Please note, you will need to own the Willow pattern to complete this tutorial.
Cut your pieces:
- Cut 2 front bodices (1 of each main fabric).
- Cut 2 tie straps (use a fabric that coordinates with both main fabrics).
- Cut 2 waist straps (I made mine 4”x50” for width that fits sizes 2-8, but you can make this wider or narrower as you see fit and longer for bigger kids).
NOTE: if you need longer, but do not want to cut on the bias, you can cut two center piece and four side pieces.
- Cut 2 skirt pieces (1 of each main fabric)
- OPTIONAL: Cut ruffle pieces 4” x (length of sides and bottom of skirt x2)- this will take multiple pieces to achieve the length necessary.
Once all of your pieces are ready, let’s get sewing!
Seam Allowances are ⅜”
Construction Steps:
- Fold the tie straps in half horizontally and press.
- Sew one short edge and the entire long edge closed. Repeat with second strap.
- Turn the straps right side out and press.
- Place the front main pieces right sides together and sew the side seams and armscye.
- Place the straps inside the bodice tight to the seam of each side and pin in place and Sew across the top of the bodice.
- Clip your corners and use pinking shears or clip along the curved edge.
- Turn right side out and press, topstitch if desired.
- Construct your ruffle (optional):
- sewing your pieces into one long piece that is double the length of your outside skirt length.
- Press the seams open.
- Fold the ruffle piece in half horizontally WRONG sides together and press.
- Sew 2-3 rows of gathering stitches along the raw edge of the ruffle piece.
- Gather the ruffle so that it is the length of your skirt piece.
- Place your skirt pieces right sides together.
- If desired, round the bottom edge of your skirt piece (I literally fold the skirt so that the short raw sides are lined up and then take a circular object like a cup or large ribbon spool and use it as a template).
- Baste the ruffle to the right side of one of your skirt pieces.
- If doing the ruffle, sandwich the ruffle between the two main skirt pieces aligning the raw edges.
- Sew along the two short sides and the bottom of the skirt (Leave the top open).
- Clip curves, turn right side out and press.
- Sew 2-3 rows of gathering stitches across the top raw edge of your skirt piece.
- Gather your skirt so that it is approximately 1” longer than the bodice. Set aside.
- Fold your long sides of your waist straps wrong sides together ⅜” and press (this is making a memory crease to sew along).
- Find the center of 1 of your waist straps and the center of your bodice. Unfold your waist strap and align the raw edges of your bodice (center to center) right sides together.
- Find the center of your second waist strap and match it with the center of the other side of your bodice -this will sandwich your bodice between the waist straps. Sew the waist strap, leaving a gap at the bottom about 2” longer than your skirt.
- Clip your corner, turn right side out and press.
- Flip one of the waist strap folds out and center your skirt to match your bodice. Put raw sides together and sew along your memory crease. NOTE: You are only sewing through ONE of the waist straps, not both. Also, make sure you will have the correct main fabric matching your bodice.
- Flip your skirt piece up and inside the waist strap.
- Align your unsewn waist strap with the folded edge just covering the stitch line from step 20.
- Top stitch the entire waist strap. This will close the gap and finish the waist band simultaneously.
- Remove any showing gathering stitches from apron and ENJOY. :)
Pair your newest Willow apron with the Vanilla chef hat for the perfect little baker outfit!
