Picnic with My Valentine Apron - Sew Grateful Project Day

Today is Project Day of Debi's Sew Grateful Week. Here's a look at my most recent project. Two rather cute, if I do say so, red and white check aprons! Complete with a large heart shaped pocket and little heart appliques. I think this fabric must have started life as a table cloth but I really like the textured "picnic" style fabric. I started these a week before Valentines Day, hence the silly name. :) What do you think? Valentines Day has come and gone but these could really be used any time of year.

Picnic with My Valentine Aprons

To make the aprons I first divided my fabric into two pieces, one for each apron. Next I cut from each piece two trips of fabric approximately 2 1/2" wide by the total width of the fabric. I used these to make the apron ties/waistband. The bottom of each apron was turned up a 1/4" and hemmed. I ran a length of gathering stitches across the top to fit onto the waist section of each tie. The ties were sewn right sides together - leaving open the section that would attach to the apron - flipped and pressed. With right sides together the waistband area and apron were stitched together, the inside of the band being slip-stitched into place.

Heart pocket on apron. This photo also shows the texture of the fabric.

More heart and button details

The hearts are made from scraps of white cotton muslin. The heart pockets started as 6" squares which I cut free hand into the heart shape. Two hearts were sewn right side together and then turned before being pressed and slip-stitched onto the aprons. The smaller hearts were made in the same manner. I don't remember what size squares I started with because I was trying to use up leftover bits of fabric, somewhere between 3" and 5" I think. 

Apron shown with my Red and White Swing Dress

Apron shown with a 50s vintage dress from my collection

I dug through the button stash to see what I could find for red and white buttons. I had way more then I thought. :) So many to choose from! Most are plastic but some of the white buttons are made from shell and a few are glass. I even found a little clover shaped button.

Here are the finished apron with the hearts and buttons! The finished measurements are about 26 inches in length and roughly 42" wide. I'm giving away one of these aprons as part of Sew Grateful Giveaway Day. Details on how to enter my giveaway are here. It ends on Saturday so don't miss out!