and the drag it turned out to be I just couldn’t bring myself to look at it for a while. A long while. I torture you no more and this one is here to stay!

If you make one or mention it please link back and give credit. If you’d like to sell what you make from my tutorial -do it- and I hope you make millions. Please don’t sell or steal my tutorials or the patterns from my tutorials. Only bad people do that and I’m sure the blog police will hunt you down or the stores will be out of chocolate the next time you really need some.

The pattern for the yoke is a little girls size 4/5 to 8/10 and can be reduced or enlarged for other sizes. I’m just going to give the measurements for those sizes today because that’s what I’ve figured out so far.

You’ll need-

Chevron yoke pattern (it should print 4” wide for all sizes)

3/4 yard fabric for main body front and back

1/4 yard fabric for the top yoke and straps.

1 piece of 1/4” elastic

A ruler and fabric marker/pencil and basic sewing supplies. This tutorial works best using a 1/2” seam allowance.

*Cutting Measurements*

For all sizes cut 2 strips of fabric 1 1/2” x 22” for the straps and cut out 2 yoke pieces out of your 1/4 yard fabric. Cut your elastic half the length of the largest measurement of your Body Back fabric. For a size 4/5 you would cut your elastic 11” long and so forth.

For the main body front and back you’ll cut two rectangles according to the size you need below from your 3/4 yard fabric choice.

Body Front Piece cut Body Back piece cut

Size 4/5 - 16” x 22” 13” x 22”

Size 6/7 - 18” x 24” 15” x 24”

Size 8/10 - 20” x 26” 17” x 26”

1. Take your front body piece and fold it in half lengthwise. Using your ruler measure and make a mark 1 1/2” from the middle of the fold down. Cut your fabric from the mark to the top corner on the outside edge of the fabric. When you open your fabric back up it should have a slight “v” cut out of the top like so-

2. Sew a gathering stitch along the top edge of the front piece (along the “v” cut out edge). Mark the center of your “v” of the front piece with a pin. Pin one yoke piece right sides together to the body piece matching the center of the “v” to the bottom point of the yoke. Pin the bottom edge of the yoke to the top edge of the body piece and pull the threads to gather. Evenly distribute the gathers and pin some more.

3. Sew along your gathered edge. Turn right side out and press the gathered seam towards the yoke. Looking good so far! Fold one top strap piece right sides together and sew up the side seam and one end to make a tube. Do this for both straps. Turn right side out and press each flat. Pin the straps with the raw edge meeting the top edge of your yoke with the right side facing you about a 1/2” from the outside edges of the yoke.

4. Take your second yoke piece and place it right sides together with the other yoke piece, sandwiching the straps in the middle. Pin in place. Mark (or use a pin to mark) on the wrong side of the second yoke where your body piece seam is gathered underneath on each side. Sew 1/2” seam around the outside edge of your “sandwich” starting from your mark along the top edge of the yoke, make sure not to catch the loose strap bits in your stitching. Stop when you get to your mark on the opposite side. *You do not want to sew the 2nd yoke piece to the gathered body front piece at all yet- just yoke to yoke*.

5. Turn the entire yoke right side out and press. Fold up the bottom raw edge of your inside yoke piece about 1/4” and press towards the inside. Your inside yoke piece edge should cover the gathered inside seam of your body piece.

6. Fold the outside edges of your body piece 1/4” to the inside and press. Fold the hem over again another 1/4” and pin. Make sure your side seam of the Body fabric matches the seam sewn into the yoke so the inner yoke covers it but doesn’t go over the outside edge of it. Pin the side seams about 1/3 the way down from the bottom of the yoke to the bottom of the shirt. We’ll sew that up in step 9 so just leave it for now.

7. Pin the folded edge of your yoke on the inside over the gathered seam of the body front piece. Flip your top over right side out and topstitch along the inside edge of the yoke top, making sure to catch the inside yoke underneath.

8. Grab your Body Back piece and fold the top edge over 1/4” and press. Fold over again 1/2” and press. This is your casing for the elastic. Thread your elastic through the casing and pin at each edge. You can sew your elastic down at the very outside edges if you’d like to make it easier to do the next step.

9. Pin the body back to the body front matching bottoms and side seams with the elastic edge near the top. Sew the sides from the bottom to the top of the elastic. You should have your pressed edge the rest of the way to the yoke from step 6, refold that if you need to then sew that edge. Everything should be nice and tidy but if it isn’t don’t stress, it’s the armpit section anyway. Turn under the bottom edge 1/2” and press then turn under 1/2” again and press to finish the bottom hem. Stitch.

Done!

I love adding a contrasting band of fabric to the bottom, and normally I do but this one just didn’t want it. Feel free to play with it and make it your own. Embellish away and change up the length, this is tunic length so shorten it to get a shirt type top or lengthen for a dress. I’m making a few dresses next… I think. As always… if you make one show me!

Go take a break with Hiccup

I’m taking a sewing break tonight.  My eyeballs are getting fuzzy and I’m seeing spots, not sure if it’s the polka dot fabric or something more permanent.  I thought I’d tell you about the fun movie we took our kids to last weekend in case you need a break to.

 

 

How To Train Your Dragon was such a good movie.  It’s not easy finding a movie 6 people from 3 to 30 will watch but this one is one of those that’s fun for everyone.   It’s a keeper and I can’t wait for it to come out on video.  I loved it!  I don’t say that about very many movies at all.  I’m not one for language, innuendos, or crude humor in kids movies so I get disappointed a lot.  I loved how clean it was, for the most part.  Of course I recommend checking out the Internet Movie Database and checking out the Parents guide before you take your kids to any movie.  And no, I don’t get paid to write recommendations- I just loved the movie.

Tonight Cody is taking me on a movie date, which I’m a little scared about since I don’t think there are any chick flicks out right now so I might be ducking in to watch it again.  Heaven forbid he takes me to watch a sports themed movie.  I’ll be seeing more than spots, it might kill me.  Which brings up a good question, is the “Blind Side” really a good movie?  My mom swears I’ll like it but I think I won’t.  It’s football- yuck.  Anyone else hate sports movies and loved it anyway?  I’m trying to decide if I want to waste 2 hours and $1 to see it or not ;).

Have a great weekend!

Kicking it into high gear

It’s spring (or at least it’s supposed to be) and for me that kicks in the urge to clean, purge, and make.  I’ve purged what I’m willing to purge, I’m in the middle of the clean bit, and now I really want to start the make part because cleaning stinks. That’s why I had 5 kids remember?  Put ‘em to work.   If we had horses I’d have them wrangling chickens, baking bread, cleaning draperies and bringing me lemonade all day while I sit by my fabric and fan myself.  Kidding… but if you know anyone that has miniature horses let me know.

Last night I changed things around and tidied up my blog sidebar a bit.  I listed all my full tutorials, not just the 3 most popular.  I like it so much better.  You can see all the other posts with tutorial references in them by clicking on “tutorials” in my tag cloud.   There’s some good stuff there to.

Today I’m throwing this stuff together-

Not all on the same project, that would be tacky, or super creative.  I’m going to work on a little something for a sweet little baby that really needs some love from her 2nd cousin-in-law once removed.  Consequently that means a little something for the rest of you, stay tuned…

My mission- just say no to April Fools Day.

I can’t stand April fools day.  I’m a baby about pranks but for good reason.  It’s great fun unless your birthday is the day before April Fools.  Heaven help the child actually born today. No birthday gifts were safe as a kid.  I had one day to play with my new stuff safely and then I had to find a really good place to hide my loot for the coming day.  Being the oldest of 6 there were plenty of little criminals just waiting for me to drop my guard.  Sure I was bigger and meaner but I was out numbered and they were quick.

I had a slumber party the year I turned 13.  Huge day in our family because that meant make up.  Sheer lip gloss, nude colored eye shadows, barely there blush, and all in a caboodle.  I was so cool.  I also got my first underwire bra, you know- brand new teenager stuff.  I had been waiting to be a teenager for months.  My sister (hi Wendy!) had some of her friends over as well and they were busy that night.  When I woke up the next morning my gifts had all been frozen, for April Fools day.  Even the bra.  My new clear mascara was ruined.  I cried and left clear mascara streaks all over my face.  Sad.  Ever since then I refuse to acknowledge April Fools day.  Doesn’t exist in my house.   I don’t turn my calendar to April until April second. 

So, in my mission to make April Mean Fools Day extinct and bump all those prank idea posts filling your Google reader here are some other things to look at.  Just say no to pranking.  Say yes to a 20 lb box of breakfast.

No, not for the kids.  I make them eat healthy stuff.  My mom doesn’t live here anymore so I can eat whatever I want.

 

Rather than saran wrapping your potty (and cleaning up a gross mess later) why not check out Muffinpie dolls?  This little red head is mine.  I couldn’t resist those tiny lips, her little hat, and her Tyra Banks “smile with your eyes” look.  I love her.

Who wants to waste time and energy making your loved ones fear for their lives and cooking a weird dinner?  Nab a take and bake pizza and peruse the site of Don Gray instead.  He paints cool stuff.  Stuff that I see everyday.  I’m getting a print of this painting as an inside joke, I guess not so much a joke but an inside story.  It’s actually a great painting and I have lemons in my kitchen so it will look great in there but the kicker is it’s called “Lone Lemon”.  When I was little I had a joke book called the Lone Lemon and I tortured everyone with it for years.  Years.  My aunt still shakes violently when anyone mentions joke books. 

Cody also snagged this print.  We used to live on the other side of the building in the painting and I would see that chair everyday.  We used to have a chair like that growing up and I told Cody how much I wanted it.  He tried to buy it from the guy that owned it as a surprise for me but it wasn’t for sale.  I thought it was so sweet of him to try for me and forgot about it.  Then Don Gray painted the exact chair I wanted.  So I didn’t get the chair but I’m getting an awesome print of it to remember how sweet Cody is.

I had a great day yesterday, got some great stuff, and Wendy better not come anywhere near my house today.  

Have a fantastic Thursday!

Wishing for unicorn hair Easter dresses

I had every intention on making 4 dresses and a tie this year. I had great plans for white heavy embroidered paisley eyelet fabric with kelly green sashes. They were going to be adorable, until I found the fabric I needed and it was more than double the moola I wanted to spend. I had a small heart attack when I added it up in my head… 9 yards x $$ = $$$… uhm no. Bridal eyelet, why oh why must you taunt me? I lovingly refolded the gold dipped fabric that must have been woven with unicorn hairs and put it back, not before gazing at it and touching it once or twice and sighing. It’s beautiful. It’s gorgeous. It’s stinking expensive.

So this is what we did instead. I found a great sale and bought Kennedy and Mary the cutest dresses in pink and brown an got skirts and t-shirts for Kaci and Ashlyn. All I had to do this year was embellish 2 shirts- done! Kaci’s skirt came with a diaper cover so I cut it up since she doesn’t need it and used it to make Ashlyn’s flower. Ash thought it was hilarious that she had a diaper cover flower on her shirt. I used ribbon and lace from my stash for Kaci’s shirt.

Not the gorgeous white paisley eyelet gowns with kelly green sashes I wanted but a whole heck of a lot cheaper and less stress. I eventually found a coupon for my dream fabric and did get a smidgen of it. I’m weak. Someday it will make a great cup cozy or hair scrunchy for my visit with the queen ;).

Have a happy Monday!

Happy Everything Trip

We had such a great time on our surprise trip, and I’m not just saying that. We had a blast. It was a happy belated 10th anniversary, happy first overnight stay without kids ever, and happy birthday trip all in one. I was just happy to get out of town without packing the portable crib and silly songs!

We listened to adult radio stations. We ate at restaurants that don’t have kids menus. We stopped at an antique mall on the way, something mothers with 5 children never do unless you want to buy lots of broken glass cats and owl lamps.

We drove through this pass without needing to stop for a throw up bucket and dramamine, so nice. You can bet your sweet bippies I was heavily applying my fake brake the entire time though. We swapped cars with Cody’s parents and left them with our bus and I was really disappointed it didn’t have crap handles. Our bus has several on the passenger side. I really missed them and hope they don’t mind the claw marks I left on the door.

With my superior passenger seat driving skills we made it. Seattle!! I had never been before so I just soaked everything in. This was the view from our room.

Have I ever mentioned that I have the most amazing husband ever? He booked us a room in the shopping district. I love him. We were right in the middle of everything. We didn’t have to drive the entire weekend (other than to get there and back home). Want to go shopping, lets walk a block or two. Want to watch a movie, 3 blocks. Want to eat at the Space Needle, 2 blocks to the monorail. Want to see Pike’s Market, 5 blocks.

The market was Cody’s favorite stop. It was a ton of fun and even has a quilt shop in it. I was truly surprised at how big it is, 3 stories. We even got to see a few salmon chucked back and forth. Here are my favorites from Pike’s-

I really want this piggy bank! Of course I would need the coins already inside as well. Just to get me started ;).

The infamous gum wall. I would say that’s it is the single most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen but we went to “Bodies” while we were there so I’m not complaining.

Whoever “ANNA” is is a lucky woman. Her name stretched in yellow gum, how romantic. Now that’s love. I wasn’t about to touch it and I was really afraid to get my hair stuck in there. The wind was blowing something fierce and Cody wouldn’t let me leave until he got a picture. I just knew I was going to get stuck and have to have a bowl cut to get it all out. And yes, Cody did touch it…

We didn’t have a plan the entire time, we just followed random groups of people into random buildings. That was the most fun ever. Not knowing what we were going to do or where we were going made the trip. We saw it all, and I mean all, and had more fun because of it.

Seattle I love you. See you next year (hint hint Cody).

Because I can

Ideas pop into my head all the time. Sometimes the good ones stick around and sometimes they pop back out. I had a shower epiphany I couldn’t shake and thought it was such a fantastic idea that I told my entire family- Fabric paper airplanes! I was met with silence and an “okay, you do that then”.

They didn’t get it. I’m not sure I get it, but do you really have to? They’re just cute.

I thought about keeping them to myself and have been making them since January, you can tell I made a few for Valentines day. I don’t want to be the only crazy making these so here’s how to make them, because you can to dang it.

Please do not copy or sell my tutorial or the template used in the tutorial. If you’d like to blog about this feel free, but please link back here and give proper credit. Please do not copy the entire tutorial to your blog, site, and so forth. Hate to be a pain but it’s become an issue (and a pet peeve).

*Fabric Airplanes*

Materials-

Two 5” squares of fabric per plane

Wonder under or another brand of double sided, paper backed, fusible adhesive

Iron and ironing board & glue gun.

A copy of the template below printed at 5”, cut out.

1. With your iron on the cotton setting iron the wonder under to the wrong side of one square of fabric. Peel off the backing and iron on your other square of fabric to the backside of your first fabric, making a fabric-fusible sandwich. This should all be one piece now.

2. Line up the bottom and side of your template with your fabric and cut out, making kind of a house shape. Save the triangles for later ;).

3. Fold your fabric in half vertically and iron, making a nice crease. The side facing you will be the inside so if you have a favorite print make sure it’s facing the ironing board before you continue.

4. Fold the side in until you line up with the middle crease. Press. Looking familiar huh. Do this with both sides.

5. Fold in half again and fold one side towards the outside. Do the same with the other side making your wings.

6. Viola`, It’s all folded and pretty. Now add a dab of hot glue in the middle or stitch closed.

If you’d like to add a message to yours, stamp on some twill tape or ribbon and tuck it in the back of your aircraft before you glue or stitch it closed.

They also make a really cute bunting. I did this on my sewing machine stitching through some clouds I cut out of embossed papers with white thread on top and blue thread in my bobbin. I didn’t stitch the planes though, I just glued those puppies on when the clouds were stitched. This is where your little saved triangles come in if you want to use them- awh!

Have a fantastic Tuesday and please send me some pictures if you make some!

On a similar note, how do you feel about flickr groups? I thought about adding one to the blog for all the projects that are made using my tutorials but I’m not sure anyone would upload to it. Would you? Do you like looking through them? Any thoughts, good or bad, would be appreciated!