Vintage Pillowcase apron tutorial
I love this apron because you don't have to cut up the beautiful pillowcase, you just do some strategic folding and stitching and it can be unstitched and unfolded to go back to being a pillowcase. One of my pet peaves is when tutorials don't show you a picture of the finished product at the beginning of the tutorial, so here is a picture of the pillowcase apron we are making.
All you need is a pillowcase, I love the ones with embroidery or crochet or both. 7" of fabric to coordinate with the stitchery, thread to match the pillowcase and thread to match the fabric. That's it.
Cut the 7" piece of fabric into 2 pieces that are 3 1/2 inches each by the width of the fabric (44")
STEP 1: Lay out the pillowcase with the pretty side up.
STEP 2: Fold the case in half by bringing the open end up to meet the top of the pillowcase. Put a pin on the fold on each side as indicated by the arrows.
STEP 3: Now, unfold the top by bringing the (double) hem down to meet the pins. Now you will have 2 layers of fabric on the top half and 6 layers on the bottom.
STEP 4: Place 2 more pins at the new fold you have created through the bottom 4 layers, where the arrows are . Leave all 4 pins in.
STEP 5: Unfold the pillowcase by bringing the double hem back up to the top so that it is just like step #2 again then sew a line of stitching from one pin down to the other on both sides.
STEP 6: After you have sewn it on both sides, fold the double hem back down again so that it looks like the picture below or STEP 4.
STEP 7: Now you are going to create the pockets from the folded part on the bottom. Measure the pillowcase across (it should be about 20 inches) and divide this by 3. (approximately 6 1/4 inches) Mark every 6 1/4 inches on the fold AND on the bottom.
STEP 8: Sew through all layers from one pin to the other (top to bottom). I have used a dark thread to show you where to sew, but you will want to make your thread match the pillowcase.
My pockets are not evenly spaced, but I wanted to split up the embroidery pattern in a logical place. There will be 2 larger pockets on the outside and a smaller on in the center of mine.
STEP 9: Next we will start the waistband and ties. Take the 2 strips of fabric and sew them end to end with right sides together, making a long (approximately 88" x 3 1/2") strip of fabric. Press seam open.
STEP 10: Fold this long piece in half lengthwise, right sides together and pin. Remember the measurement of the width of the pillowcase, about 20"? Mark with pins that distance (plus about an inch) in the very center of the strip, approximately 10 1/2 inches on either side of the seam.STEP 11: Now sew the entire seam at once starting with one short end, the long end, then the other short end. Use a regular size stitch #2 or 10-12 stitches per inch, however your machine measures stitch length, BUT when you come to the markings on either side of the center, backstitch then sew with a long basting stitch (#4 or 6 stitches per inch) until you get to the other mark, backstitch, then go back to the normal size stitch for the rest of the seam. The entire thing should be enclosed. There really is a method to my madness on this, trust me, it will make it easier in a few minutes.
STEP 12: Trim off corners at an angle to reduce fulness at the ends, be sure not to cut into the stitching.
STEP 13: Now, go back to where the basting (long) stitches are and pick out about 2" of stitching and turn the entire piece right side out through this opening. Press the whole thing flat with the seam on the bottom and the small opening folded in as if it were sewn like the rest.
STEP 14: Pick out all of the rest of the basting. Yes, all 21 inches. It should look like the 2 pictures below.
STEP 15: Now, take the top edge of your pillowcase (the edge that is sewn together) and put it up inside the pocket that you have formed, until it is up against the fold of the waistband. Fold the waistband back down over the pillowcase and pin the opening shut as in the picture below. Topstitch about 1/8" from the seam all the way across the waistband and ties (88").
You are finished!
Please leave a comment and let me know how I did. Was this clear? Pictures OK? I really want to learn. For the bottom picture, I replaced the dark thread so you can see it as it should be
