An American Housewife: From my Instagram: Photos of my homemade (home sewn) Cross Back Aprons (Japanese Aprons, one-piece, pinafore aprons)

9/4/22

From my Instagram: Photos of my homemade (home sewn) Cross Back Aprons (Japanese Aprons, one-piece, pinafore aprons)

I normally don't put things other than recipes and food photos on my recipe site but aprons are kind of related, right?

I'm trying to remind myself to wear aprons more often as I am absolutely great at ruining clothing the very first time I wear it by getting something or other on it. One of the apron styles I've never owned is the full coverage 'cross back' version without ties; one of my favorites, but life has just always been too busy to 'get around' to making one.

Last week I brought my sewing machine upstairs to the dining room, grabbed a bin of old fabric from the closet and did an internet search for a bunch of photos of aprons for motivation. I was looking for 'cross back' apron but found they go by many names, including Japanese Style Apron, One Piece Apron, Cross-Back Apron, Pinafore Apron, etc.)

I found a few sites that offered drawings, measurements and once in a while, a printable pattern - although most were just 'drawings' and not a pattern. (I found a site called Hey June that has a pattern that is full sized and printable. Just do an internet search for it.)

I follow patterns about as good as I follow recipes... I don't. But I like to gather 4-5 photos and instructions, and then just 'wing it'.

My final apron was a cross back version, but I opted to make it two layers, sewn together so it is reversible, and I made up a random pocket design for it.

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The green fabric was originally an old bed sheet of my sons when he was really little and got his first 'big boy bed'. Later it was dyed army green for his Army themed bedroom. After that the sheet was used in the dress-up box, used for forts, a blanket for outside picnics, etc. Finally, stained and much loved, it was folded up and put away in the fabric bin.

The paisley flower print isn't quite as old as the green, but still old. I had made a sun dress out of it that I felt wasn't 'me' and I wasn't comfortable in it so after wearing it a couple times, I put it in the fabric bin to use later as 'something else''.

I pulled the two fabrics out, put them together and knew then, that it was time to make the cross-back apron I've been wanting for so long!

Much loved, much used, very old fabric repurposed to make an apron....

This pocket was originally the 'chest' portion of my sun dress! I ripped out the bodice, cut off the straps and sewed the two 'cups' together with a seam down the center.

I didn't have enough fabric from the little sundress for the whole thing, so I added extra green fabric to both sides and then continued to cut out the whole piece using all 3 pieces joined together.

The result is a reversible apron with a center pocket.

It poured down rain and stormed all day so I was inside and mid-afternoon I decided I wanted to whip up another apron since my sewing machine and fabric was 'out' anyway.

Again, I used recycled fabrics I've held on to (can you tell I'm frugal?)

This one is not reversible, but is lined.

White cotton linen (that used to be 2 homemade curtains for a little while), lined with peach linen that was originally bought to make a prairie dress costume for one of my daughters who was in first grade at the time.

I didn't have enough fabric to make it completely reversible, so instead, it's just lined and you can see where the inner lining ends.

Recognize this fabric?

It's from the first apron (above) - which is originally from my sundress.
I was going to make the whole pocket out of a scrap of this print but decided I like just one strip across the pocket better.