If you’ve ever re-painted a room or added a bit of wallpaper to a plain wall, you understand how changing up color or injecting a new pattern can transform everything. That is exactly what we did with our recent Flower Power Embroidery collection. We wanted to show how this summery set of bold floral designs takes on a whole new look with updated autumn tones set against a rustic striped fabric. Our new apron design is ready for Fall and Holiday celebrations with an updated style.

Click here or use the link below to return to our original article that contains the free downloads for the designs themselves (in six major machine embroidery formats) as well Placement Templates and a Thread Chart.

We selected the Coneflower design from the eight-flower set, using the main double flower design at 100% on the apron’s bib pocket then using its companion single flower design at a 10% reduction as well as rotating it to fit as an accent patch for the larger skirt pocket. Thanks to the intuitive on-screen editing features on our Janome Continental M17, adjusting the design was quick and easy.

It’s thanks in great part to a sponsorship from Janome America that we can continue to bring beautiful projects like this to you free of charge. If we seem to go on and on about Janome, of course one reason is as thanks for their support. But the real reason is because their machines are simply our favorite. They are consistently a joy to use, with features that make your sewing, quilting, and embroidery better. Sometimes, it can feel like manufacturers just pile on random bells and whistles, things that might seem shiny or fancy but haven’t been vetted by real sewing and quilting enthusiasts. We want things easy, flexible, reliable, and focused on how we use our machines every day. Janome understands that; and we believe they deliver it with every model. So, thanks Janome!

Okay, megaphone down – project details up!

A continuous drawstring apron like this is a great choice for cooks of all shapes and sizes. We show you how to make the extra long ties that wrap to the back, around to the front, then comfortably knot or tie in a loose bow.

The wide casing runs along both armhole curves. There’s a pattern for these curved sections so you can get a perfect match, and we show detailed steps for attaching the casing, including how to clip the curves and add understitching to keep the facings extra flat.

We chose a mid-weight linen as the base for our embroidery panels because linen is simply one of the best substrates for beautiful embroidery. The fabric for everything else is quality quilting cotton. This means your own fabric choices are virtually unlimited. We opted for a homespun black and brown stripe for the exterior with a solid black for the linings and ties. You might choose a more vibrant pairing, a holiday motif, two solids or even two prints. There are so many choices thanks to the hundreds of amazing collections that come out every season from manufacturers around the world.

This is a beginner-friendly apron you can easily make in a day. And, it would be a fun gift idea bundled with some kitchen utensils and a cookbook. Our rustic colors and fabric choices are perfect for Fall, but it’s so simple to change things up to match your favorite cook’s preferred style.

A BIG thank you once again to Janome America for their support of this project and many of the other popular projects across the S4H site. To understand for yourself why we are a Janome Exclusive Studio, we invite you to visit a local Janome dealer for an in-person test stitch on the machines we consider to be the best in the industry. To find out more before you go, visit the Janome website and follow them on social media.

As with store-bought aprons, our design is meant to be one-size-fits-all. However, we realize you may still wish to make yours smaller or larger. As a reference, this apron finishes approximately 24½” wide at its widest point across the center, the narrowest point at the top of the bib is approximately 10¼”, the total length, top of the bib to the bottom hem, is approximately 31“; and the continuous, wraparound tie is about 120″.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Sewing Machine and standard presser foot
• If you wish to add machine embroidery: a combination Sewing/Embroidery Machine or Embroidery Only machine and appropriate presser foot and hoop; we used the Janome Continental M17’s RE20d hoop (140mm x 200mm). The designs within the Flower Power embroidery collection are all created to fit most medium embroidery hoops at this approximate 5″ x 7″ size.

Fabric and Other Supplies

• 1¼ yards of 44″+ quilting weight cotton or similar for the apron front;  we used Homespun Primitive Stripes in Black and Tan, originally purchased on Etsy
• 1¼ yards of 44″+ quilting weight cotton or similar for the apron lining and pocket lining; we used Kona Cotton in Jet Black by Robert Kaufman Fabrics
• ⅜ yard of 44″+ mid-weight linen in a solid color for the pocket fronts; we used Sew Classic Solid 100% Linen in Black from Joann Fabric
• 50wt cotton embroidery thread for the optional machine embroidery; we used Aurifil 50wt Cotton Thread from Twisted Threads – as mentioned above, we changed up the colors of our Flower Power Design Set to create an autumn/rustic feel to compliment the homespun fabric. The exact Aurifil colors chosen were: 2910 for the leaves, 5015 for the petals, 2145 for the flower center, and 2000 for the vein details
• Appropriate bobbin thread for your machine for optional machine embroidery; we used Janome pre-wound bobbins
• All-purpose thread to match fabric for construction
• Tearaway stabilizer as recommended for your machine; for optional machine embroidery
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pen or pencil
• Iron and ironing board
  Pressing cloth; optional but often a good idea when pressing machine embroidery
• Scissors and/or rotary cutter and mat
• Seam gauge
• Seam ripper
• Straight pins
• Bodkin or large safety pin; for feeding the tie through the casings
• Seam sealant; optional for tie ends

Getting Started, Pattern Download, and Optional Embroidery Download

1. Download and print out our two patterns sheets: the Bib Cutaway and the two pieces that make up the Apron Facing. These patterns have been bundled into ONE PDF to make the download easier.
   
   IMPORTANT: This download is two pages. Each page is ONE 8½” x 11″ sheet. You must print the PDF file at 100%. DO NOT SCALE to fit the page. There is a guide rule on each page to confirm your print out is to size. Print horizontally (landscape).
2. Cut out the pattern pieces along the solid lines. Butt together the two facing pieces at the arrows as indicated on the pattern pieces. Do not overlap. Tape together to form the complete facing pattern.
   
3. From the fabric for the apron exterior (the homespun stripe in our sample), cut the following:
   ONE 26″ wide x 32″ high rectangle for the apron body exterior; if using a stripe as we did, cut with the stripes running vertically
   ONE 11½” wide x 10″ high rectangle for the skirt pocket; if using a stripe as we did, cut with the stripes running horizontally
   ONE 13″ x 2″ strip for the upper facing
   Using the facing pattern, cut TWO for the armhole facings; remember, you need one right facing and one left facing – so either cut both on a folded piece of fabric or cut on a single layer with the pattern piece facing up for one and facing down for the other.
4. From the fabric for the apron/pocket lining (the black quilting cotton in our sample), cut the following:
   ONE 26″ wide x 32″ high rectangle for the apron body lining
   ONE 8″ wide x 9″ high rectangle for the bib pocket lining
   ONE 11½” wide x 10″ high rectangle for the skirt pocket lining
   THREE 1½” wide x 44″ (width of fabric – WOF) strips for the ties
   NOTE: You need enough strips to seam together into at least 120-130” — the longer the finished tie, the more times you can wrap it around when wearing.
5. Our embroidery uses a free download from our Flower Power Embroidery Design Set. As listed above, the designs are embroidered on 100% mid-weight linen fabric. They start as oversized panels and are then trimmed to the correct size during construction. If you choose not to add embroidery or substitute another type of embellishment, you can skip over the embroidery instructional steps and simply cut the upper front pocket panel to 8″ wide x 9″ high to match the lining panel and eliminate the “patch” steps altogether. We offer additional details on cutting, hooping and embroidery for those who wish to follow along.
6. From the fabric for the embroidered accents (the mid-weight black linen in our sample), cut the following:
   NOTE: Mid-weight linen has a distinct weave, and should be cut “on grain”. To help establish the straight of grain, we used a “pull a thread” technique. Looking at a cut edge of fabric, you can see how the fabric is woven of individual threads. Separate one of the threads and gently pull, easing the gathers toward the opposite side. Cut along this slightly gathered line.
   ONE 10″ wide x 12″ high oversize panel for the Bib Pocket
   ONE 10″ wide x 12″ high oversize panel for the Skirt Pocket Patch
   NOTE: Yes, the panels are the same size – even though their finished sizes are quite different. This is because we are using the same embroidery hoop for both designs and so used the same size starting panel for each stitchout for the best fit for that hoop.

At Your Sewing and/or Embroidery Machine & Ironing Board

Optional embroidery at 100% for the Bib Pocket

1. Set up your machine for embroidery, with bobbin thread in the bobbin and 50wt cotton embroidery thread in the top. Select the Coneflower design from the Flower Power Collection. Select a 5″ x 7″ hoop. We used the RE20d Hoop with our Janome Continental M17.
   
2. Place two layers of tear away stabilizer in the hoop, then place the hoop on the machine.
   
3. Center one 10″ x 12″ linen panel over the hoop, and secure in place with the Baste function. Linen fabric is often subject to hoop burn, so we use this technique to avoid making marks on our linen.
   
4. Embroider the design. As noted above in the Supplies List, we used Aurifil 50wt cotton thread: Aurifil 2910 for the leaves, Aurifil 5015 for the petals, Aurifil 2000 for the detail lines in the leaves and petals, and Aurifil 2145 for the flower center.
   
5. When the embroidery is complete, remove the excess stabilizer, and press from the wrong side, then again from the front using a pressing cloth.

Optional embroidery at 90% and Rotated for the Skirt Pocket Patch

1. Select the Coneflower Detail from the Flower Power Collection.
2. Select the Edit Screen on your machine. The design will appear on the Edit Screen in the RE20d Hoop.
   
3. Change the selected hoop to the ASQ27d Hoop. This will allow room to rotate the design before resizing it.
   INSERT 3264-Photo 107
4. Rotate the design using the counter clockwise 45° tool and the 1° buttons until you reach 285°. When the design is rotated, click OK.
   
5. Next, select Resize and reduce the size to 90%. Click OK.
   
6. Center the design.
   
7. Then change the selected hoop back to the RE20d Hoop. Click OK.
   
8. This will return the design to the embroidery screen, ready to embroider.
   
9. Just as you did above with the Bib Pocket embroidery, hoop two layers of tear away stabilizer and place the hoop on the machine. Place the remaining 10″ x 12″ linen panel over the hoop and baste in place. Embroider the design, using the same colors: Aurifil 2910 for the leaves, Aurifil 5015 for the petals, Aurifil 2000 for the detail lines in the leaves and petals, and Aurifil 2145 for the flower center.
10. When the embroidery is complete, remove the excess stabilizer, and press from the wrong side, then again from the front using a pressing cloth.

Make the armhole cut-outs and sew the exterior panel to the lining panel

1. Find the main 26″ x 32″ exterior panel. Place it wrong side up and flat on your work surface.
2. Find the Bib Cutaway pattern. Align the pattern in the upper right corner of the panel. Mark along the edge of the pattern with a fabric pen or pencil. In this case, because the fabric is dark, we chose a silver quilter’s marking pencil.
   
   NOTE: As always when working on the right side of your fabric, choose a marking tool that will easily wipe away or will vanish with exposure to the air or the heat of an iron.
   
3. Flip over the pattern and align it in the upper left corner. Mark along the edge of the pattern in this position.
   NOTE: Just a quick mention that our fabric looked quite similar on both the right side and the wrong side, but do follow along with our instructions to keep track of right sides and wrong sides – don’t let the similarity of the photos fool you. Your original drawn lines are on the wrong side of the exterior panel.
   
4. Remove the exterior panel from your flat surface.
5. Find the 26″ x 32″ lining panel. Place the lining panel right side up and flat on your work surface. Place the marked exterior panel right side down on top of the lining panel. The two layers are now right sides together and your original drawn armhole curves are visible. Make sure all the raw edges are aligned and pin the layers together.
   
6. Cut along the drawn lines through both layers.
   
7. Re-set the machine (or change from an embroidery-only model to a sewing model) for ordinary sewing. Place thread to best match the apron fabrics in the top and bobbin. We used black for both.
8. Using a ½” seam allowance, sew the exterior to the lining. START at the bottom of one armhole curve, stitch down the side, across the lower edge, and back up the opposite side, STOPPING at the bottom of the opposite armhole curve. Remember to make a sharp pivot at each lower corner.
9. Clip the corners and turn right side out through the open top section of the apron.
10. Using a long, blunt tool, such as a chopstick, knitting needle or point turner, gently push out the bottom corners so they are nice and sharp.
11. Flatten the layers, which are now wrong sides together, so the top edge and armhole curves of both layers are flush. Press well.
12. Re-set for a slightly lengthened straight stitch and edgestitch along the three sewn sides of the apron skirt.
    

Attach the side facings

NOTE: For these next steps, our samples are sewn using a contrasting red thread so the steps are easier to see. You should continue using your matching thread for these steps.

1. Find the two facing pieces. You should have a left facing and a right facing.
2. Re-set for a standard stitch length.
3. Along the curved outer edge of each facing, stitch a guide line ¼” in from the raw edge. For tiny folds on curved pieces, having a stitch line to fold against makes it easier to get a precise hem. It also helps stabilize the curved edge.
   
4. Using the stitch line as your guide, press back the outer curve of each facing piece ¼”, creating a tiny hem.
   
5. Place one facing piece right sides together along each side of the front of the apron bib. As shown in the photo below the ends of the facing are flush at the top of the apron panel.
   
6. The bottom of the facing will extend beyond the main apron panel. Fold back this excess amount to create a tiny hem that is flush with the sewn sides of the apron panel. Stitch these two tiny hems in place. You are just stitching the facing – do not stitch onto the main apron panel. This tiny hem will allow a nicely finished edge on the bottom opening of the channel for the drawstring ties.
   
7. Using ½” seam allowances, stitch each facing in place.
   
8. Trim back the seam allowance to ¼”.
   
9. About every inch, clip the curves of each seam allowance to allow for the flattest finish, but do take care to not clip into the seam itself. For more information of sewing smooth curves, you can check out our full tutorial prior to starting the project.
   
10. Press the seam allowance towards the facing.
11. Flip everything over and understitch the seam by sewing alongside the original seam line with a second line of stitching on the facing itself. You are sewing through the facing and the seam allowance.
    
12. Here’s what the understitching looks like from the front …
    
13. … and from the back. Remember, we’re using that contrasting thread so you can better see our steps. The double line of stitching is the original seam plus the understitching seam.
    
    NOTE: If you are brand new to this technique, take a look at our step-by-step tutorial on Understitching prior to starting.

Attach the top facing and create the casings

1. Find the top 13″ x 2″ facing strip.
2. As you did with the armhole facings, stitch a ¼” guide line along one 13″ edge. Then press back along this guide line.
3. Place the raw 13″ edge of the facing across the top of the apron panel. In order for the facing to fit side by side, as shown in the photo below, the armhole facings must be folded all the way out. Pin the bib facing to the upper edge of the apron, starting at the outside edge of one apron facing, across the top, and ending at the outside edge of the opposite facing
   
4. Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch across the top.
5. Trim back the seam allowance to ¼” and understitch this seam as you did the facing seams.
6. Re-set for a slightly lengthened stitch.
7. Bring the top facing up and around to back. Pin and then stitch the top facing in place, staying close to its bottom folded edge.
8. Re-fold the side facings into position over the sewn top facing.
9. Pin along the inner curved edge of each armhole facing.
   
10. Keeping the same slightly lengthened stitch, edgestitch along each inner curve to create the drawstring casings. Here’s a view of the top and curve stitching from the back…
    
11. … and from the front. Press well. (Just one final reminder that we are using a contrasting red thread, you should use matching thread).
    

Create the bib pocket

1. Find the embroidered linen panel. Trim the panel to 8″ wide x 9″ high, making sure to keep the design centered.
   
2. Find the 8″ x 9″ pocket lining. Place the embroidered linen panel and the lining panel right sides together. Pin around all four sides, leaving an approximate 3-4″ opening along the center bottom side for turning.
   
3. Re-set for a standard stitch length. If necessary, re-thread the machine  with thread to best match the embroidered linen in the top and to best match the lining fabric in the bobbin. We continued to use black in both the top and bobbin.
4. Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch around all four sides, pivoting sharply at each corner. Remember to lock your seam at either side of the opening left for turning.
   
5. Trim back the seam allowance to ¼”, clip the corners, and press open the seam allowance.
   
6. Turn the pocket right side out through the bottom opening.
7. Using a long, blunt tool, such as a chopstick, knitting needle or point turner, gently push out the corners so they are nice and sharp. Press well, pressing in the raw edges of the opening so they are flush with the sewn seam.
   
8. Re-set for a slightly lengthened stitch.
9. Edgestitch along just the upper edge of the pocket.
   
10. Find the main apron panel. Place it front side up and flat on your work surface. Smooth it out to insure the apron’s exterior and lining panels are nice and flat.
11. Position the pocket on the apron bib 3″ down from the upper edge and centered between the sides of the apron. Pin in place.
    
12. Edgestitch the pocket in place along both sides and across lower edge, pivoting sharply at both bottom corners. This seam closes the opening originally used for turning. If possible, use a lock stitch to start and end your seam at the pocket’s upper corners. If you do not have this feature, leave the thread tails long. Then, when finished, use a hand sewing needle to pull the thread tails through to the back, hand knot them, and trim them close to the fabric.
    

Create the skirt pocket with the accent patch

1. Find the embroidered linen panel with the Coneflower detail design. Trim this panel to 5½” wide x 4½” high.
   
2. Fold and press under ½” on three sides of the embroidered panel (top, bottom, left), leaving the right side unfinished. This right side will be finished when the pocket is completed.
   
3. Find the Skirt Pocket exterior panel and the Skirt Pocket lining panel. Place the exterior panel right side up and flat on your work surface.
4. Position the embroidered patch on the Skirt Pocket exterior panel so the right raw edge of the patch is flush with the right raw edge of the pocket. The patch should be centered within the panel top to bottom. Pin in place.
   
5. Continue using the slightly lengthened stitch.
6. Edgestitch the embroidered patch in place along the top, the bottom, and along the inner left edge.
   
7. Place the Skirt Pocket exterior panel and the Skirt Pocket lining panel right sides together.  Pin together, leaving an approximate 3-4″ opening along one long side for turning.
   
8. Re-set for a standard stitch length.
9. Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch around all four sides, pivoting sharply at each corner.. Remember to lock your seam at either side of the opening left for turning.
10. Trim back the seam allowance to ¼”, clip the corners, and press open the seam allowance.
11. Turn the pocket right side out through the opening.
12. Using a long, blunt tool, such as a chopstick, knitting needle or point turner, gently push out the corners so they are nice and sharp. Press well, pressing in the raw edges of the opening so they are flush with the sewn seam.
13. Re-set for the slightly lengthened stitch.
14. Position the Skirt Pocket 4″ above the bottom seamed edge of the apron and about ⅛” in from the right seamed side edge of the apron. Pin in place
    
15. Edgestitch in place along both sides and across the bottom, pivoting sharply at both bottom corners. This seam closes the opening originally used for turning. As above with the Bib Pocket, if possible, use a lock stitch to start and end your seam at the pocket’s upper corners or pull through the thread tails and hand knot.
16. If you wish to divide the pocket as we did, stitch one additional vertical seam from bottom to top through all layers.
    

Make and insert the continuous tie

1. Re-set for a standard stitch length. Re-thread the machine if necessary with thread to best match the tie fabric in the top and bobbin. We continued to use black in both the top and bobbin.
2. Find the three 1½” tie strips. To create the long, continuous tie, pin the lengths together end to end at right angles, stitch across the corner on the diagonal, then trim back the seam allowance, creating a smooth bias seam at each joint. As mentioned above, it should be approximately 120-130″ in length when seamed together.
   
3. Press open the seam allowances and clip away the “dog ears” extending beyond the strip.
4. Fold the tie in half, wrong sides together, and press well to set a center crease line.
   
5. Open up the tie, wrong side up, so the crease line is visible. Fold in each long raw edge to meet in the middle and press well.
   
6. Fold again along the original crease line, concealing the raw edges within the folds. Those folded edges should be flush and the finished width of the tie should be about ½”. Both ends are raw.
7. Re-set for a slightly lengthened stitch, edgestitch along the folded edges from one end of the tie to the other.
8. Make a simple knot in each end of the finished tie.
9. Attach the large safety pin or bodkin to one end.
10. Insert the end through one side casing, from the bottom to the top, then loop over (creating what will become the neck loop) and insert through the opposite side casing from the top to the bottom.
    
11. With the drawstring tie inserted, trim the tails closer to the knot, if more trimming is needed – it may not be, and add a dab of seam sealant to each end to prevent raveling.

Project Design: Anne Adams
Sample Creation and Embroidery: Michele Mishler