Aprons Make Great Gifts

Are you wondering what to get your sister-in-law for Christmas?  Do you need a teacher's gift that really shows your appreciation?  Got to have a hostess present?  How about something for your bestie who always has your back?    Consider this:  Aprons always make great gifts!

Below are some examples of apron ideas that are sure to get your juices flowing...and a few tips for making them unique and personal.  What better way to express your gratitude than with a one-of-a-kind apron!

Be bold with color and patterns

Use a bold print and mix it with a quiet micro dot.  It's fun and festive and the bold print will steal the show.  Try contrasting fabrics to allow other colors a pop.  Instead of using the giant rickrack, substitute with a smaller one to allow the fabric to be center-stage.  What grabs your attention on this apron....the bold print!

Have fun with prints

If you want something whimsical, look for fabrics with themes.  Here, I've used roosters and a contrasting yellow fabric with chicken footprints.   Red trim pulls it all together.  A totally smile-worthy apron.  Step into any fabric store, pick a theme, and run with it.

Soft and subdued works, too

Keep in mind, not everyone wants a bold or whimsical apron.  For friends and family with a more subdued personality, choose softer colors.   While the pattern of this apron may be bold, the blues and greens are soft and classic.   Using a neutral bias trim softens the print making the overall feel lovely.

Embellish a ready-made apron

No time to sew an entire apron.  Try embellishing a ready-made apron from a craft store.  Find or repurpose unusual items such as a zippers for stems.  Fussy-cut a design to make it unique.  See here for a full tutorial that includes directions on "How to Applique."  The directions for making the Tattered Flower are here.

Be a copy cat...sort of

When I saw this apron at a store who's name rhymes with shmranthoshrology, I fell in love with its ruffly look.  It's a simple apron that anyone would be proud to own.  So why not try putting your on stamp on it with similar fabrics.  Below, I used my Simply Chic Apron Pattern to customize this apron and give it a similar look.  Instead of a rosette flower, I chose to put an applique on the pocket.  With this style apron, you can create almost any look.

Here it is with a more vintage look and a straight band down the front.  The buttons give it a true retro feel.   I used rickrack for the flower stems and a set the pocket fabric on a diagonal.  Since I wanted the applique to really stand out, I decreased the skirt width by approximately 20% - notice how it is only slightly gathered compared to the one above. 

So, now you have a few ideas to get you started.  Look for more ideas soon...