Safety Notice: Handmade items made from this pattern may contain small parts or long cords that pose choking or strangulation risks. Not suitable for children under 3 years. Please see the full safety disclaimer at sewmag.co.uk/safety.
We all know that kids love baking, so why not treat the miniature masterchefs in your life to a funky apron and hat set? Not only is this a great project for beginners and afternoon stitching, but it can be easily customised for little boys (and grown-ups too) using their favourite colours and prints!
Make an Apron
Place a 30cm x 60cm rectangle of plain cotton onto a piece of cream cupcake printed fabric of the same size with wrong sides facing. Align the edges, then pin the shapes together.
Create a curve at each bottom corner by drawing around a small plate and cutting along the curved lines. Separate the two layers to give you a front panel and the lining for the apron.
Cut two 5cm x 110cm strips from pink sprinkles fabric. Stitch them together end to end to create one long piece, then press a 7mm hem along one long edge and sew into place.
Machine sew along the unhemmed edge in a long straight line, leaving a 5mm seam allowance.
Pull the bottom thread to gather up the strip evenly, then fasten off when the gathered strip is approximately 120cm long.
Pin the gathered strip to the sides and bottom edge of the printed apron panel, with right sides facing, and aligning the raw edges, then sew together with a 5mm seam allowance.
Press the seam towards the centre of the apron so the gathers lay flat, then pin the plain fabric to the back of the apron.
Fold a 5mm hem along the sides and bottom edges of the apron, then pin and oversew to the existing seam line, covering all the raw edges. Press both layers.
Secure the top edge with a long straight stitch as before, then gather up the top edge until it is approximately 40cm wide excluding the ends of the edging frill.
Add Ties and a Pocket
Cut a 6cm x 110cm length of sprinkle fabric. Fold in half lengthways and press. Turn in 5mm on both raw edges and press again.
Pin the centre of the strip to the top of the apron, sandwiching the raw edges inside the centre fold.
Pin the rest of the length in place, working from the centre out on each side and incorporating the raw edge of the frill at each end.
Continue pinning the folded strip to itself to make the apron ties, folding in the ends neatly. Stitch the whole length to join the strip to the apron.
Make a pocket by cutting a 16cm x 18cm rectangle from contrasting material. Hem the top edge, fold in the other three sides and press. Pin and stitch the pocket to the apron to finish.
Create a Chef’s Hat
Cut a circle from sprinkle printed fabric with a 45cm diameter, then sew around the entire circumference in long straight stitch, sewing 5mm in from the edge.
Pull the lower thread to gather the circle evenly so that it is approximately 56cm in diameter (or the size of your child’s head) and fasten off.