"Overall" Cutest Apron Part 1

My sister told me a few months ago about a really cute pattern she had seen for an apron made out of jean overalls. I was just starting to work on my quilts and was going through the scrap jeans. I had many pair of overalls in the bin because they really aren't popular anymore and was going to use them as a square on the quilt.

When she told me about the apron idea, I pulled out the overalls and put them aside. I then got online and looked at some that others have made. I looked at what I liked and didn't like about them and got some ideas.

Last night I thought I had better get going on Easter presents. Trying to save money, I thought I would try the aprons. I pulled out the one for my fourth daughter who collects "Sesame Street" items and it was a pair of Elmo overalls I wore several years ago. (I am embarrassed to admit that.)

I pulled out my bins of lace, eyelet, rick-rack and ribbons and was happy to find what I had in my "stash" of things. I started by cutting the back off leaving a 1 inch side seam that I could hem on the sides. I then measured how tall I thought she would be grown, (she is almost as tall as I am now) and cut the legs off at the front around the knees.

I then pinned and sewed the front center of the legs from the crotch area to the bottom of the apron. I used dark blue thread for hemming the sides and doing the seams. I also used the dark thread when I was sewing the back of the neck part together. I tried first making arm holes and leaving the whole overall part front and back but they were falling off unless I had a ribbon to tie them around the neck.

What I came up with was just cutting the overall just below where the straps come together at an angle. I then sewed right sides together and surged or zig-zagged the raw edge so it wouldn't fray. I was worried it wouldn't be comfortable but was pleasantly surprised at how it felt. I worked on another today and I had to actually cut the straps a bit shorter than that so it wouldn't hang so low. Just measure your straps and pin it at different intervals before cutting or sewing making sure it is comfortable and at the right height.

I decided to keep all the original buttons on since they were "character" buttons and even though the side one's aren't really functional, they looked cute when I cut a slit into the bow ribbon and slid the ribbon over the button like it was a button hole. I pinned on the ribbon and sewed it on both sides with a large zig-zag stitch so it wouldn't pull away or rip from the ribbon if the bow was tied tightly. I also sewed the top and bottom of the ribbon. I used the same color thread as the ribbon to help hide the seams.

The pockets were a bit more difficult as I had to use the sleeve arm on the machine to get the needle into the pocket to sew the ribbon or rick-rack on the edge. If you don't want the pockets usable, it would have been easy to stitch but I kinda like the pocket as I know my daughter will keep the cell phone or ipod in them. You could stitch them by hand if you couldn't get the needle right. Just experiment with directions. I got further stitching going one way more than the other.

I used large rick-rack for the apron string on the one I made tonight and just thick ribbon for the one I showed today.

The thing I like the best about these is that the overall straps make it adjustable up and down. The buttons let you take the apron off around your neck rather than over your head. I hate when my hair is done and I have to pull the apron over my head. The straps with the existing button make it so I can take it off without going over my head.

I showed this to a few of my other daughters and they all thought it was really cute. So, I know I am safe to make the rest for Easter. I started with this one because her birthday is in a few days and if it was hard or not worth the work, I would have skipped doing the rest.

However, I finished another tonight and it takes me about 2 1/2 hours to make. Part of that time is me figuring out what to put on as accents. I think they will be quicker and quicker now that I have made two. However, the one I did tonight was a dress so it was even easier.

If you are going to buy some overalls to do this, I suggest you go to the dress section of a used clothing store and look there. Then, take the overalls with you to the store and buy the notions you want to decorate it.

There are so many options..... It will be fun to get them all made. I'll show you the finished products. The best thing is how sturdy they are. I have a few flimsy one's that have gotten stained and ripped. I doubt that will be a problem with these. It may just be fun to be cooking in the kitchen after Easter!

I was thinking how cute this would be made out of Dad's or Grandpa's work overalls. It would be functional memorabilia. I have a pair of actual train engineer overalls I bought at a yard sale in San Fransisco when I was 16 on vacation that I wore through each of my pregnancies. It would be fun to make one out of those with a red bandanna for the neck tie or something.

If you make some, share your ideas with me!