How to make a designer-fabric apron

Vintage fabrics are set to be huge this season, so why not craft your own apron out of your favourite material?

Here, Country Homes & Interiors shows you how...

What you'll need

* Large piece of paper (or sheets of newspaper) for making pattern
* 1m fabric (we used Amelie, ref F3423/01, £63 a metre, Colefax and Fowler)
* Matching thread
* Tacking thread

1) Make a pattern by enlarging and transferring the template to a
large sheet of paper (you may need to join pieces of paper): each
square on the template represents 10cm square, giving the apron a finished size of 90cm by 70cm (see illustration).

2) Cut out the paper pattern and pin in place on your fabric. Cut out apron, adding 2.5cm all round. Remove paper pattern.

3)
For the pocket, cut out a 35cm by 25cm rectangle of main fabric.
Turn under 1cm then 1.5cm along the top edge of the pocket and top
stitch close to the folded edge. Press under 2.5cm along the three
remaining raw edges.

4) For the neck loop and two waist
ties, cut three 6cm by 60cm strips in the same fabric (you may need to
join bias strips to make up the lengths). Press under 1cm along each
long edge on one strip. Then fold the strip in half lengthways and press
again. Tuck in the raw edges at each short end and tack to hold in
place. Stitch close to the edge all round the strip, bar the folded
edge, and repeat to sew the remaining two strips. Remove all tacking.

5) Take the main apron piece and press under 1cm then 1.5cm all round. Top stitch all round close to the folded edge.

6) Position the pocket in place centrally on the apron and top stitch around the side and bottom edges.

7) Stitch each end of the neck loop in place on the reverse of the apron; and the two remaining strips for tying the apron around the waist in the same way. Press.

Looking for more ideas? Why not head to our dedicated craft pages. And for more inspiration follow Country Homes & Interiors on Facebook and Twitter