“Every boy needs to wear a cape at least once in his life.” – Uncle Brian

Kids love superhero capes! Well, my kids do, anyway. It can be frustrating to try to locate a cape that is generic enough to fit any pretend game they want to play. If your child wants to be a bat or spider, then you’re all set. But let’s say they want to be “Super Aidan” or “Super Turtle” or “A Bad Apple”, then where do you find a costume like that? If you’re like me, you make it!

Supplies for Superhero Cape Sewing Tutorial

First, you’ll need your supplies! You can make this out of 2 fat quarters. (You know how I adore things you can make with a fat quarter!) Essentially, you’ll need two rectangles measuring 18″ x 22″. (2 fat quarters)

If you want the cape a little longer for an older or taller child, you’ll want yardage. I recommend 22″ – 24″ long to fit from 2 to 5 years old. If your Super Little Guy is taller or older, you may want to adjust. [You’ll need 1/2 yard of 2 non-directional fabrics (this would make two capes). If one or both of your fabrics has a vertical pattern, you’ll need 2/3rds of a yard.

You will also need some sort of closure. You can use ribbon, buttons, snaps, velcro… It is up to you! I make mine with plastic snaps, since I have a snap press and like the ease of snaps. (Remember, if you use buttons, make sure the child is past that “putting everything in their mouth” stage. You don’t want them to choke.)

Measuring and Cutting

My quilting ruler is 2″ wide and 18″ long. On the back side of your main fabric, mark 2″ from the top a 3 ” line in toward the cape on each side. Wow, that sounded confusing. I line up my ruler on the top of my fabric and draw a line from the outer edge to the 3″ mark of the ruler. Repeat for the other side.

Now, mark the edge 6″ down from your 3″ lines. Connect the end (toward the center) of the 3″ line with this 6″ mark, creating a triangle! (I did not fully cut out an 18″ by 22″ rectangle in the photo above. As you can see, I just measure it as I went along and cut the whole thing out at once. You can do this or you can cut your rectangles, then remove the triangle parts if you’d like. Either way works.)

Cut out the triangles you just drew.

You should have one piece of fabric now that looks like this! You can either cut out the other piece using the same method, or you can cut it out like I do.

Place your cut piece right side down onto your contrast fabric, right side up. (Right sides together.) (As you can see, I didn’t pre-cut my rectangles since I was using yardage, rather than fat quarters. Either way works.) Pin around the edges, securing both pieces of fabric together. Now cut the contrast fabric out, using the front as your template. Now your pieces are already right sides together and pinned, ready to sew!

If you cut the pieces out separately, you’ll now want to pin both pieces right sides together before you sew them.

If you are going to use ribbon as a closure for the cape, you’ll need to sandwich and pin that in between the fabrics now, before you begin sewing.

Sewing the Superhero Cape

Time to sew! Sew around the edges of the fabric, leaving a hole in the top for turning. Clip your corners and notch the angles of the triangle cut outs. You want them to lay as flat as possible.

Flip your cape right sides out, push out the corners, and press flat.

Topstitch around the edges.

Add your snaps, buttons, or velcro if you need to.

Done!

As you can see, the “collar” of  the cape is meant to flip over, showing the contrast fabric. However, it works either way! Now you have a reversible cape for your Super Little Guy (or Gal)!

You can do with this pattern as you wish. However, please don’t take credit for the design. It’d be nice of you to share the free pattern with others. Enjoy!

Other Notes From the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Plastic Bag Holder Tutorial
• Cowboy Bib Sewing Tutorial
• Crayon Wallet Tutorial
• Petal Skirt Sewing Tutorial
• Double Twirly Skirt Sewing Tutorial

The post Superhero Cape Sewing Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

I’ve got something new for you, though! If you are like me, you love a good twirly skirt! With some fabulous fabric, a single layer twirly skirt is awesome. However, nothing compares to the fullness and twirl of a double twirly skirt! My daughter loves them! I love them. She looks so adorable and girly in them. They make her look more graceful (though they don’t actually make her more graceful).

I can also make them longer, meaning they’ll fit longer and don’t look like some of the tiny clothing they make for 4-year-old girls these days. (Seriously, why is it so stinking hard to make clothing for little girls that makes them look like little girls? Why do they need to look like sassy teenagers (or worse)?)

Though this skirt looks complicated, it is simple. Super simple. Only sewing in straight lines simple. This is a great project for beginners, since your only pieces are rectangles. Easy! And the end result looks so… fancy and fabulous! (Couldn’t decide which word would best describe it!)

Supplies for Double Twirly Skirt Tutorial

Here is what you need for the project:

– scissors

– sewing machine

– something with which to mark on fabric

– ruler and/or yard stick (I use both.)

– thread

– fabric (I used 4 different fabrics in my version, but you can use just two if you’d prefer.)

-You’ll need a double length of the under layer fabric. (I made my under skirt 15″ long, so I needed 30″ of fabric.)

-You’ll need a double length of the over layer fabric. (I made my over skirt 11″ long, so I needed 22″ of fabric.)

-You’ll need 6″ of your waistband fabric.

– If you MAKE a tie, you’ll need 4″ of fabric for that. You can also use ribbon, rope, twine, shoestring, whatever. You can also use double or triple elastic if            you prefer. The double skirt is kind of heavy, so it needs something more than just some 1/4″ elastic holding it up.

Cutting Your Fabric

Decide how long you want to make your skirt. If you are making a skirt for an infant, you only want to use one width of the fabric, instead of two. (Having just one large rectangle, just one small rectangle, just one waistband piece, and just one length for the tie.) Anything over a 2T, keep reading.

Your under layer should be AT LEAST 2″ longer than the over layer. I typically keep it between 2″ and 5″ difference, depending on the fabrics. (And sometimes depending on how much of a fabric I have.) For my skirt, I made the under skirt 15″ long and the over skirt 11″ long. My model above wears a size 5 in little girl’s. So, the length you decide on will determine height of the rectangles you’ll cut.

From you under layer fabric: Cut 2 rectangles 20″ x the length of your skirt on the fold. (When you open the rectangle up, it will be 40″ x length.) (Mine were 40″ x 15″)

From you over layer fabric: Cut 2 rectangles 20″ c the length of your over skirt on the fold. (When you open it up, it will be 40″ x length.)(Mine were 40″ x 11″)

From your waistband fabric: Cut two strips 20″ x 3″ on the fold. (Opened they will be 40″ x 3″ each.)

From your tie fabric: Cut two strips 2″ across the length of your fabric.

Tip

You can decrease the width of the skirt, taking some of the “poof” out if you’d like. I don’t recommend any less that a total of 40″ circumference. You can add poof by using all the fabric all the way to the edge, but I prefer to cut a bit off to make sure my measurements are even. Some fabrics may say 44″ wide, when they are in fact a bit more or less.

Let’s Sew a Double Twirly Skirt

Working on the under skirt first, place the right sides of your two fabric rectangles together and sew the short sides. You’ll want to go ahead an finish your seams. I serge mine. You do whatever it is you do to yours. (Zig-zag, french seam, whatever.)

Once your side seams are all sewn up and finished, you’ll want to go ahead and do the hem. Hem in however it is you hem it. I serge mine, then turn the serging under and sew. You can do a double fold hem, or whatever hem it is that you like.

Put the under skirt aside.

Now, we’re going to do the same thing with our over skirt (the short layer). You’ll sew the short sides of the rectangles right sides together. Finish your seams. Hem the bottom. Now, you have both the top and the bottom layer done!

Sewing the Waistband

Now, turn your attention to the waistband. Sew the short sides of the two strips right sides together. I serge mine, but you really don’t have to finish the side seams of the waistband. The seams will be hidden inside the waistband of the skirt, so you can skip the finishing. I’m just weird. Instead of hemming the bottom, you’ll finish the top. I just serge mine, since it will be on the inside of the skirt. You can zig-zag over the edge if you prefer, or just do a single fold hem, since the unfinished edge will get enclosed in the waistband.

For the tie, I like to place a buttonhole on my waistband. It seems easiest. Some people like to leave a portion of their waistband seam open, but I always mess that up somehow. A buttonhole near the side seam, toward the bottom of the waistband works out perfectly for me. Place it low enough that it will be on the front of the skirt, but high enough it won’t get caught in the seam. You can do the button hole horizontal, instead or vertical, but the placement is a bit more tricky that way.

Putting the Double Twirly Skirt Together

Putting the under skirt and the overskirt together now. With the wrong side of the over skirt facing the right side of the under skirt, align the tops of the skirts, matching the side seams. Baste around the top of the two skirts. (Basting is sewing a straight line with the longest stitch setting.) You’ll want to baste the edges closer to the edge than your seams normally are. (If you sew with a 1/2″ seam, baste at a 1/4″.)

Now, you’re going to attach the waistband to the skirt. With the wrong side of the waistband facing the right side of the overskirt, sew around the bottom of the waistband/top of the skirt. Here is why it was important to baste closer to the edge than you normally sew. You’ll want your basted line hidden, and it will be now!

Press the waistband up. You’ll want your seam toward the top of the waistband. Believe me, this step will help the next go smoothly.

Fold the waistband over and sew down. I line up the top line with the sewn line on the skirt. Don’t fret if your line is not completely straight on the front of the skirt. No one will really see it.

Making The Drawstring

If you are making a tie, you’ll need to sew the short sides of one side of the tie strips together. Just one side. Otherwise, it will be quite difficult to use.

Press the seam open.

Fold the strip in half and press. (See the picture for the correct version of half.)

Fold one edge toward the center and press. This is simple, though it does take some time to press down all 80″ of tie. Watch your fingers! Get them too close and you’ll suffer burns!

Press the other side in toward the center seam. Now, you have what looks like double fold bias tape, which would be exactly what it is minus being cut on a bias.

Sew down the middle of the tie. You CAN just do a straight stitch. I prefer to do a zig-zag.

Or if you happen to have a machine with some fancy stitches that you never get to use, you can use one of those. Ties are a great chance to use those stitches, and if you mess up, no big deal, it is just a tie.

Adding The Elastic

Now, grab your piece of elastic. (You want the skirt to fit snug, but not too snug. The elastic really isn’t going to do much holding the skirt up, it is just for shape and keeping you from having to regather the thing every time you wash it.) Pin your tie to your elastic with the tie on the front. Also put a pin on the end of your elastic so it doesn’t just shoot straight through the skirt. The tie is long enough that you don’t have to worry about it.

Finishing The Double Twirly SkirtTotorial

Thread the tie and elastic through the waistband. Sew the ends of the elastic together. Pull on the tie and get it even on your skirt. The elastic will probably pop right into place while you’re messing with the tie.

Cut your ties to a manageable length. (That length depends on the waist of the wearer and how long you the tie to hang.) Tie the ends of the tie in little knots.

Tie the tie in a bow and you’re done! One of my favorite things about this skirt is that it lasts forever! (I’m updating this in 2023. The little girl in the pictures is now 16 and her 4-year-old sister is wearing this skirt now!) This thing will fit your little princess for a very long time! It will fit until it is too short, no outgrowing the waist on this thing! My daughter’s favorite thing about this skirt is that it is SUPER twirly. She loves the princess-like fit. Enjoy!

Like all my patterns, you can do what you wish with this. You can make skirts for you, neighbors, friends, kids… You can sell the skirts you make. Just don’t claim the pattern as yours, cause that is just wrong. And feel free to share this tutorial!

Other Notes From the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Double Ruffle Pants Tutorial
• Tiered Pants Sewing Tutorial
• Petal Skirt Tutorial
• Crayon Wallet Tutorial
• Wide Leg Ruffle Pants Tutorial

The post Double Twirly Skirt Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

This tutorial makes a crayon wallet with messy pleats perfect for fat little fingers. It may be confusing the first time through, but once you see what you are attempting to accomplish, you’ll find it much easier the next time. It seems long and complicated, but it really is fairly simple! (With all my tutorials, you can use them as you please- just don’t take credit for the design, because that is just wrong. But sell wallets you make, make them as gifts, whatever!)

First, you need to cut your pieces. You can easily make these from fat quarters! (In fact, you can make two wallets with 2 fat quarters.)

• Cut one 6″ x 6″ square of your contrast fabric.

• Cut one 14″ x 5″ rectangle of your contrast fabric.

• Cut two 10″ x 7″ rectangles of your main fabric.

• Cut two 10″ x 7″ rectangles of heavy weight fusible interfacing.

(You’ll also want to consider your closure type. You can sew a ponytail elastic in and sew a button on the front to close it. Or you can sew in two ribbons to tie it closed. You can use ribbon or a fabric tab and add snaps to close. For this particular one, I used snaps and a fabric closure.)

Apply the heavy weight interfacing according to the directions on the interfacing. If you are running low on interfacing, you can just interface one of the large, main rectangles (the 10″ x 7″ ones). But for best results, you’ll want to apply interfacing to both 10″ x 7″ rectangles. (And, of course, you are interfacing the wrong side of the fabric!)

If you are adding a snap, you’ll need to mark the front snap placement. The snap should be 3.5″ from the top (of the right 7″ side) and 1″ in. Mark your spot, use awl or pointed object to poke a hole in the fabric at that spot. Using a snap press or snap pliers, apply a snap to the marked spot with the cap of the snap on the interfaced side (will be the inside) and the snapping part on the right side of the fabric. This 10″ x 7″ rectangle will be the outside of your wallet.

Take the other 10″ x 7″ rectangle, and find the center. (Fold in half and press a crease.)

With the 6″ square and 14″ x 5″ rectangle of contrast fabric, make a half inch double fold hem on one edge. (A 14″ edge of the rectangle.) To make a double fold hem, press down 1″. Turn fabric edge under and press 1/2″ under. Seam is now 1/2″. Sew along the edge to finish.

(Picture showing how to turn the edge under.)

(Picture showing both finished edges. The square will be the top of your paper pocket. The large rectangle will be the open edge of your crayon pocket.)

These pockets are the trickiest part of this whole project. It may seem confusing the first time you do it, but it gets easier after that first one. Place your 6″ square pocket face down on your fabric as shown above. Make sure your finished edge is toward what will be the top of your wallet. (Note that in the above picture, it is all upside down since I am sewing the pocket on from the bottom to the top.) Align the pocket so it is about 1/4″ to 1/2″ over the center line. (That crease we pressed earlier.) Sew down the center line, joining the two fabrics. Only sew to the top (the finished edge) of the paper pocket, making sure you backstitch at the top. (If you are confused about placement, keep reading and I think you’ll figure out where this is going.)

I sew a straight stitch down the center. Then, I zig-zag over the raw edge of the pocket- further securing it and making it look neat and tidy.

As you can see in the picture above, the wrong side of the fabric is showing. We’re going to flip the pocket to the right and it will look fabulous! Keep reading.

Flip the pocket over so the right side is now showing. Line up the edge of the pocket with the edge of your main fabric. Sew the pocket down close to the edge. This seam will get covered later, so don’t worry with backstitching or enclosing the edges. Notice, the square pocket is not a perfect fit. Resist the urge to trim it to lay perfectly flat here. The gap is intentional!

Press all the excess toward the center seam. Now, sew (from bottom to top, parallel with the center line) a straight line forming a 1/2″ (you can estimate) mini pocket on the inside of the paper pocket. (This is going to be for a little pencil.) Make sure you backstitch at the top (finished edge) of the pocket.

The little excess now needs to be flipped or pleated away from the center seam, then basted down as close to the bottom edge as possible. (This seam will be hidden later, so don’t fuss with backstitching or edges.) This makes the little pencil pocket pleated, and gives it room so the pencil goes in and comes out easily, making it easy for fat little toddler fingers to both take it out and put it back. We’ll be using the same “technique” with the crayon pockets.

Place the crayon pocket (the 14″ x 5″ rectangle of contrast fabric that you finished a long edge of) and place it right side up along the left edge of your main fabric (opposite the paper/pencil pocket). Place the finished edge toward the center seam. Sew a straight line from the outer edge to the finished edge in the middle of the pocket to the middle of the main fabric. (see above picture) You don’t have to measure for exact centers, unless you’re obsessive like that. The messy pleating takes care of any small discrepancies in measurement. Make sure you backstitch at the finished edge. (I know this is probably a confusing process the first time through. Once you finish one and see what you are trying to accomplish, you’ll find it simple the next time around.)

(Picture of the finished center seam of the crayon pocket.)

Line up the edges of the crayon pocket. Note, the excess fabric is intentional. You’ll need it. Sew close to the edge, securing the edges of the pocket. Note that this seam will be hidden later, so there is no need to backstitch or finish the edges of this seam. Just stay as close to the edge as possible while sewing. Do the same with the other side.

Now your crayon pocket will look like this! See all that “extra” fabric just hanging around? Let’s keep going and make this thing look like something you might use.

Now, you’re going to take it from half to fourths. Eyeball about halfway between the center seam and the edge, pushing the fabric equally toward the center seam and edge seam. If you’re super obsessive, you can measure, but it won’t matter. And if you’re not quite sure, always err toward the center, since the edge will have more removed by seam allowances later. Sew from the outer edge to the finished edge, backstitching at the finished edge. Repeat on the other side!

Now your crayon pocket is looking like this. Fun, no? Reminds me of two seagulls holding hands or golden arches side by side or… okay, let’s just move one.

Now, we’re going to halve our fourths, creating eighths! Oh, fun with fractions! Stitch a seam halfway between each forth, pushing the excess fabric equally in opposite directions. Remember to backstitch at the finished edge. (This edge will take a lot of wear from little ones getting crayons in and out of the pocket, so make sure they are secure! Think of their sad little faces when they bust a seam trying to get their pudgy little fingers all the way down in that little pocket. Now, make sure that doesn’t happen!) Continue between each forth (erring toward the center seam, if necessary), making 8 little lumps.

Your creation should now look something like this. Now, we get to messy pleats!!!

Take your iron, and just press those little lumps in any direction they want to go. The only consideration you must take when making these messy pleats, is in making sure the edge pleats go toward the center and NOT toward the outer seams. (You don’t want to take away fabric when you finish your seams.)

(A close-up picture of the messy pleats. Note that you can see both the right and left seam edge! The pleats are NOT covering the outer seams.)

Sew (baste) the outer edge of the fabric, securing the pleats. Make sure you stitch as close to the edge as you can.

Pin closure in place on the interior. Pin it 3.5″ down the side. (That would be the halfway point.) For this wallet, I made a cloth tab. (It is long in the picture. I cut it down and finished the edge after sewing everything up.) You can place a ponytail elastic here and sew a button to the front when you are done to close your wallet. You can sew in a ribbon on each side to tie up your wallet. The details are up to you!

Place your two main fabrics, right sides together. Notice that the snap is to the left. If you’re using snaps, you’ll need to keep in mind which way these go, or you’ll end up with snaps in unusable places.

Sew around the edges, using a 1/4″ seam allowance. In the corners, leave your needle down, lift the foot, rotate your work, and continue sewing. Leave a small hole to turn. (I make sure mine is at the top, about the paper/pencil pocket. I don’t like leaving a hole where the pockets are joined.

(A picture of the hole I left.) Clip your corners, so they’ll end up being corners and not large bumps.

Turn your crayon wallet right side out. (I purposefully chose this photo, because people rarely take pictures of those ugly or scary moments in a project when you wonder if you are doing this “correctly.” Turning things right side out is always a scary moment for me because I wonder if the whole thing is going to rip to pieces or, worse, if I have done the whole thing wrong and will find out momentarily that I put something on upside down or something dumb.)

Push out your corners, straighten your work. Press your wallet. Admire it. Smile at realizing you are so very close to being done with this!

Topstitch as close to the edge as you can while maintaining control of your machine! I always start just before the hole to make sure it gets closed up nicely. Make sure the raw edges of the hole are tucked in nicely (and evenly) before you start topstitching. Topstitch around the entire wallet, overlapping about 1/2″ when you come back to where you began. (Leave your needle down when you reach a corner, lift the foot of your machine, turn, put the foot back down, and keep sewing.)

Finish any closure details you need to. In this case, I had to sew up the end of the fabric strip and add a snap closure. (The finishing looks terrible. I should have finished the inside of this edge differently, but whatever. It snaps dang it!)

Here it is all closed up! (I was not entirely pleased with the way this particular wallet turned out. In fact, I won’t be selling this one, since it is well below my personal standards. But you get the picture. What went wrong? I was too concerned with taking nice pictures to properly press and perfect the topstitching, for one. I was too concerned with pictures to make a proper cloth closing tab. But hey, at least I got plenty of pictures, right?!)

And another look at the finished interior. Fill the crayon pockets with 8 crayons.  Put a small pencil (I use Zebra brand mechanical pencils) in the pencil pocket. Place a 3.5″ x 5″ pad of paper in the paper pocket. (Just place the cardboard back in the pocket, leaving the paper available for coloring.) The messy pleats make it really easy for toddlers to get their crayons in and out of the wallet- giving them a good lesson in keeping their own things neat. (I was shocked when my 2 year old, who never puts anything away, sat and put every crayon back in its place before reaching for another.) You can feel free to use, change, or laugh at my design in any way you wish. Happy crafting!

OTHER NOTES FROM THE PARSONAGE POSTS YOU MIGHT ENJOY

• Double Ruffle Pants Tutorial
• Tiered Pants Sewing Tutorial
• Petal Skirt Tutorial
• Wide Leg Ruffle Pants Tutorial

The post Crayon Wallet Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

Now, how do you make them?

Dimensions of DIY Burp Cloths

Standard Size- 10″ x 18″

Mini Size\- 10″ x 6″

The mini is a third of the size as the standard.

The Basics of DIY Burp Cloths

To make either size DIY burp cloth, simply cut two rectangles of fabric (we’ll discuss fabric selection in a minute) and sew them together with right sides together, leaving a hole to turn the item right side out.

(You can see the hole in the above photo on the upper edge.) Clip the corners so when you turn your item right side out, you’ll have corners rather than rounds.

Flip right side out, pushing the corners out. Sew around the edge again, all the way around. Sew close to the edge to close the hole. Overlap your stitches where you began.

(This entire process is very simply termed “turned and topstitched” or “T&T.” When you see this, you know the whole process is sew, flip, sew.)

Fabric Choice for DIY Burp Cloths

Now, let’s discuss the arduous task of choosing fabric! So, you can clearly use whatever you want, but I have tried several things and used them personally, so I really do know what works.

Woven Cotton with Terry Cloth

The best option based on absorbency is woven cotton on one side (quilting cotton) and terry cloth on the other side. You can buy the terry cloth by the yard, but the best absorbency is to buy cheap towels from the mega mart which shall remain unnamed. You go to MegaloMart and buy their cheapest towels. Cut the end strips off (unless you like that line across your DOY burp cloth) and cut them into appropriate sized rectangles. I have tried both terry by the yard and cheap towels and I can tell you that cheap towels make fluffier, more absorbent burp cloths. (And you’ll have a broader range of colors.) Burp Cloths made out of cotton and terry are cute and functional. They catch the biggest messes from the biggest spitters! They are awesome! The drawback is the bulk. They are pretty hefty and don’t fold up very small, which makes them boogers to stick a few in your diaper bag. There are also limited colors available. Yes, towels come in many colors, but you may have trouble finding exact matches.

Flannel Options

The next best option is flannel. You can use a woven cotton (quilting cotton) on one side and flannel on the other, or you can do both sides in flannel. Flannel is soft, thin, and absorbent. The flannel/flannel make awesome wipes in the mini size! (Flannel/bamboo velour make some super awesome wipes in the mini size- but that can be expensive!) Solid flannel comes in more colors that terry and even more than towels. Cotton/flannel burp cloths are perfect for stashing several in your diaper bag for emergency use. They also work well if you have a frequent spitter that doesn’t spit a lot each time. They fold down so easily. You can also use flannel on one side and terry on the other side, if you are so inclined. Flannel is much softer than the terry.  Flannel is also really cheap!

Cotton Knits

You can also use a cotton knit in place of woven cotton. I tend to use woven cotton because it comes in so many prints and patterns. I can find so many cute fabrics. Knit on one side and terry on the other do make some awesome wipes in the mini size, though they can be a little rough (especially on little noses), but can clean poo off little butts like nobody’s business. You can also use knit on both sides, but they are hard to sew and are not my favorite. But if you have some old tees and need wipes, go ahead and use them to make a bunch of the mini size! (If you have a serger, you can just serge two layers of knits together instead of T&T.)

Woven Cotton with Chenille

I think chenille on one side and woven cotton on the other is the most beautiful and functional version of the DIY burp cloth. However, chenille is way more expensive than I want it to be. But to make a baby gift just that little bit *extra special* I will splurge because they are spectacular.

Bad Fabric Choices for Burp Cloths

You can use whatever you like, but there are a few things that I thought might be nice, but really suck when made into something you need to actually function!

Minky Fabrics

Don’t use minky. It sounds like a nice idea- a diy burp cloth with cotton on one side in an adorable pattern and super soft minky on the other. Well, it is gross when a kid pukes on the minky and it isn’t absorbed at all! It just sits there and you touch it and it is cold, then the baby rubs his face in it and he has puke all over his cute little face because minky does not absorb! Yes, the diy burp cloth is cute as can be. Yes, before the baby is born you run your hand over it and feel the softness and you get all mommy-eyed thinking about your soft, sweet baby cuddling up on your shoulder with this divine burp cloth you made. Then you use it once, have puke smeared everywhere on you and adorable baby, and you never pick that burp cloth again. Until your mother-in-law visits. *laughing* (That was a joke. I am not at all responsible for mothers-in-law getting covered in icky baby puke from a non-absorbent burp cloth!)

Fleece

The next fabric not to use is fleece. It seems like it’d be a nice choice. Many baby things are fleece. Fleece is soft and fluffy. Fleece comes in bazillions of colors. But let me inform you, fleece repels water. That is not a good feature for a burp cloth. (If you need liners for cloth diapers to keep diaper rash cream, bacitracin, or petroleum jelly off your diapers, fleece makes a good liner. Other than that, keep away from the fleece!)

So, go sew! Go ahead! Make DIY burp cloths in all the sizes for yourself, your friends, your neighbors, that person across the country that you don’t know but paid you to do so!

Other Notes from the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Doubly Twirly Skirt Sewing Tutorial
• Plastic Bag Holder Tutorial
• Crayon Wallet Tutorial
• Superhero Cape Sewing Tutorial
• Cowboy Bib Sewing Tutorial
• Half Yard Baby Shower Gift

The post DIY Burp Cloths- Two Sizes appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

My boys love neckties. They get it from their dad. We’re talking real neckties. They very much dislike clip on neckties. They seem offended by them. They get that from their dad, too. I have made quite a few neckties for my boys and finally found the absolute easiest way to make a real necktie.

Grab your supplies. You’ll need about 1/3 of a yard of two fabrics. I like contrasting ones. One will be on the inside and will only peek out a tiny bit, so it can be anything, really. 

Essentially, this is what you’re doing. You’re going to use a yard stick to make a straight line across the width of your fabric. Then you’ll draw in your points, connect the dots, sew, flip, sew, flip, and you’ll have a tie. Super easy. After you make the first one, you’ll see. 

Place your contrast fabric right side up on you cutting surface (ironing board, floor, whatever you use). Place your main fabric right side down, lining it up with the contrast fabric. (If you’re using a dark pen or marker on light fabric, you may want to put the main fabric on bottom and the contrast on top so you won’t see the marks through your fabric. It really doesn’t matter as long as you know what you want to be the main fabric.)

Using a yard stick (or whatever straight edge you’ve got), draw a line from one side of the fabric to the other. If you’re making this for a toddler, 36″ in long enough. For a bigger boy, you’ll want to use as much width as you can. (Also, check out the variation at the end of this tutorial for making older boy and man neckties using this same method!)

Using a quilting ruler, line up your ruler so you’ve got a right angle going on at the tip. (See the photo.) Make a line 4″ long from the center. 

Using your quilting ruler, line up the other side. You want the tip of the tie to be a 90 degree angle. (See photo for help lining it up.) Mark 4″ in that direction. 

At the other end of the line across your fabric (also known as the other end of your tie), do the same thing, only mark that side 3″ from the center line. Make sure the tip is a 90 degree angle. 

Use your yard stick to connect the ends of your 4″ line to your 3″ line. This is the side of the tie. It should look something like the picture.

(You can tweak the measurements if you want a fatter or more narrow tie. I do 4.5″ for an adult tie. 3.5″ for a toddler tie. Just don’t make the small end smaller that 2″ or you’ll be kicking yourself when you try to turn it.)

Pin your two layers of fabric together around the drawn on pattern. (Believe me, this makes your life a little easier here in a minute.) Cut out both layers of fabric together. 

You’ve already got the right sides of the fabric together. It is already pinned. You’re ready to sew! Sew the end of the tie. Just the end. (Do not sew the sides yet. It only seems weird the first time.)

Clip the edges.

Repeat for the other end of the tie. Once again, just the end! Not the sides. 

Turn your tie right side out, pushing out the points. Press. The sides are still unfinished at this point. You’ve only sewn the two end points together. 

Fold the tie in half, matching up the unfinished sides. (You’re sewing the center seam that will run down the back of the tie.) Whichever fabric is your main fabric should be on the inside of the fold. You should be looking at your contrast fabric as you sew. Sew the entire length of the tie, matching the unfinished sides together. 

Flip your tie right side out. Press it into the tie shape. The seam should be running down the center back. You can be done here. I do a little extra step because The Pastor (who is the tie expert in my house) says it makes a big difference in how a tie feels. 

See the topstitching on these ties? That is the “big difference”. Just sewing a few straight lines down the narrow 1/3 end of the tie. The Pastor says this makes a ties lay flat on your neck and makes it much more comfortable to wear. I just trust him on it. And it only takes a minute, so I go with it. 

Now for the adult variation:

You’ll want the tie longer. So, it’ll have to be longer than the width of your fabric. I made mine with one 36″ piece and one 18″ piece. It was long enough. You could make it longer if your man has a thicker neck or like super elaborate knots.

You’re making it essentially the same way. So lay your fabric out the same way. I made the large end 4.5″ from the center. I made the small end 3″ from the center. Now, you’ll need to make the ends that will connect the same width. Just make sure you mark it the same on both pieces. Connect the end of the lines in the same way. (See the picture.)

Sew the ends the same way you sewed the ends for the little boy version. Once the ends are sewn, match up the straight ends in the middle and sew them together. Sew the main fabric to the main fabric right sides together. Sew the contrast fabric to the contrast fabric right sides together. 

Flip it right sides out, pressing out the ends. Also, press the seams open. (It’ll make the tie lay flat. If you press them to the side, you’ll make little speed bumps in your tie.)

Now you’ll finish up the same way as the little boy tie. With the main fabric to the inside, fold tie in half and sew the unfinished sides together. Flip.

Press. Sew the lines on the narrow 1/3 of the tie if you want

.

And that is it! You’re done! Well, if you’re like me, you repeat over and over and over and then you’re done.

As usual, you can make these for your loved ones, give them as gifts, sell them if you want. You made them! Just share the free tutorial if asked! 

The post Easiest Necktie Ever appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

A friend of mine asked if I could make her a plastic bag holder. Of course, I accepted! I looked online for a plastic bag holder tutorial or something. But none of them fit what I wanted it to look like. Most of them were just tubes with elastic at the top and bottom. Very basic. I usually like basic, but I thought it needed a little extra oomph!

So, I did what I do. I sat down with my graph paper and sketched out a plan. This plastic bag holder sewing tutorial is another fat quarter project! Yay! (Fat quarters are 18″ x 22″ pieces of fabric, sold at fabric stores that sell quilting fabric.)

I use reusable bags, but always end up with plastic grocery bags anyway! (You know how you forget sometimes– or Instacart brings you round a whole fresh crop of plastic bags!)

You could also use this bag to store other things. (I stuffed one with fabric scraps!)

Cutting the Fabric for Your Plastic Bag Holder

To make a plastic bag holder, you’ll need one fat quarter, a 4″ strip of a contrasting fabric, 2 small (4″ or so) pieces of elastic, and one small piece of ribbon (6″ or so). (You can also make a fabric “loop” to hang the bag by. It is up to you!)

Measure your fat quarter. It should be about 18″ x 22″, but sometimes they are slightly larger. You’ll want to cut your 4″ strip of contrast fabric so you have two 4″ strips to go across each 18″ side. If your fat quarter is 19″, then cut your strips 19″ to fit.

With the right sides together, sew the contrast strip to the main fabric along the 18″ edge. Repeat for the other side.

I serge all my edges, since I am usually selling what I make. If you’ve got a serger, go ahead and finish those edges. If you don’t have a serger, you can omit the finishing if you want, or you can pink or zig-zag the edge. Since this is not a wearable object, or an object that will get much washing (if any) it isn’t necessary to finish the edges at all. So, don’t feel bad if you choose to skip that step!

Ribbon or Fabric Loop to Hang Your Plastic Bag Holder

Pin your ribbon loop (or fabric loop) a couple inches from the top of the main fabric along the 22″ side. (Which is not a 30″ side, since you just attached two 4″ strips to the ends!) If you put your loop too high, you’ll be fighting it while you sew the elastic casing or it will end up on the ruffle. So, try to put it low enough it will be out of the way, but still at the top of the bag. (You can turn the top ruffle down and see where it will hit if that helps you. I just eyeball it and hope for the best!)

Fold your fabric in half long ways (with your contrast fabric on the top and bottom) and sew with right sides together. Serge or finish the edge as you did with the other seam!

Finishing the Top and Bottom of the Plastic Bag Holder

Serge the top and bottom edge of your contrast fabric (you can see above that the edge of the pink fabric is serged). If you want to skip that step, go right ahead!

Now, press the contrast edge in. (See above!) You want to leave about 1/2″ or so of your contrast fabric showing on the front.

(In the photo above, I am showing you the contrast fabric showing on the front.) Repeat for the opposite end. Press it down, leaving about 1/2″ (maybe a little more) showing on the front.

At this point, you’re bag is looking something like this. It reminds me of the cat tunnel project in In Stitches by Amy Butler. (Don’t know what project I’m referring to? It is a tube, much like this, lined with faux fur for your cat to play in.)

Now, we make our elastic casing! Yay! Sew along about 1/2″ from the edge of the contrast fabric. Then sew all the way around, sewing back over your first stitches.

Sew all the way around again, this time sewing as close to the edge as you can. Also, you’ll need to backstitch the ends and leave a small opening (preferably near the back center seam) to guide your elastic through.

Repeat for the other side! Now, you are almost done!

Adding Elastic to Plastic Bag Holder

Grab your two pieces of elastic!

Here is how I thread my elastic. I put a large safety pin along the back end. It keeps the elastic from slipping all the way through. (Believe me, that is a pain!) I attach a small safety pin to the front end (the end I’ll be pushing through the casing).  Make sure your safety pins are firmly attached. It really sucks when a pin slips off because you put it too close to the edge.

Thread your elastic through the casing.

Sew your elastic together by overlapping it and sewing it with an “elastic” stitch. (The awkward looking zig-zag stitch on your machine that is more “lighting bolty” than “zig-zaggy.” If you don’t have that stitch, a small zig-zag will work. (You may have to reset the width of the zig-zag so it fits on the elastic.)

Repeat for the other side!

Flip and Fill Time

Flip it right side out an you’re done! I know, you’re wondering why I didn’t finish closing off those elastic casings! Well, to be honest, it is a pain in the butt and it serves no real purpose. You can fight through it and close them up if you’d like, but I see no reason to. I backstitched the ends, so I made sure it was nice and secure. The elastic is so tight, You’ll find great difficulty stretching it out to sew that little bitty hole closed. And I see no point in closing it. You can if you’d like, I don’t.

See the lovely loop on the back! You can hang it in your pantry or, if you’re like me, you can hang it on your kitchen wall! (Use some snazzy fabrics and you’ll liven your kitchen up!)

This is my favorite aspect of the design! The top and bottom “mouth” of your bag holder have a nice little flirty splash of contrast! I love it!

Go! Make some as gifts, for yourself, or sell some! (Yep. You can feel free to sell anything you make from any of my free designs.) As always, I just ask that you not take credit for the design and that you’d share the free tutorial with others! (No hoarding freeness!) Have fun!

Other Notes From the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Half Yard Baby Shower Gift Tutorial
• Easiest Necktie Ever
• Superhero Cape Tutorial
• Cowboy Bib Tutorial
• Crayon Wallet Tutorial

The post Plastic Bag Holder Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

My niece is turning one! I couldn’t let the occasion go by without using the opportunity to make her some clothes to begin her toddling phase in. (Let’s just face it, if I’m your Aunt, you’re going to get homemade clothes. It is just life.) So, for outfit number one, I chose to make a reversible Smocket (find the free printable pattern here) and a pair of girly, tiered pants.  

I loved making these pants. Cute. Girly. Comfy cozy. I cannot wait to give them to her!

What do you need to make these tiered pants?

Half a yard each of 2 fabrics. (Or 1 yard of a single fabric. You could also use some of your larger fabric scraps if you’ve got any of those lying around! Those would be fun!)

Elastic. (This is my go-to kid elastic.)

Your sewing stuff. (Sewing machine, thread, scissors, pins, ironing board, iron)

Cutting Your Fabric

First, I made my pattern. (I just drew it right on the back of my fabric. I’m fancy like that.) This is a size 18 months. If you need a larger size, add the inches as needed. (Don’t forget to add to the width and the length!)

Okay, got it? Hehe. I’m just joking. This is my little sketch book drawing of what I made.

Piece 1: Cut 2 on fold: Fabric A: 6″ waist, 9″ crotch, 11″ outseam, 9″ leg width. (I used my Variform Curve ruler for the crotch. You can always eyeball it or grab another pair of pants and copy that pair.)

Piece 1A:Cut 2 on fold: Fabric B: 3″ tall by 9″ wide. (This is NOT a ruffle. It is just straight. You can omit this piece to make the pants shorter. Or you can add 1.5″ onto the length of pieces 2 and 3. Or you     can add a third “crazy” fabric into the mix with this piece. It is up to you. You’re the designer. For my pants, I have it.)

Piece 2: Cut 2 on fold: Fabric A: 5″ tall by 12″ wide.

Piece 3: Cut 2 on fold: Fabric B: 5″ tall by 12″ wide.

Sewing the Tiers

This is what you should have right now. (My pieces are still together. There are two of each piece, I swear!) (And they are still folded!)

With right sides together, sew piece 1A onto piece 1.

Now, on piece 2, you’re going to want to do a basting stitch (straight stitch, close-ish to the edge, as long as your stitch length will go) and gather the top of the piece. (The basting stitch should run down the LONG side of the fabric on whichever side you deem to be “top”.)

Once you’re all gathered up, pin piece 2 onto piece 1A with right sides together. You want the corners to match. Gather as much as needed to get the piece the same width. I gathered mine more in the middle and less on the ends. Why? The ends will be the inner leg. I wanted the ruffles to be more on the outside, with the inside of the legs being less ruffles. It’s a comfort thing.

After pinning, sew right sides together! (Sew with the gathered piece on top. Otherwise your straight piece will end up getting wonky.)

Do the same for piece 3. Baste. Gather. Pin with right sides together to piece 2. Sew.

Repeat for the other leg.

Finish the seams if you’re going to finish them. I serged mine because I have a nice serger and have to use it! If you don’t have a serger, don’t be jealous. Just finish your edges as you wish. (Clip them with pinking shears. Trim and zigzag. Do nothing. Whatever you want to do.)

Putting the Pants Together

Now, each pant leg should look like this. Fancy, huh? Take each pant leg and sew the inseam. (Put right sides together, matching up the outer edges.) Finish the inseam. (Serge. Pink. Zigzag.)

Now, you should have two pant legs. Do they look like pant legs? (You should answer yes. If you answered no, I think it is time to evaluate what went wrong before pressing on. Fear not. It happens to the best of us.)

Flip one leg right side out and put it inside the other leg. Match the inseams. Pin around the crotch area. Sew. Finish the seam. (Serge. Pink. Zigzag.)

Adding Elastic to the Waist

We’re moving on! Press about an inch of the waistband down. (Wrong side to wrong side.) If you didn’t serge the edge, you’ll want to flip about 1/4th of an inch under before you sew. Hide that unfinished edge! Sew around the waistband! Make sure you leave a little hole to feed the elastic through.

I put a brooch pin on the end of the elastic I am NOT feeding through. It keeps the end from accidentally following the leader and ending up inside the casing. I use a safety pin to feed the elastic through the casing.

Put the elastic into the casing. Feed it through. Don’t let the end follow! It needs to stay out.

Now you have both elastic ends out. Yay!

Cross the edges over each other and sew. Use a zigzag or elastic stitch on your machine. A straight stitch will break when the elastic is pulled. (An elastic stitch looks like a wonky zigzag. See above.)

Trim the edges of the elastic.

Pull on the waist and pop the elastic inside the casing.

Sew up the hole!

Hem the Tiered Pants

Hem the bottom edge of the pants. (I serge mine, then flip them inside and zigzag them. I like the look of a zigzagged hem. It makes it different from things you can buy at the store. You see the zigzag and you know, those are special!)

Tiered Pants Tutorial Done

And you are done! Adorable little pants to toddler about in!

As always, this tutorial is yours to use as you wish. Make them to give, keep, or sell. Just do not sell the pattern. And when someone asks where you got the pattern, share the free!

** This post contains affiliate links. These links do not cost you more to use, but as an affiliate, I get a small commission from sales using these links. **

Other Notes From the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Double Ruffle Pants Tutorial
• Double Twirly Skirt Tutorial
• Pixie Skirt Sewing Tutorial
• Child’s Ruffled Half Apron Sewing Tutorial

The post Elizabeth Tiered Pants Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

My little princess is always wanting to play “hostess.” Even when it is just our little family around. So, I designed this quick little ruffled hostess half apron for her. She NEEDED it! (My poor boys rarely get Mommy made stuff. But they don’t NEED this kind of cuteness.)

Cutting the Fabric for our Ruffled Half Apron

You’ll only need two fat quarters (and you’ll have some scraps leftover) to make a child’s size half apron with a long ruffle.

With your “main” fabric, you’ll just want to cut your fat quarter in half (making it 18″ wide by 11″ long). The other half of that fat quarter is scrap.

Take your contrast fabric, and cut it as follows. You’ll cut three 3″ strips (3″ x 18″). (If you would like a wider waistband, you can cut 4″ strips if you wish- you’ll have enough fabric for it.) Then you’ll cut two 5″ strips (5″ x 18″)- those will make your frilly little top!

Sewing the Ruffled Half Apron

Sew the 3″ strips together end to end (you can sew them on a diagonal if you are concerned with bulk- I just sew mine straight). You now have one long 3″ strip that will be your waistband and ties.

Sew the two 5″ strips together. This seam will not be hidden, so you’ll need to finish it. I did a french seam. It just “seamed” like the right thing to do. (ba- dum- ching!) Now you have a 5″ strip that is twice the width of your apron front. Finish the side and bottom edges of this strip. (Either do a double fold hem or serge and sew them to a nice finish.)

Finish the sides and bottom of your main skirt body. Do it in that order- sides then bottom. You can do a nice double fold hem. I serge my edges (because I have to use my serger for something) then fold the under and sew close to the edge.

Ruffling the Ruffle

Put a basting stitch into the top edge your ruffle (that 5″ strip that now has finished sides and bottom) so you can gather it.

If you’re new to sewing and don’t know what I’m talking about- a basting stitch is just a temporary stitch. Set your straight stitch on your sewing machine to the longest length you’ve got. You want to put it about a quarter of an inch from the top edge of the ruffle. Leave a long “tail” of thread at each end of the stitch. Pulling on just one string, slowly pull the thread to gather the fabric.

Add the Ruffle to the Body of the Half Apron

Pin your ruffle to the top on the apron body and sew together. You want your ruffle the same width as your apron body. This top unfinished edge will be encased inside the waistband- so don’t worry about finishing the edge.

Sewing the Waist and Ties

Take your 3″ strip and press it in half (long ways). Tuck the unfinished edges into the center and press again. (Think- double fold bias tape.) In the picture above, I am opening the creases so you can see.

Line the apron body up in the center of the waistband/tie. (You can use your seams as guides. The middle section should be about the right size for the apron body.) Pin the top of the apron body to the waistband. You’ll slip the upper unfinished edge of the apron body into the middle of the waistband, sandwiching it inside. Sew close to the lower edge (the one toward the apron body) of the waistband. Sew past the apron body to the end of the tie. Flip your apron over and finish the tie on the other side.

Tie a knot in the end of the tie.

Your Ruffled Half Apron is Done!

As usual, you can do what you like with your finished product of my design. Sell it. Swap it. Gift it. Keep it. I don’t mind. Just don’t take credit for the design itself. And for the love of free- share the design!

Other Notes from the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Double Twirly Skirt Tutorial
• Crayon Wallet Tutorial
• Half Yard Baby Shower Gift Tutorial
• Child’s Half Gardening Apron Tutorial
• Wide Leg Ruffle Pants Tutorial

The post Child’s Ruffled Half Apron Sewing Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

Once my children got the concept of “baby” and “big boy (or girl)”, bibs were out the window. The thing is, toddlers still need bibs! Our many Sundays with Imogene eating egg drop soup at House of Lu can attest to that! But try to get a bib on her and she’s in the floor, because you’ve offended her. You have just called her a baby without words! We were eating out one day, and Aidan really needed a bib (spaghetti!). He refused to wear a bib, but happily wore the cloth napkin tied around his neck, because he said he was a cowboy! *Lightbulb!* So, that is how we accomplish this?! The cowboy bib is born!

Now, this bib is multi-functional. If your kids are like mine, meal time is not the only time they’ll want to wear this bib. They’ll want to wear it ALL THE TIME! You’ll have to pry it away for washing when they go to sleep! You’re going to need several of these babies, so go ahead and cut out a few! (An added bonus, if you use a warm lining fabric, you’ve got a built in neck warmer when they refuse to replace it with their scarf.)

Sewing Your Own Cowboy Bib

You can easily make a cowboy bib out of fat quarters! (I love things that can be made with a fat quarter! You can avoid buying full yards of that oh-so-cute-but-expensive designer fabric!) One fat quarter is enough fabric for two bib fronts. If you are using yardage, you need at least half a yard of fabric, which will make 4 bib fronts. For the bib back, you’ll need half a yard of something nice for backing. You can use flannel, chenille (my personal favorite), minky, terry (my least favorite option), or fleece. A half yard of backing fabric will make 4 backs.  

You’ll also need closure of some sort. I use plastic KAM snaps. If you are not so fortunate to own a snap press or pliers, you could do a button closure or velcro. You could also add some ribbon into the ends to make it tie. I like snaps because they are easy for a kid to use. Easy on and off. And in the event their sister traps them by the bib in the door jam of the closet, they can get free. (Velcro would have a similar advantage, only with the added disadvantage of being velcro and snagging everything in reach.)

Cutting Fabric for the Cowboy Bib Sewing Tutorial

The first thing you are going to do is cut your fat quarter in half. You’ll end up with two rectangles that are 18″ x 11″. (If you are using yardage, you’ll need one 18″ x 11″ rectangle for the front of the bib. I cut my yardage into fat quarters, then go from there.) **If you’ve never used a fat quarter before or have no idea what I’m talking about, a fat quarter is a piece of quilting fabric (usually cotton) sold at fabric and quilting stores. A fat quarter measures 18″ by 22″. It is half a yard of fabric, cut halfway between the selvedges- thus it is the amount of fabric in a quarter of a yard, but in a more usable amount- since it isn’t a long, thin strip.**

Pick one 18″ side to be the top of the bib. (If you’ve got a directional pattern, this will be important.) Fold the bib in half (right sides together). From the top, on the open edge, mark 3″ down. (Just a little line at the 3″ mark.)

Now, use a ruler (or straight edge) to draw a line from your 3″ mark to the center bottom of the fold. (In the picture above, my top is to the left and the folded edge is to the top.)

Cut along the line from the 3″ mark to the corner.

Open it up and it looks like this! Go ahead and press it to make it look all nice and get that center crease out as much as you can.

Cut your backing fabric to match. (You can either mark and cut as you just did, or you can use your bib front as a template.)

Sewing the Cowboy Bib

With right sides together, sew around the edges- leaving a hole to turn the bib right side out. Trim the corners, so when you turn it they’ll be corners, not rounds. Turn your bib right side out, using a pointy object to push your corners out.  (If your using ribbon to close your bib, you’ll want to pin it in place between your front & back and sew it in during this step.)

Topstitch around the edges, overlapping at the ends.

Add Closure to the Cowboy Bib

Add your snap (or button closures) and you’re finished!

This pattern was made by me. You may use it if you want, but don’t sell the design- that’s just wrong. You may sell bibs you make from this tutorial, I just ask that you give me credit for the design. Thank you. And you’re welcome!

Other Notes From the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Crayon Wallet Tutorial
• Superhero Cape Tutorial
• Half Yard Baby Shower Gift
• Child’s Ruffled Half Apron Sewing Tutorial
• Plastic Bag Holder Tutorial

The post Cowboy Bib Sewing Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.

For the little lady’s birthday, she had a gardening party. I grabbed fabric to make her an outfit and then after her outfit was made, I realized I had lots of extra fabric. The boys were asking me if they got aprons, so I decided to make all the kids a half apron as a party favor. (They also got a little pot of lavender seeds they each planted.) Really, I’m not usually so crazy when it comes to parties. I blame pregnancy for making me do these things. The aprons are super easy to make. I made 12 with 1 yard of the blue dots, 1 yard of red dots, and 1/2 yard of each green solid and yellow solid. (And I did still have fabric leftover.)

Here is what you’ll need:

fabric

ribbon (I used random scraps I had.)

clips (I had a bunch of pacifier clips that I bought on Etsy.)

Cut your rectangle for the apron front 12-15″ wide (depending on what scraps you have) and 8-10″ tall. Cut the waistband 2″ x the width of the fabric. Cut a small length of ribbon to make a loop for the clip. (It can be anywhere from 4″-8″.)

First, finish the sides and the bottom of the apron panel.

Next, attach the looped ribbon with the clip attached to the top left of the apron panel. Just sew it close to the edge so the waistband will cover it.

Now, take your 2″ strip of fabric and iron in half. Tuck the cut ends toward the center and iron. (You now have double fold tape.) Line up the center of the strip with the apron panel. Sandwich the apron panel into the waistband strip. Sew along the open edge all the way to the end. (I start at the apron panel, sew to the end, then flip and sew from where I started to the other end.) Tie a knot in the end of the strip.

Done.

Clip a paper towel or rag to the clip when gardening for hand wiping.

Make these to give away, to use, to sell- just make sure you share the free tutorial!

The post Child’s Half Gardening Apron Tutorial appeared first on Notes From the Parsonage.