Aprons in your downtime

This is Mabel. Mabel’s mother Alison came along to the handmade gifts workshop at Surry Hills Library just before Christmas, and knocked up this oilcloth apron in an hour or so following instructions from my book, The Crafty Kid: projects for and with children.

These aprons have to be one of the simplest and most gratifying craft projects to create. Excellent gifts, the oilcloth also renders them perfect for little ones in the kitchen because they’re so utterly food-proof – simply wipe clean. I even made a grownup’s version for myself.

MINI-ME APRONS

Materials
For an apron fit for your favourite five-year-old, a 35cm wide x 45cm high piece of oilcloth
2 metres ribbon
2 metres bias binding
2 colours embroidery thread; one to match bias binding, one in a contrasting colour
Embroidery needle
Scissors
Ruler
One round saucer or small plate
Pen

Instructions

1. Take your rectangle of oilcloth, ruler and pen. Measure and make a small mark 10cm in from the top right hand corner of the oilcloth, and 15cm down.
2. Place one quarter of the saucer on the spot where these two lines will intersect, and use your pen to draw around the outside, directly onto the oilcloth.
3. Use scissors to cut away the excess fabric beyond the line you have made.
4. Repeat the above two steps on the top left corner of the oilcloth.
5. Take your bias binding, apron-shaped oilcloth, and fold the binding over the edge of the bottom left-hand corner. Secure in place with a couple of small, firm stitches, then use a running stitch to affix the bias binding around the entire border.
6. When you reach a corner, fold the bias binding under itself and keep stitching. You might want to insert another stitch diagonally at each corner, just to be safe.
7. When you get to the end, leave a few millimetres and chop off any excess binding. Fold underneath at an angle and stitch firmly in place.
8. Place one end of the shortest length of ribbon to the top right corner of the apron, at the back. Use your contrasting embroidery thread and needle to affix with three small, ‘x’ shaped stitches.
9. Close the loop by securing the other side in place as well.
10. Secure the remaining lengths of ribbon to either corner just underneath the armhole with the same ‘x’ stitches. Et voila, you’re done.

Cute Christina in her adult-size apron

Crisscross