Patterned in the longer style of a French baker’s apron, our woman’s Valentines apron is the perfect accessory to don when lovingly whipping up a dinner for two. Believe it or not, it takes just a single yard of fabric thanks to our clever cutting plan. We even supply you with a pattern to download to help you cut the arm hole curves. Start to finish, you can easily make this apron in an hour. In fact, check back this coming Friday to see our matching men’s version. Make them both and cook together in style.

Patterned in the longer style of a French baker’s apron, our woman’s Valentines apron is the perfect accessory to don when lovingly whipping up a dinner for two. Believe it or not, it takes just a single yard of fabric thanks to our clever cutting plan. We even supply you with a pattern to download to help you cut the arm hole curves. Start to finish, you can easily make this apron in an hour. In fact, check back this coming Friday to see our matching men’s version. Make them both and cook together in style.

We chose Paula Prass’ new Woodland Delight fabric in Brown Bloom from Michael Miller Fabrics. The chocolate brown and bright fuchsia are not traditional Valentine’s Day colors but are rich and elegant … and romantic. Plus, the classic design will last throughout the year.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome Jem Gold 3)
• ¼” Seam foot (optional, but very helpful)

Fabric and Other Supplies

• 1 yard of 45” wide fabric for the body of the apron, we used Paula Prass’ Woodland Delight in Brown Bloom
• ½ yard of 45” wide fabric for ties, we used a cream linen
• Contrasting scrap of fabric (apx. 9” x 13”) for pocket, we used a white linen
• Scrap of fabric for pocket’s heart appliqué, we used leftover apron body fabric
• All purpose thread
• See-through ruler
• Seam guage
• Pattern weights (optional)
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Straight pins

Getting Started

1. Download and print out the Apron Pocket Heart Pattern. Cut out heart shape and set aside.
2. Download and print out Arm Hole Pattern 1 and Arm Hole Pattern 2, and tape the two pieces together at the arrows to create one pattern piece.
3. Fold the fabric for the body of the apron (Paula Prass’ Woodland Delight in Brown Bloom in our sample) in half lengthwise and cut a rectangle 16″ wide x 43½” tall. Do not cut the fold.
4. While the fabric piece is still folded, align the Arm Hole Pattern piece in the upper right corner (the raw edges corner, not the folded corner) and trim out that shape to create the arm hole.
   NOTE: I used pattern weights to hold my pattern piece in place while cutting, but you could simply pin in place as well.
   
5. From the fabric for your ties (creme linen in our sample), cut one strip 4″ wide x 28″ long and two strips 4″ wide x 36″ long. Set aside.
6. From the fabric for your pocket (white linen in our simple) cut one rectangle 8″ wide x 12″ tall. Set aside.
7. Find the heart shape template you printed and cut out above, and place it on the fabric you cut out to create the arm holes of the apron body. This remaining fabric is plenty big enough to fussy cut a nice heart shape. You could also use a different scrap of fabric if you like. Place the template on your fabric and trace around it with a fabric pencil.
   
8. Cut the heart shape from the fabric and set aside.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

Make sure you have the same thread in both the bobbin and upper spool. In other words, don’t use a pre-wound bobbin in white for this project. We wanted a contrasting look for our thread and used a pale silvery gray thread, which looked great against the brown of the apron fabric as well as the white of the pocket and the cream of the ties.

Hem all around

1. Make a narrow double-turn hem along both sides, including the arm holes and along the bottom. To do this, fold in the raw edge ¼” and press, then fold in another ¼” and press. Pin in place. Leave the top un-hemmed. If this is a new technique for you, read our tutorial: How to Make Simple Hem.
   
2. Attach the ¼” Seam foot.
   NOTE: As mentioned above, this foot is optional (not all machines come with it) but very helpful because the foot has a guide you can run along the folded edge of your hem to keep your stitching perfectly straight and even. If you don’t have a ¼” foot, you can follow a point on your regular foot or align the edge of the fabric with a reference mark on your throat plate.
3. Starting at the top of one side, stitch a ¼ seam around the arm hole, down the side, across the bottom, back up the side, around the other arm hole, and finally stopping at the top of the opposite side. Remember to stop at the corners with your needle in the down position and pivot. Also remember to go slowly around the curves of the arm holes, stopping occasionally as needed, with your needle in the down position, to slightly adjust your foot and keep a smooth curve.
4. Press your hem all around.
5. To create the top hem, fold the raw edge under ½” and press. Fold under another 1″, press and pin in place.
   
6. Stitch top hem in place from the back so you can align your foot with the folded edge. Use a ¼” seam allowance to stitch across the top. Press.

Create the ties

1. Replace your ¼” Seam foot with a regular sewing foot.
2. Take the three strips of fabric you cut for your ties. Fold each strip in half lengthwise (2″ x 28″ and 2″ x 36″), right sides together, and pin in place.
3. Stitch, using a ½” seam allowance. Leave both ends open and raw.
4. Turn right side out and press flat. You now should have one finished strip that is 1½” x 28″ (this is your neck tie) and two finished strips that are 1½” x 36″ (these are your waist ties).
   
5. Take the two strips that will be your waist ties. Fold under 3/8″ on both ends, of both strips, and press. Fold under an additional 1½” and press.
6. Pin in place at the bottom corner of the armhole on each side.
   
7. Take the strip that will be your neck tie. Fold under 3/8″ on both ends and press. Fold under an additional 1½” and press.
8. Pin in place at the top of the apron as shown. Be careful the strip isn’t twisted when you pin it in place. What I do is pin one side, then stretch the strip straight out, and curve it over and down to the opposite side as if I was drawing a curved line with the fabric. Pin it at the opposite corner.
   
9. To attach each of the ties to the apron, stitch a 1″ box, then stitch an ‘X’ through the middle of the box.
   

Make and attach the pocket

1. Switch back to the ¼” Seam foot.
2. Find your 8″ x 12″ pocket rectangle.
3. Make a narrow double-turn hem along both sides, and across the bottom. To do this, follow the same steps you did for the apron hemming. Fold in the raw edge ¼” and press, then fold in another ¼” and press. Pin in place. Leave the top un-hemmed.
   
4. Stitch a ¼” seam down one side, across the bottom, and back up the other side. Remember to stop at the corners with your needle in the down position and pivot. Press flat.
   
5. To create the top hem, fold the raw edge under ½” and press. Fold under another 1″, press and pin in place.
6. Stitch top hem in place from the back so you can align your foot with the folded edge. Use a ¼” seam allowance to stitch across the top. Press.
7. Find the heart shape you cut out earlier. Center it on the front of the pocket piece and pin in place.
8. Switch back from the ¼” Seam foot to your regular sewing foot.
9. Leaving the edges of the heart raw (part of our ‘French Country’ look), appliqué the heart to the pocket. Stitch approximately 3/8″ from the edge of the heart. Press flat.
   
10. Place the finished pocket on the front of the apron. The left side of the pocket should line up with the center line of the apron. The top of the pocket should be about 2″ below the bottom of the ties. Pin in place.
    NOTE: You could also use fusible web to adhere the heart to the pocket, as we describe in our tutorial: How to Appliqué.
11. Stitch in place along both sides and across the bottom (leaving the top open … ah, yeah, it’s a pocket). Carefully follow the stitching line of the pocket’s hem. Press.
    

Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation: Dianne LeBlanc

Other machines suitable for this project include the Bernina activa 210 and the Elna 2300.