1. To be used in the classroom along with teacher instruction 

2. To be used as a reference guide after reading and discussing the tutorial 

3. To be used if the students wish to create a Butcher's Apron on their own (i.e., at home) 

4. To create a "paper-less" classroom 

5. To integrate technology in the classroom

The Supplies needed to Create a Butcher's Apron

How to Make the Butcher's Apron Pattern

How to Straighten the Crosswise Grain on the Fabric

How to Cut Out the Apron Ties

How to Pin the Pattern on the Fabric

How to Cut Out the Apron

How to Sew the Top and Bottom Hems

How to Sew the Sides

How to Miter the Corners of the Apron Ties

How to Pin and Sew Ties Together

How to Fold Ties to Create Self-bias

How to Mark the Neck Loop for Placement on the Apron

How to Pin the Ties to the Apron

How to Sew the Ties to the Apron

How to Evaluate Your Apron
 
 

1 1/2 yard of 45-inch wide WOVEN fabric made of 100% cotton or a cotton/polyester blend  All Purpose Sewing Thread that matches fabric  Pattern for Butcher's Apron Seam Gauge Shears Straight Pins and Pincushion

Step One:  Making the Paper Pattern for the Apron

Click here for directions for making the Apron pattern.
 

Step Two:  Straightening the Crosswise Grain

Woven fabric is created by a series of lengthwise threads called "filling yarns" and crosswise threads called "warp yarns."  These are the lengthwise and crosswise grains of the fabric.

We will be working from the raw edge.  Remember that the raw edge of the fabric is the end of the fabric that was cut off the bolt of cloth.

1. Snip fabric at one of the selvages (finished edge of the fabric that will not unravel) about 1/2 inch from the raw edge (use your seam gauge to measure).

2. Grab above the snip with one hand and below the snip with the other hand.  Gently tear across until you get to the other selvage. 

3. If the fabric does not tear all the way across repeat # 1 above on the SAME selvage you snipped the first time.

4. Repeat until you can gently tear across from one selvage to the other in one strip.
 

Step Three:  Cutting out the Ties

1. We will be working from the raw edge that you snipped to straighten out your crosswise grain.  We need to make three ties that are 4 inches wide x 45 inches long.

2. Use a seam gauge to measure 4 inches down from the straightened "raw" edge to the selvage.

3. Snip fabric on the selvage 4 inches down from the straightened "raw" edge as shown in the illustration below:

4. Grab above the snip with one hand and below the snip with the other hand.  Gently tear across until you get to the other selvage.  You should now have a tie that is 45 inches long and 4 inches wide.

5. Repeat 2, 3, and 4 above to create the second & third ties.

6. Set the ties aside until you need them in step eight.
 

Step Four: Pinning the Pattern to the Fabric

1. Fold fabric in half lengthwise with selvages together.

2. Place fabric on the table and place the pattern face up on the fabric.

3. Place the pattern as far to the top of the fabric as possible.

4. Make sure that the "Place on Fold" edge is placed on the fold of the fabric.

5. Pin the pattern down as shown in the illustration below:

Step Five: Cutting out the Apron

1. Carefully cut out the apron.  Remember to leave your hand on the pattern piece and the bottom blade of the shears on the table to ensure proper cutting. 

DO NOT cut the folded edge!

2. Unpin the pattern from the fabric.  Your apron should now look like this:

Step Six: Top and Bottom Hems

1. On the wrong side of the apron at the top, use a seam gauge to measure 2 inches down from the top raw edge of the apron and turn the hem down.

2. Pin the hem down using flat top pins.

3. Press the hem.

4. Remove the pins and unfold the hem.

5. Fold the hem under so that you now have a hem approximately 1 inch in width.

 6. Pin the hem down using flat top pins.

7. Press the hem.

8.  Repeat 1 to 7 for the bottom hem.

8. Let's review the "Guidelines for Sewing on the Sewing Machine". 

9. Wind bobbin with thread and thread the machine. 

10. Using a straight stitch, set Uni-Dial on "A" and Stitch Length Dial on 3 or 4. 

11. Use a scrap piece of fabric to test the machine - you should do this every time 
     you thread the machine. 

12. To sew down the hem, make sure that the hem is up so that you can see it as you sew.  Sew down the hem using the 7/8- inch mark as your guide on the throat plate of the sewing machine.  Remember to "lock" your stitches at the beginning and end of the fabric.  Remove the pins as you sew and place them into a pincushion.

13.  Repeat 12 for the bottom hem.

14. Press both hems.
 

Step Seven: Side Hems

1. On the wrong side of the apron at one of the sides, use a seam gauge to measure 1 inches down from the raw edge of the apron side and turn the hem down.

2. Pin the hem down using flat top pins.

3. Press the hem.

4. Remove the pins and unfold the hem.

5. Fold the hem under so that you now have a hem approximately 1/2 inch in width.

 6. Pin the hem down using flat top pins.

7. Press the hem.

8.  Repeat 1 to 7 for the other side.

9. To sew down the hem, make sure that the hem is up so that you can see it as you sew.  Sew down the hem using the 3/8- inch mark as your guide on the throat plate of the sewing machine.  Remember to "lock" your stitches at the beginning and end of the fabric.  Remove the pins as you sew and place them into a pincushion.

10.  Repeat 9 for the other side.

11. Press both hems.
 

Step Eight: Creating the Mitered Corners on the Ties

1. Press the three 4 inches wide x 45 inches long ties that we prepared in step two.

2. We will be creating mitered corners to connect our ties together.  Mitering the corners of our ties reduces the bulk created if we were just to sew them together like the illustration below:

3. Starting with the short end and the wrong side of the fabric up, fold down at A corner matching it to B as show in the illustration below: 

4. Press down the fold.

5. Carefully unfold the fabric.  Cut off the fabric at the fold as shown in the illustration below:

6. Repeat 1 - 5 for the second & third ties.  The three tie pieces will be exactly the same:

Step Nine: Pinning and Sewing Ties Together

1. With right sides together, pin the ties together where you mitered the corners as shown in the illustration below:

2. Sew a seam across the mitered corners by using the right edge of the pressure foot as the guide. Remember to "lock" your stitches at the beginning and end of the fabric.  Remove the pins as you sew and place them into a pincushion.

3. Press the seam flat then press the seam open.  If you don't remember how to do this step, click here for directions and illustrations.

4.  Repeat 1, 2 & 3 for the third piece.
 

Step Ten: Folding Ties to Create Self-bias

1. Take a look at your apron.  We have finished the top, bottom and side by hemming the raw edges.  We need to do something about the raw edges of the "armholes" of our apron:

 2. We will create self-bias to cover the raw edges of the armholes using the the apron ties.    Starting at one of the short ends, fold the tie in half, wrong sides together - pin as you continue to fold it.  You will now have a tie that measures approximately 2 inches x 135 inches.

3. Press the folded tie and unpin.

4. Starting at one of the short ends, fold the tie under on both edges by placing the raw edge of the tie even with the original fold and pin:

5. Carefully press the folded edges on both sides, try not to press out the "original fold" and then unpin when completed.  Do not unfold tie.

6. Using the original fold as a guide, fold the tie in half, pin and press.  The tie is now approximately 1 inch x 135 inches.  Remove all the pins.

Step Eleven: Marking  the Neck Loop for Placement on the Apron

1. A part of the tie is used for the neck loop.  We need to find the center of the neck loop.  Fold the tie in half length-wise and place a pin to mark the center:

2. We also need to mark the tie  where the neck loop joins the top of the apron.  Measure 9 1/2 inches (for young teens) or 11 1/2 inches (for adults) down from center on both the left and right side (use a pin for each side): 

Step Twelve: Pinning the Ties to the Apron

1. We are going to "sandwich" the tie fabric around the only sections on the apron that have not yet been finished -- the "armholes".

2. Place the apron face up on a table.  Start at one of the pins you used to mark the placement of the neck loop on the top of the apron.  Carefully open up the tie.  "Sandwich" the top edge of the apron into the tie and pin down:

You have done step 2 properly if you can see the tie on both the front and back side of the apron at the "armholes".

3. Pin down the entire length of the tie, all the way from the left end to the right end:

Step Thirteen: Sewing the Ties to the Apron

1. Using a straight stitch, set Uni-Dial on "A" and Stitch Length Dial on 3 or 4. 

2. Use a scrap piece of fabric to test the machine - you should do this every time 
     you thread the machine. 

3. To sew down the ties, start on the left tie:

 We don't have to finish the very end of the tie because when we "cut" the strips our ends are selvages and won't unravel:

Use the 6/8 (3/4) or 7/8 inch guide on the throat plate of the sewing machine:

Remember to "lock" your stitches at the beginning and end of the fabric.  Remove the pins as you sew and place them into a pincushion.
 

Step Fourteen: Evaluating your Apron

Your next step is to evaluate your apron using the "Apron Self Evaluation" worksheet.  Click on the link below to get the worksheet.