When I was learning to sew at primary school the very first thing I ever made was a Gingham apron which I decorated with cross stitch embroidery. I suddenly thought that it is a brilliant idea for a first sewing project.
Jaycotts.co.uk have a surprising amount of apron patterns for men women and children, vintage to modern, take a look Apron patterns
Or you could design your own as I did or copy one you already have
Cut out your fabric and make sure that it has been pressed.
Simply double hem (or overlock and single hem) all the way round
You can hand sew if you do not have a sewing machine
Then add ties. I used grosgrain ribbon but most patterns show you how to stitch simple ties from your fabric if you have none to hand
The easiest way to make them is to sew a long strip , around 4"wide, sew it right sides together and turn right side out. Press and topstitch
I used D rings on the neck strap to make it adjustable . These are available from any haberdashery
Add any sort of pocket you like, heart shaped pockets look cute on Gingham or floral. Go for one simple pocket or one which stretches all the way across, your choice.
I used a Bias binding foot to easily attach a decorative trim to my large pocket
For children I used to use old mens shirts or my old dresses but there are some really cute fabrics around
Elephant In My Handbag Childrens fabric has some fabulous fabric, including glow in the dark!
If you want an apron for a man Denim or canvas is great, do add lots of pockets for tools and so on
For a craft apron use Pleather or a waterproof fabric. When sewing with pleather ( faux leather) use a leather needle. A nice way to finish the edges is to use your pinking sheers all around the edge and then turn to the wrong side and top stitch.
This really is a great first sewing project for any age. I hope that I have given you some ideas.
Thank you for reading
Do watch this video
The link to the video on YouTube is here too . Link to video on YouTube
