Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects (10 page)

• Cut 1 top panel on the fold:
*
Use top panel pattern piece provided in the pocket at the front of this book.

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE BOTTOM PANEL

• Cut 1 bottom panel on the fold:
*
Use bottom panel pattern piece provided in the pocket at the front of this book.

*
To cut the pattern piece on the fold of your fabric, lay your pattern piece so that the edge to be placed on the fold is even with the folded edge of your fabric. Once this pattern piece is cut out of your fabric, open it up to make one full panel.

Step 2. Attach the top and bottom panels together.

a.
With
Right
sides together, pin the bottom raw edge of the top panel to the top raw edge of the bottom panel. Attach the panels by stitching a
¹
/
₄
″ seam across the matched raw edges, backstitching at each end. Serge or zigzag across the panels in the seam allowance to finish the raw edge, and then press the seam allowance down.

b.
Now, open up the attached panels, and with the
Right
side facing up, center the
⁵
/
₈
″-wide ribbon over the seam and pin the ribbon in place, making sure to keep it straight and centered over the seam. Then, edge stitch
*
along both long edges of the ribbon, stitching close to the edge of the ribbon, and press.
(
FIGURE 2B
)

*
See page 170
for an explanation of edge stitching.

Step 3. Measure, mark, and prepare the drawstring casing.

a.
With the
Wrong
side of the panels facing up, start on the left-side raw edge of the top panel, measure down from the top raw edge 1
¹
/
₄
″, and make a mark with your chalk pencil. Repeat this step to mark the right-side raw edge of the top panel.

b.
On the
Wrong
side of the attached top panel, at the left 1
¹
/
₄
″ mark, sew a 1″-long stitch line
¹
/
₂
″ in from the raw edges to reinforce the cut you will make in the seam allowance. Repeat this step for the right side of the top panel.

c.
Then, clip into the seam allowance at the 1
¹
/
₄
″ mark, just to the reinforced stitching
*
line on both sides of the panel.
(
FIGURE 3C
)

*
See page 171
for an explanation of a reinforcement stitch.

d.
Now, take the left-side raw edge above the 1
¹
/
₄
″ clip, fold it in
¹
/
₄
″ toward the
Wrong
side, and press it in place. Then, fold the edge in again
¹
/
₄
″ and press. Topstitch
*
along the inner folded edge, backstitching at each end. Repeat this step to finish the right-side raw edge of the casing.
(
FIGURE 3D
)

*
See page 172
for an explanation of topstitching.

e.
With the
Wrong
side of the panel still facing up, fold the top raw edge
¹
/
₄
″ in toward the
Wrong
side of the panel and press. Fold the top edge in again
¹
/
₂
″ and press. Pin in place and topstitch across the inner folded edge to make the casing, backstitching at each end.
(
FIGURE 3E
)

Step 4. Finish the Recipe Card Bag.

a.
First, fold the panel in half lengthwise with the
Right
sides together. Pin along the side and bottom raw edges, matching up the ribbon stitched over the seam, and matching the top finished edge.

b.
Stitch the panel together by sewing a
¹
/
₂
″ seam down the side and across the bottom raw edges, backstitching at each end.
(
FIGURE 4B
)

c.
Now, using your scissors, trim the 2 bottom corners
*
in the seam allowance, making sure not to clip the stitching. Then, serge or zigzag the seam allowance and press.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of trimming corners.

d.
Turn the bag
Right
side out, using a turning tool
*
to push out the bottom corners, and then press it flat.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of a turning tool.

e.
Using the small safety pin, attach the pin to one end of the
¹
/
₄
″ drawstring ribbon and thread it through the casing at the top of the bag. Then, remove the safety pin, and tie a knot on each end of the ribbon.

SHORT PLEATED APRON

FINISHED SIZE: 31
¹
/
₂
″ ACROSS THE BOTTOM × 24
³
/
₄
″ LONG, WITH 31″-LONG TIES; FITS MOST ADULTS.

You’ll make your grandma proud when you don this traditional pleated apron, and you can give it your signature look by choosing bright and beautiful fabrics. We’ve put a towel loop right where you need it, and a pocket for you to stash recipes. Now twirl about the kitchen in style!

FABRICS

•
³
/
₄
yard (44″-wide) light- to mid-weight cotton print for the apron panel, pocket, and towel loop

•
³
/
₄
yard (44″-wide) coordinating light- to mid-weight solid cotton for the trim, waistband, and ties

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Coordinating thread

• Yardstick

• Chalk pencil or fabric marker

• Scissors

• Masking tape

• Straight pins

• Hand sewing needle

NOTES

• All seams are
¹
/
₂
″ unless otherwise stated. (The
¹
/
₂
″ seam allowance is included in all cutting measurements.)

• Preshrink your fabric by washing, drying, and pressing it before starting your project.

Step 1. Cut out all pieces from the fabric.

a.
Simply measure and mark the dimensions below directly onto the
Wrong
side of the fabric, using a yardstick and a chalk pencil. Then, using your scissors, cut out each panel following the marked lines.

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE APRON PANEL, POCKET, AND TOWEL LOOP
(
FIGURE 1A-01
)

• Cut 1 apron panel: 33
¹
/
₂
″ wide × 22
¹
/
₂
″ long

• Cut 1 pocket: 5
¹
/
₄
″ wide × 6″ long

• Cut 1 towel loop: 2
¹
/
₂
″ wide × 7″ long

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE TRIM, WAISTBAND, AND TIES
(
FIGURE 1A-02
)

• Cut 1 apron trim: 3″ wide × 33
¹
/
₂
″ long

• Cut 1 waistband: 5
¹
/
₂
″ wide × 21
¹
/
₂
″ long

• Cut 2 ties: 6
¹
/
₂
″ wide × 32
¹
/
₂
″ long

• Cut 1 pocket trim: 1
³
/
₄
″ wide × 5
¹
/
₄
″ long