Queen B Creates: Toddler Apron

Its been the most stressful, busy, crazy day today. So glad its Friday! We are going out of town again this weekend (I know right? Why the heck are we so busy lately!?) with some friends, so I am really excited to drown my sorrows with good company and booze. The girls get to come with us too, which is exciting because I hate leaving them. I am with them 24/7 so being away from them even for a little bit can be really sad. I usually miss them as soon as we leave. It sounds strange, but they make the weekend more relaxing just by being around playing. Its different during the week. During the week we are all working and stressed and tired and just drive each other crazy. But on weekends everyone can relax and forget about the hell that is work and just focus on each other. My husband and I love just watching the girls play. Princess's imagination is really starting to grow and it is so cool to see. Lately, she started acting out scenes from her movies and shows. She'll put on wings when she is doing her Tinkerbell movie and her dress when she acts out one of the princess movies. So freaking cute! I can't wait til one day when she and her little sister are putting on "plays" for us. I know it will be sooner than I think. Some of you may have guessed already, but I am putting together a "dress up" present to give to Princess for her birthday. I am going to include the Lace Crowns I made, a princess dress that I made and today I made an apron for her to wear. For all those times she pretends to be a maid or a peasant girl. Cinderella wore rags before she married the prince, you know. I remember loving the simple white apron that my mother made for us for a Halloween costume one year. My sister and I wore it all the time when we played "dress up". Our collection wouldn't have been complete without it. I made this one a little fancier by adding a fabric with a pattern and a ruffle at the bottom. This can also be turned into a boy apron. All you have to do is skip the ruffle and use a boy-ish print. Hey, there are lots of cool male chefs out there! Did you know they even make boy Easy Bake Ovens now? Anyway, here's how to do it.

You will need:
Cream colored fabric (approx 1/2 yard)
A contrasting fabric for the pocket and ruffle.
Sewing machine
Thread
And these instructions! (These measurements should fit most 2-3 year olds)

1. First cut out two 13.5X10 inches of the cream colored fabric. Fold in about 1/4 inch one long side of both and iron down.
2. Cut out a pocket about 4X4.5 inches out of the contrasting fabric. Fold down the top about 1/4 inch, iron down then sew down. Iron in the other 3 sides, each 1/4 inch then sew onto the front side of one of the cream pieces. This will be the front of the apron. Obviously.

3. Cut a long strip (approx. 4X30 inches) of your contrasting fabric, then fold in half lengthwise. Making it 2X30 inches. Sew a straight line through the top and pull one thread to make a ruche. Ruche until it is 13.5 inches long (You can cut off some if it gets too ruffly). This will be your ruffle. Pin the ruffle to the two pieces of the cream colored fabric (the sides where you ironed) then sew in place.

4. Flip the whole thing inside out and tuck the ruffle out of the way (I used safety pins). Then pin together the sides and sew down both sides of the apron. Then flip right side out again.

5. Cut a 40X6 inch strip of the cream colored fabric and fold in half length wise. Sew down, then flip right side out. This is your waistband /tie. Tuck in the top of your apron about 1/4 inch, iron down, then pin and sew your waistband onto the top of the apron. Finish the ends of the ties, by trimming to desired length, then tucking in and sewing closed.