An easy gift to sew for kids

I mentioned this pattern last year in one of my December posts, but decided to share it again since it is so quick and easy.   (I hope that's not cheating, as I do try to keep my blog content fresh!) This apron would be an easy-breezy project to whip up in the summer!

The apron tutorial is here, if you are interested: Making it Fun.   You can find this apron tutorial in the right sidebar under the name Classic Apron Tutorial.  Click on the picture of the apron and the pdf appears for download or printing.

I am not sure I had ever made a reversible apron prior to this, but this is a great tutorial and so easy.  It went together so easily and was just plain fun to make.  I did choose to leave off the pocket, which is cute enough but completely unnecessary.

The tutorial has directions for both child and adult apron patterns.  The one at the top of the post was in the child size.  I made it for a very petite four-year-old, but I wanted it to fit her for a few years, so I didn't try to reduce the pattern in any way.

I made the one just above in between the child and adult sizes, which differed by a couple of inches.  Josiah is 11, and I wanted the apron to fit him for awhile. 

The only time-consuming part is making the pattern.  I used sheets of newspaper taped together.  Of course, once you get a particular size of pattern made, you can use it again and again.  I also made up one in the "adult" size to use for those older grandchildren who need larger aprons at this point.

Once the pattern is made, the pieces are simple to cut out and I would say that the entire process of stitching up one of these aprons takes less than a couple of hours.  More, of course, if you add the pocket.  That's rather fiddly.

This past December when I was considering simple handmade gifts, my daughter Joanna suggested aprons for her three oldest, since they had outgrown the [non-reversible] aprons I made when they were much younger.

Elliott's was made with Curious George fabric.  This is the same in-between size I cut for Josiah's.

I made Emily's in the adult size.  Hers is the same bird and blossom fabric as Arielle's, but with a pink and white stripe on the reverse side.

Darrin's was also in the adult size.  I used a classic ticking for one side and red on the other.  The red is fabric from a sheet I cut up to use for quillows.

 If you happen to be interested in making a chef hat (like the one Arielle is wearing at top) to match or coordinate with your apron, again go to : Making it Fun.  just above the apron picture is one called Chef Hat Tutorial.  Click on that photo, and again a pdf of the tutorial appears for download or printing.

Do you have kids in your life who could use an apron?  This is so quick you can make up a bunch of them this summer and have them ready for Christmas!