An apron for my good friend and VERY good cook!

From the posts that I have done already, it looks like I'm sure a good friend...I'm not really, you just came at the right time.

Actually I would like me as a friend! I often used to wonder if I would like myself if I met me. I think if I met me 10 years ago, I wouldn't like me very much but I reckon I might like me now...I might think I'm annoying though.

What did DH put in my tea this morning???

Sorry you had to get through that blatant ramble but here we go...

The fun part...fabric choice, I bought a few pieces, I liked the spoons (can you see them at the back on the left), but I decided to go with the chooks (chickens) and the butcher type fabric.

Please be assured that no chickens were harmed in the making of this apron. I have been vegetarian for 16 years and would not harm a chicken for the sake of an apron...
Ok, this might seem a little backwards to have the pocket first, but I liked this fabric best, so this was the order I did it! I decided I wanted a big front pocket, you can make it whatever size you like, or shape, it really doesn't matter. I pressed all the edges in about 1cm, I pressed the top of the pocket over again and stitched this down (I only stitched the top of the pocket at this stage).

I cut three strips of the blue stripey fabric into lengths of about a metre each by about 3 inches, but again, this is up to you.

I folded and pressed strips in half length-ways and sewed, with right sides facing, sewing one end of each one shut. I then turned them the right way around using a spaghetti strap turner (you can use a knitting needle if you like). Then press

I'm showing you the shape of the finished apron here as it is a good example of the shape I used. I made this up as I went along, so please excuse the fact that the directions are a little non specific (it's kind of the way I work).

I cut the apron out on the fold so that both sides match. I wanted it to look like a traditional apron so measured how far I wanted it to come across my chest and waist and cut the slope between the two.

Two of the long strips are the waist tie but the other one is for around the neck. I cut about 4 inches off the end and threaded two D rings through, but you could simply cut it in half and tie it around your neck.

I wanted it to look as neat as possible, so I cut a piece of fabric for the back of the top part of the bib (using the top of the bib as a template) and with right sides facing I inserted the neck tie and D rings.

I then trimmed the excess.

I pressed and stitched the edges all the way around. I was tempted to overlock and then stitch it down, but I wanted a neater finish as it's a gift (if it was for me it would have been overlocked for sure).

Above is how I attached the waist ties. If the picture isn't clear, I turned the edge down and stitched a rectangle over it with a cross in the middle.

To attach the pocket, I used the line in the centre of the apron from when I pressed the fabric with the centre line in the pocket (which I did to match)...lined them up and sewed all the way round (but not the top - otherwise you wont be able to get anything in it...I'm sure you knew that). I then stitched a line down the centre so that there are two pocket spaces.

Ha ha... when I tried on the apron , I was having terrible trouble with my D rings...don't forget to stitch them in place otherwise they don't work...hmmm! Maybe I should have used a pattern. This winging it lark is a little time consuming.

Oh well, I know for next time...when I make myself one with the spoon fabric :)

The baggy bit in the middle is because my friend is 6 foot tall and I am not!!!

NO, I don't think I'm too cool for school. My bags are not for public consumption...Sophie insists on waking me at 4am EVERY day. So, that's why I have my sunnies on.

Well done if you made it this far. If any of you make one of these I would absolutely LOVE to see it.