DIY - Girls Dress to Posh Kitchen Apron

I am SOOO in love with this rehab to fab DIY that I want to do more and more and more of them...I was a little scared at first with the idea of "winging" it, but honestly, this was almost TOO easy to not do again and again!

I hope this tutorial and pictures are helpful!!


SUPPLY LIST:

Old dress (either with or without a lining)
Seam ripper
Color coordinated thread
sewing machine



STEPS:

1. Find a dress either in your closet or at the thrift store - I got mine at the thrift store for 3.00. This particular dress was lined, and at first I was afraid that this would make the transformation more difficult, however, in the end I LOVED the way the lining worked out and really made the apron look chic and polished.

 

BEFORE:

I found that a wide strap dress with a tie back is the easiest way to do this apron. No additional cutting to make a tie back or neck opening.

2. Begin by splitting the side seams of the dress, both on the outside material and the lining. Split the seam so that the tie back is still attached to the front side of the dress, so you wont have to re-sew the ties on.

 

 

3. Once you get to the top, split the seams at the bodice to separate the front and the back. Remove the stiches holding the shoulder straps on the BACK side of the dress - the strap ends removed from the back side of the dress will be sewn together later to make the head opening.


4. When you have split the dress apart, you will have the front side of the dress (which will be the apron) and the back side of the dress which is scrap or can be used for pockets for the apron front. Turn the dress front "inside out" So that the right sides are together. Pin and stich the lining and the dress together and turn back to right side out.

 

(This is why I liked the idea of the lining after all  - it gave a really nice finished edge.)

5. Sew the shoulder straps together where they were removed from the back side of the dress. If you have a surger, use it here for a nice clean edge. I don't have one, so I just used my zig-zag stich and hoped for the best :-) not too bad if you ask me!!

6. You can stop here if you want!! You have made a functional and very pretty apron in probably about 15 minutes (30 if you count the time it takes to seam rip the sides). Mine looked like this when I finished:

 

7.....However, I though that it would be fun to add a big wide pocket in front, using the white lining inside as a peek-a-boo element. I used the back side of the dress and cut what looked like a rough rectangle of the pink and white.

8. I put the white a little higher than the pink since it was going to be a peek-a-boo, and then with right sides together, sewed around the sides and bottom. I turned right side out, and then sewed across the top, attaching the white to the pink - this whole section now was going to become my pocket.

9.  on the front of the apron, I pinned the pocket down where I wanted it to go, and sewed around the edges, I did a double lined seam to add a little element of fun, but I think I am probably the only one who will notice it!

 

10. I sewed down the pocket a little off center to make 2 pockets that could hold baking goodies and tools. The white peek-a-boo piece really turned out nice, and I was glad I did it this way.

 

 

 

11. Once you have finished,  trim all the random threads and you are ready to go! This is going into a baking fun box for Victoria! Thinking this will be a good Christmas present!!

 



Happy Crafting!!!