Criss Cross Embroidered Apron

You've all heard me talk about Stacey, my pioneer partner in crime. I posted a few weeks ago about how we made work skirts together. The night we made our skirts, she changed to come and model her new masterpiece for Zach and her husband. I decided she needed an apron to finish the look, so I grabbed my white criss-cross apron from the kitchen hook, and promptly tied it over her shoulders and across her back. She looked beautiful! So feminine and pretty!

I decided Stacey must have an apron like this to wear with her skirts.

I planned on making one for her in the future.

Then the unthinkable happened!

She came over the other day and we were wading around in our pond playing fetch with Oliver. We took our shoes off and sat them on the lawn mower deck to keep them dry. (I had brought the lawn mower out to the pond to mow the paths so it would be easier to walk on.)

We decided that Oliver needed a better fetch toy, so I agreed to go get his ducky up at the house. I hopped on the mower (shoes still on the deck) and took off to get the toy.

"Well, I might as well mow the path going out from the pond while I'm at it"...I thought...stupidly.

Everything was going fine until I hit a big bump at the end of the path. Stacey's shoe bounced off the deck and I ran over it with the mower...blades going strong.

It pulverized her shoe. Cut the rubber, sliced through the fabric upper...it was terrible!

I felt horrible!

Stacey was incredibly gracious and told me not to worry about it. She refused several attempts to let me pay her for her shoe.

But I felt so guilty!

So that week I went into apron production full force. It would be my peace offering.

I took the measurements from my old apron and adjusted it a bit. Stacey's thinner and taller than I am, so I made the skirt a bit longer and added one deep pocket instead of two shallow ones.

Here's the measurements for the pattern:

Waist:              (2) 19" x 2 1/2"
Side Loops:     (2) 3" x 1"
Bib:                       8 1/2" x 9 1/2"
Skirt:                     23" x  24"
Ties:                      3 1/2" x 53"
Pocket:                 7 1/2" x 9 1/2"

I started with the bib. I put a 1/4" twice folded hem around all sides. Then I sewed a length of eyelet across the top edge.

The the ties: Each side gets folded and ironed 1/4" all the way down. Then folded in half and ironed. The end of the tie get folded on a triangle like the corner of a package, then folded in half. Pin to the sides of the bib, placing the bib in the fold. Sew the ties to the bib with a 1/8" seam allowance and continue down the length of the ties.  
 
Then I hemmed the two waist bands. !/4" twice folded. These bands sandwich everything together in the end.

Then the skirt is hemmed all around. I did a 1/2" hem to give it some body. Eyelet trim attached to the bottom.

Then the pleats of the skirt must be worked so that they line up with the waist band.

The loops are done in the same way as the ties. Fold and iron 1/4" on each side, then fold in half. Sew the fold closed.

Now I put it all together.

The waist band sandwiches all the pieces together. Place each piece between the waist bands. Waist bands should be wrong sides together.

Center the bib, skirt and fold the loops in half (creating the loop) and place between the waist bands on each side. Pin well, and sew waist bands together 1/8" seam allowance.

Hem the pocket, all sides 1/4" twice folded. Sew eyelet trim on the top. Then I folded the bottom corners of the pocket at a triangle. Sew pocket to skirt with 1/8" seam allowance all sides but top.

Embroider the bib if desired. I did a flower and Honey Bee pattern because Stacey is getting honey bees soon! 

The apron is worn with the ties over the shoulders, then criss-crossed at the back. The ties go through the loops on each side of the waist then brought to the back and tied in a bow.