Making your own apron is a simple and satisfying sewing project, perfect for both beginners and experienced makers. With this free printable apron sewing pattern, you can create a custom fit for kids or adults.
Choose your favorite fabric, follow the step-by-step instructions, and you’ll have a handmade apron ready for cooking, crafting, or gifting.
Why You Will Love This Project
This DIY apron sewing tutorial is sure to win your heart for so many reasons. These aprons are practical, customizable, and genuinely fun to make!
The project is beginner-friendly, while still leaving room for creativity if you have more sewing experience. With clear, step-by-step instructions, the process feels simple and stress-free from start to finish.
Designing your own apron is a great way to express your personal style and add something special to your kitchen or craft space. There is something very satisfying about creating a piece you can use every day.
These aprons also make thoughtful, personalized gifts for children, teens, and adults. Best of all, this project is budget-friendly and uses minimal fabric and supplies.
Then, give your apron as a gift, wrapped in a cute handmade drawstring bag or a bag with French seams.
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Materials
All supplies are not in the photo. Affiliate links are included below.
Fabric see below
Apron Sewing Patterns
Ribbon
Thread
Two D-rings 3/4 inch
Straight Pins
Paper Scissors
Sewing Scissors
Pencil
Straight Edge
Sewing Machine not pictured
Iron optional
Pressing Cloth optional
Premade Chef Hat and Kid’s Chef Hat
It was easier and faster to buy and embellish a pre-made chef hat than to make one from scratch. I purchased mine from Hobby Lobby. I found cute chef hats and a kid’s cooking hat on Amazon. Or embellish a pre-made hat and apron set or this cooking colorful apron set. You could also personalize them with a Cricut, using this beginner tutorial for Cricut or consider printing a design with sublimation ink.
For another practical project, make this easy DIY dog waste bag holder.
Apron Pattern
The pattern download includes a small (child), medium (child/adult), and large (adult) size. Click the button in this post to grab your free PDF.
Preparation
These apron sewing patterns can be customized to fit your needs. Start by noting your measurements and use the final pattern size to determine how much fabric you will need. Fabric and trim requirements will vary depending on the size you choose. The sample apron shown below is a size small, made to fit an average 4–5 year old child.
Measurements
Next, measure the child or person you are making the apron for (or estimate if needed). You can adjust the apron dimensions up or down to achieve the right fit.
If you are not adding a ruffle, increase the length of the bottom apron body piece. For the small size, I added approximately 4–5 inches, but this will vary depending on the child’s height.
Use a large sheet of paper, or tape several pieces together, to draw your pattern at full scale. A straight edge works well for most lines, and you can draw the arm curve freehand or trace around a round object like a plate.
Apron Sizes
There are three sizes included in the free download. The illustration below shows one example; the other two sizes are also included in the pattern file.
Note The apron body and lining piece is the only pattern piece that does not include seam allowance. You will need to add your own seam allowance, typically 1/2 to 5/8 inch, depending on your preference.
Fabric and Trim Amounts
For reference, I purchased the fabric amounts to make the size small.
Apron Body, Lining, & D-ring tab 1/2 yard
Ruffle, ties, & hat trim 1/2 yard
Fabric trim, heart fabric, 1/8 yard
Ribbon trim, 3/4 yard
Instructions
Below is a step-by-step guide for making an apron with a ruffle.
Fabric Prep
1 Pre-wash all of your fabrics. Use the drying method you plan to use in the future, such as air-dry or machine-dry.
After you have created the correct size pattern, cut your fabric pieces out. You should have ten fabric pieces to create the same look I made.
Body white fabric
Lining for Body white fabric
D-ring tab white fabric
Apron Trim heart fabric
Ribbon gingham ribbon
Ruffle red fabric
Hat trim red fabric
3 Ties red fabric
Make Ruffle
2 First, let’s finish the bottom of the ruffle. If you have a directional print like mine, choose which edge you want to be at the bottom. Fold the bottom raw edge 1/2 inch towards the wrong side of the fabric. Press it flat. Open the fold up, and now make a shorter fold into the crease line. Press again. This double fold creates a 1/4-inch hem for the bottom of the ruffle.
Stitch along the bottom, 1/8 inch from the edge. (Called edge-stitching) Secure it by backstitching at the beginning and end.
Sew a longer length, gathering stitch across the top, 1/4 inch from the raw edge. Pull the bottom bobbin threads at both sides to gently gather the fabric. Gather until the ruffle length measures the width of the bottom of your apron body. My finished width is just under 19 inches long, but it will vary based on your apron size.
Attach Ruffle to Apron
3 Evenly space the gathers. Next, we will create a French seam, which will hide the raw edges from view on both sides of the apron. Pin the ruffle to the body piece with the WRONG sides together. Stitch using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Then, trim it down to 1/8 inch with your sewing scissors. Press the seam allowance facing upwards.
4 Now, fold the ruffle over so that the RIGHT sides are now facing. Pin and sew across, backstitching at the beginning and end. (Not pictured.) Iron the ruffle downwards. Press the seam allowance upwards.
Attach Trim & Ribbon
5 This pattern has a 1-inch finished trim size (mine has hearts), with a starting fabric cut width of 2 inches. You can choose the width that works for your apron.
Fold the top and bottom edge of the trim fabric lengthwise towards the wrong side, 1/2 inch. Press. If trim fabric has a directional print, take note of which edge you want to be at the bottom.
Pin in place on the apron. Topstitch along the top and the bottom, 1/8 inch from the folded edges. Secure the stitches by backstitching at the beginning and end. Next, pin the ribbon in place the same way. (Not pictured) Stitch along the top and the bottom. This time, use a 1/4-1/8 inch from the edges, depending on the size of your ribbon. Again, secure at the beginning and end.
Fabric Ties
6 You can make your ties out of fabric or purchase them. Ribbon or twill tape would work well. If you choose to make fabric ties, follow these instructions. Fabric Tie Tutorial (Note: For the hat trim piece, do NOT sew the tie closed.) The pattern allows for a 1/2-inch finish tie. The total cut width of the fabric starts at 2 inches wide.
You will need three ties for the apron and one for the hat trim. Below are the lengths roughly that I used for the small apron. Yours may vary depending on your apron and hat size.
Neck Tie (one) 30 inches
Side Ties (two) 20 inches
Hat Trim (one) 30 inches (Do NOT sew the tie closed before attaching to hat.)
D-Rings
7 With the right sides together, fold the tab piece in half lengthwise. Stitch. Turn right side out. Press flat, opening up the seam. You can topstitch both edges if you like. You do not need to finish the ends.
Now, fold in half to create a loop for the D-ring. Thread 2 D-rings on and pin ends in place. See drawing for placement.
8 Pin one end of each of the three ties in place. (One is a necktie and two side ties.) Then, pin the D-ring tab at the top front. All 4 pieces should be lying inward towards the body. See photo and drawing for reference. Set the hat trim aside until later.
Apron Lining
Not pictured. Next, let’s finish the bottom of the lining. Fold the raw edge at the bottom of the apron lining 1/2 inch towards the wrong side of the fabric. Press it flat.
Open the fold up, and now make a shorter fold into the crease line. Iron it flat. This double fold creates a 1/4-inch hem for the bottom of the lining.
With the right sides together, stitch the body together around the top, starting at the bottom corner and sewing to the other bottom corner. The bottom will remain open. Turn right side out. Press the seams open, then flat. Topstitch around the apron to finish.
Chef Hat
9 I used a shortcut method for the hat. There are so many reasonably priced white chef hats for kids for sale. It is easier, less expensive, and faster to buy one and embellish it than to make one from scratch. The hat I purchased was from Hobby Lobby.
I also found chef hats on Amazon. I found two cute options if you want to embellish a pre-made apron and hat. Premade Chef Hat and Kid’s Chef Hat (affiliate links) To trim the hat, use the leftover tie fabric from your apron to add a matching trim to the hat.
Instead of stitching the ties closed, enclose the hat’s bottom edge within the folded tie fabric. Now, topstitch to hold it in place. It’s that easy.
10 You are finished. Nice work!
More Cute Patterns
Discover how to make beginner sewing projects following the posts below.
Build a Bear Outfit
Build-a-Bear Dress Pattern
Printable Free Hobo Bag Pattern
Easy DIY Dog Bandana (Free Printable Pattern)
Free and Easy DIY Crossbody Bag Pattern
Easy DIY Elastic Waist Skirt Pattern
DIY Easter Basket Liner Ideas (with Pattern)
Drawstring Backpack Pattern or Lined Drawstring Bag
Bunny Stuffed Animal
Sewing Tutorials
Learn how to make all kinds of fun projects with these sewing tutorials below.
Easy DIY Basket Liner
How to Make Easy DIY Pillow Covers
Easter Basket Liner
I hope you enjoyed the project. More importantly, I hope the young recipient has a lot of fun wearing it.
Let me know if you make a gift with these free apron sewing patterns and how it turns out in the comment box below. I love to hear from you. Be sure to subscribe or follow me on social media for more inspiration!
Thanks for following along. Happy Sewing!
xo,
Cindy
Did you try this project?
I would love to hear all about it! Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Thank you!
About Bloom
Cindy Munson is a lifelong sewer, pattern designer, and former graphic design studio owner. She shares approachable, stylish sewing projects through her blog, Be Brave and Bloom. Her mission is to help others discover the joy of making and live a more creative life. Cindy works from her sunny sewing studio in Minnesota, where she lives with her husband of over 30 years.
Hi Cindy,
I absolutely love your apron tutorial! In fact, I loved it so much that I featured it on Crafts on Display, a growing community of fellow crafting enthusiasts. I hope you enjoy it, and please keep up the amazing work!
Thanks so much for sharing, Violeta! 🙂