Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

I love baking with my almost-2-year-old, but it can be quite a messy affair. An average session might involve her stealing fistfuls of chocolate chips, dumping sugar on the floor and rubbing dough into her hair. In order to protect her clothes from this toddler chaos, I was rigging up my adult-size apron and tying them on her like an elaborate toga. But after my contraption fell off for the hundredth time, it became clear to me that Lupe needed her very own little apron.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Aprons are my number one favorite things to sew. They are so quick and easy, clean and engineered, and as an avid home cook, I use them all the time. Sized for kids from 2-10 years, this apron is a smaller version of our Adjustable Unisex Apron and is just as versatile, useful and cute!

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

I used Kiyohara’s Linen Blend Solid fabric because of its sturdy feel and pretty yarn dyed color, and I paired it with a shock of neon ric rac to add some lively color and fun. After all, cooking with kids may not be the most practical thing to do, but if you can overlook the cookie dough handprints on the fridge, it should always be fun! –Molly

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

ps- Here is three year old Ruth modeling the Little Kid size!

Materials

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

  • 3/4 yard of Kiyohara’s Linen Blend Solid in Navy
  • 2 yards of small Ric Rac Neon in Orange, Yellow or Green
  • 2 yards of 20mm Cotton Twill Tape in Ecru
  • Mettler’s Neon Thread in Devil Red, Sour Apple or Limedrop to match the Ric Rac
  • One small spool of Gutermann’s 100% Cotton Thread in 7400. This is the Blue Thread.
  • One small spool of Gutermann’s 100% Cotton Thread in 1040. This is the Ecru Thread.

Note: Machine wash and dry the fabric (but not the trims) before you get started.

Sizes + Finished Dimensions

Little Kid (to fit children 2- 5 years): 19 inches tall by 16 inches wide at the widest point. Big Kid (to fit children 5-10 years): 23 inches tall by 18 inches wide at the widest point. Note: In the pattern the first measurements are for the Little Kid size and the measurements within the parentheses are for the Big Kid size.

Pattern

Cut

From the Twill Tape cut:

  • One 60-inch (66-inch) length; this is the Tie Twill Tape.
  • One 5-inch (6 ½-inch) length; this is the Pocket Twill Tape.

From the Ric Rac cut:

  • One 60-inch (66-inch) length; this is the Tie Ric Rac.
  • One 5-inch (6 ½-inch) length; this is the Pocket Ric Rac.

From the fabric cut:

  • A 5-inch (6 ½-inch) square; this is the Pocket.
  • A 21 X 18-inch (25 X 20-inch) rectangle; this is the Body.

Fold the Body piece in half lengthwise so that the two long sides meet one another. Orient the piece so that the fold is on the left and the shorter sides are at the top and bottom.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

On the top edge make a mark 4 inches (4 ½ inches) to the right of fold. On the right hand edge make a mark 6 ½ inches (8 ½ inches) from the top. Cut a straight diagonal line running from the mark on the top edge to the mark on the right hand edge, cutting off a triangle shape at the right corner. Discard these triangle pieces (or save them for another purpose!)

Assemble the Pocket and the Tie

Press one of the long sides of the Pocket piece ½ inch twice towards the wrong side. Pin in place. Using the Blue Thread, edgestitch this fold down. This hemmed edge is now the top of the Pocket.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Pin the Tie Ric Rac down the center of the Tie Twill Tape, placing a pin at every third wave in the Ric Rac. Pin the Pocket Ric Rac to the Pocket Twill Tape in the same manner. Using the Neon Thread and working carefully, sew the Ric Rac in place straight down its center. These pieces are now the Tie and the Pocket Trim. Fold the raw ends of the Tie ½ inch twice towards the wrong side and pin the folds into place. Edgestitch this fold using the Ecru Thread.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

With right sides facing up, pin the Pocket Trim across the top of the Pocket, ¼ inch below the top fold. Using the Ecru Thread, edgestitch the Pocket Trim in place along both its top and bottom edges. Using the Blue Thread, zigzag stitch around the three raw edges of the Pocket. Put the Pocket aside for now.

Sew

Note: All sewing in this section is done with the Blue Thread.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Unfold and press the crease out of the Body piece. Press and pin the 8-inch (9-inch) edge over 1/2 inch twice towards the wrong side. Edgestitch this fold down. Hem the two side edges in the same manner.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Zigzag stitch across both diagonal edges of the Body piece.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Fold and press both diagonal sides 1/4 inch towards the wrong side and then fold them over again 1 inch towards the wrong side. Pin these folds into place and edgestitch them down. The Body will now have two diagonal channels at either side. Fold and pin the bottom raw edge of the Body ½ inch twice towards the wrong side. Edgestitch this fold down.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Press the side and bottom raw edges of the Pocket ½-inch towards the wrong side.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

With right sides facing up, pin the sides and bottom of the pressed Pocket to the Body 2 ½ inches (3 inches) from the left side and 1 ½ inches (2 ½ inches) below the beginning of the left diagonal side. (Note: I put the Pocket onto the wearer’s right side. If you are making this for a lefty, you’ll want to pin the Pocket to the wearer’s left side, which will be the apron’s right side when it’s facing right side up.) Edgestitch the sides and bottom of the Pocket into place, leaving the top open.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Turn the Body over so the wrong side is facing up. With the wrong side of the Tie facing up, thread one end of the Tie into the lower opening of the right side diagonal channel. Making sure not to twist it, pull the Tie through the channel out the top opening. Then thread the Tie into the top opening of the left hand channel and out the bottom, again making sure not to twist the Tie. Arrange the Tie so that it is even on each side and an adjustable neck loop is formed at the top.

Kid’s Ric Rac Apron | Purl Soho

Press the apron and it’s all done!