Sewing – Elastic Neck Child’s Tea Towel Apron

This apron with elastic around the neck is so much easier for little ones to “do it themselves”!  I needed to cut my towel to about 17” long for my 3 year old cook.   I cut it off the top to leave the hemmed piece at the bottom.  Then, fold the towel in half.  From the center fold, measure out 2.5”.  From the sides, measure down 6”.  Join the two pins with your ruler and cut off.  Although this is not the apron I used, you want it to end up looking like this – just follow the above measurements if you are making one for a 3 year old.

Follow these instructions for making your own binding tape.  Let us now apply it to this apron. I attached a piece across the top using a zigzag stitch.

I stitched together 14” for one tie, encased one edge of the apron until I got to the neck piece.  I measured out 21” of binding to go around the neck, left a small opening to thread elastic at each end, and continued sewing the other side of the apron and tie.

I used 10” of one eighth wide elastic to thread through the opening.

I sewed the hole closed; catching the elastic in the seam, then trimmed the elastic.

My 3 year old is ready to bake!

This apron with elastic around the neck is so much easier for little ones to “do it themselves”!  I needed to cut my towel to about 17” long for my 3 year old cook.   I cut it off the top to leave the hemmed piece at the bottom.  Then, fold the towel in half.  From the center fold, measure out 2.5”.  From the sides, measure down 6”.  Join the two pins with your ruler and cut off.  Although this is not the apron I used, you want it to end up looking like this – just follow the above measurements if you are making one for a 3 year old.

Follow these instructions for making your own binding tape.  Let us now apply it to this apron. I attached a piece across the top using a zigzag stitch.

I stitched together 14” for one tie, encased one edge of the apron until I got to the neck piece.  I measured out 21” of binding to go around the neck, left a small opening to thread elastic at each end, and continued sewing the other side of the apron and tie.

I used 10” of one eighth wide elastic to thread through the opening.

I sewed the hole closed; catching the elastic in the seam, then trimmed the elastic.

My 3 year old is ready to bake!

Sewing - Making and Joining Binding and Bias Tape

Bias tape and binding are the same thing – the difference is that bias tape is cut on the bias of the fabric and binding is cut with the grain.  You can use binding for any straight edge, but if you have a curved edge you will want to use bias tape.

Cut strips as long as you need and 4 times the width of what you want your finished binding width to be.   I cut two lengths parallel to the edge of my fabric 3” wide by 45” long.

Swipe the right sides of all the ends of your fabric with a chalk pencil if you are using plain fabric such as I am.

Take two of your strips and place them right sides together at right angles to each other.  Kinda like making an upside down letter L with your fabric.  Draw a line from the bottom left corner to the top right corner.  Very important that you draw from left to right so as not to accidentally sew along the wrong diagonal. 

Pin and sew along your line.

Cut off the extra fabric leaving about a quarter of an inch.  Trim off the little dog ear.

Now, iron the seam open.

Fold strip in half and press.

Bring the raw edges to the center line, one side at a time and press.  Repeat for the other side.

The joined seam is evenly distributed for less bulk.

Now it is ready to apply!

Bias tape and binding are the same thing – the difference is that bias tape is cut on the bias of the fabric and binding is cut with the grain.  You can use binding for any straight edge, but if you have a curved edge you will want to use bias tape.

Cut strips as long as you need and 4 times the width of what you want your finished binding width to be.   I cut two lengths parallel to the edge of my fabric 3” wide by 45” long.

Swipe the right sides of all the ends of your fabric with a chalk pencil if you are using plain fabric such as I am.

Take two of your strips and place them right sides together at right angles to each other.  Kinda like making an upside down letter L with your fabric.  Draw a line from the bottom left corner to the top right corner.  Very important that you draw from left to right so as not to accidentally sew along the wrong diagonal. 

Pin and sew along your line.

Cut off the extra fabric leaving about a quarter of an inch.  Trim off the little dog ear.

Now, iron the seam open.

Fold strip in half and press.

Bring the raw edges to the center line, one side at a time and press.  Repeat for the other side.

The joined seam is evenly distributed for less bulk.

Now it is ready to apply!