Sew an apron with the free REENA pattern

Sewing an apron: Here is our guide with a free sewing pattern for a practical apron. It also includes tips to help you get started easily.

The most important things at a glance

• In this post, Simone shows you how to sew an apron out of cotton fabric
• You can download the free pattern for apron REENA in our freebook section
• In the video tutorial, I will show you how to sew the apron as a reversible apron
• You will learn which fabrics are suitable for sewing an apron
• You will also get valuable sewing tips and advice on how to adjust your sewing machine
• Sewing level: easy
• Sewing time: 1 afternoon

YouTube tutorial: How to sew an apron

Why should I sew an apron myself?

Wearing an apron used to have an old-fashioned reputation for many.

You might remember your grandmother walking around all day in a floral house apron. The thought of an apron is associated with old-fashioned style or even those first sewing experiences at school. For many, that initial sewing introduction was a frustrating experience.

But hey, let's be honest, aprons can not only protect you from oil splashes and cookie dough, they can also be a stylish statement in the kitchen. And the best part? You can even use them as a gift for hobby cooks and grill masters - they will love them!

Tip: Have you already tried our sewing pattern for the Japanese apron?

But that's not all; aprons are versatile. You can use them for children as painting or crafting aprons. If you use a coated fabric, they are even splash-proof. And for the handymen/women among us, they are perfect when made of heavy canvas to keep tools and utensils within reach. By the way, for these purposes, you can also sew the apron out of old jeans.

Read our post on this: Creating new things from old jeans

In our post Sewing a wall organizer: Perfect for fabric scraps, you will learn how to sew various pockets to make your apron even more functional. So, be creative and turn your apron into a real eye-catcher that is not only fun for you but also keeps those messy surprises away! 😉

Free apron sewing pattern

You can download the free sewing pattern for this apron in our freebook section.

Sharing the pattern is prohibited, as is commercial use.

Print the pattern at 100% without scaling. The printer should be set to "Print document and all markings" so that the labels are transferred to the pattern pieces.

A seam allowance of 1 cm is already included in the sewing pattern.

How can I get the free pattern?

Would you like to sew the cooking apron? Great! You can download the free pattern for printing in this post. To access this and over 100 other exclusive freebooks and free patterns, proceed as follows:

• Subscribe to the SewSimple newsletter
• Click the link in the confirmation email: Yes, I want in...
• After receiving the SewSimple welcome email, you are officially a subscriber
• Create a customer account using the same email address
• Log in
• Click on the download link or go to the pattern via the freebook section of your customer account.

It may also help to clear cookies and cache, use a different browser, or use incognito mode, or try a different device. Often it works with a PC or laptop if it doesn't work on your mobile phone.

It is also always a good idea to check if your browser is up to date or if your browser settings are preventing a download. 🙂

• Please understand that I cannot send the sewing pattern by email. Unfortunately, I cannot answer requests for this. It is all the more important that you follow the instructions above for downloading correctly.
• For questions regarding your customer account, definitely take a look at our FAQs!
• If the freebook section is not displayed on mobile, it helps to access the page on a PC. However, you can also swipe left in the mobile view to see the download link. 🙂
• If you have already received the newsletter, but forgot to confirm your subscription (this can happen due to technical reasons), it helps to unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of the newsletter, sign up again, and then confirm your subscription.

How do I resize the pattern to sew a children's apron?

Would you like to sew a children's apron? No problem: You can simply print the pattern out at a reduced percentage.

To do this, you need to change your print settings. Check the size specifications and choose the appropriate size for the child. Consider how much smaller the apron needs to be. This depends on the size of the child. You could, for example, scale it down by 20% or 30%, depending on your needs. Open the pattern file on your computer and go to print settings. In most printing programs, you can adjust the size of the printout by percentage. Make sure the reduction is set correctly before you print.

Which fabric is suitable for sewing an apron?

Of course, aprons get dirty. This means that the cotton fabrics (woven) predominantly offered are actually not suitable. In most cases, fabric manufacturers specify 30 or 40 degrees Celsius (gentle cycle) in the washing instructions. That would be too gentle for a really "well-used" apron. It's similar with linen, where hand washing is often recommended. Here is my tip:

Many fabrics can withstand higher temperatures. You can easily test this with a small piece of your chosen fabric. Iron it and wash it a bit hotter—or the way you intend to wash your finished apron.

Solid-colored, very smooth fabrics like poplin don't forgive food stains very well. However, if you have a fabric pattern or a chambray fabric, that's a different story. Chambray has a "frosted effect," which is created by differently colored warp and weft threads. Many patchwork fabric brands already offer such solid colors. Linen also doesn't look very smooth and is more forgiving of little "accidents" in the kitchen.

As mentioned before, you can also sew a robust apron for the workshop or garden work out of canvas. An apron made of oilcloth would be a great gift for children, the little artists among them.

In summary, you can use the following fabrics for aprons:

• Cotton woven fabric^*
• Linen^*
• Muslin^*
• Cotton canvas^*
• Cotton-linen blends^*
• Upcycled jeans
• Hemp^*
• Batiste^* (can also be reinforced with fusible interfacing)
• Coated fabrics/oilcloth^*
• Fine or wide corduroy^*

The more robust the fabric you choose for your kitchen apron (or garden apron), the more robust the finished apron will be.

Do I need to reinforce the fabric to sew an apron?

If you want to use a particularly soft, lightweight fabric, I recommend reinforcing the fabric beforehand. To make the apron extra sturdy, you should use fusible interfacing. Vlieseline G700^* is a woven interfacing that bonds particularly firmly to the fabric and is washable at 60 degrees.

How much fabric do I need for sewing an apron?

With a fabric width of at least 110 cm, you need:

• 100 cm outer fabric
• 100 cm lining fabric

Tip: If you are using a woven fabric without a pattern, you can safely cut the apron pieces against the grain. Simply lay the pattern across the fabric. This will save you several centimeters.

The apron has a length of 94 cm excluding the ties, and it is 70 cm wide at its widest point.

What are the dimensions of the apron's tie straps?

Of course, the length of the straps is somewhat individual. For our aprons, the following measurements have proven successful:

• Tie strap: 2 pieces of 10 x 90 cm each
• Neck strap: 1 piece of 10 x 65 cm

Tip: To be able to adjust the neck strap of the apron individually, instead of sewing it on, you can pull one end of the strap through a buttonhole and tie it.

How big is the finished apron?

The apron is designed in its basic dimensions for an adult. It measures:

• 93 cm in height
• 70 cm in width

What materials do I need to sew the apron?

• Marking pen^*
• Sewing thread^*
• Tape measure^*
• Pins^*
• Fabric scissors^*
• Thread snips^*
• Iron^* and ironing pad
• Sewing clips^*
• if needed, corner & edge shaper^* for shaping
• Fabric marker^*
• matching sewing machine needle,^*
• Sewing machine

Where can I order the fabrics used?

Since Simone came up with the idea for this apron, you can of course also find all the fabrics used in her Etsy shop. You can order the following fabrics there:

Fabric pieces for the apron

These are the fabric pieces you need for this sewing project:

• 1 x apron part from outer fabric, on the fold
• 1 x apron part from lining fabric, on the fold
• 2 x tie straps from outer fabric
• 1 x neck loop from outer fabric
• 2 x pockets from outer fabric, mirrored
• 2 x pockets from lining fabric, mirrored

Important: The apron and straps are cut without seam allowance. For the patch pockets, you must add 1 cm seam allowance!

Conclusion: Sewing an apron is child's play!

Would you have thought that it's so easy to sew an apron yourself? Whether as a children's apron, gardening apron, or cooking apron: with our free pattern, you will master these projects with ease. Simply choose the right fabric for your specific apron idea.

Simone's tip: Coated fabrics are particularly suitable for children's painting aprons. Coated cotton is great, for example, because it's easy to wipe clean while still being comfortable to wear. Many oilcloths are so stiff that children don't like wearing them very much.

Do you like these instructions? Sabine is so enthusiastic about the idea that she already has the next apron project in mind. I'm excited to see what she creates from it. Do you already have an idea of how you want to design your new apron? Then grab your favorite fabric, the free printable pattern, and get started. We wish you wonderful, creative hours with this apron sewing tutorial.

If you like, leave us a rating for the tutorial and a comment. We look forward to hearing from you!

Happy simple sewing, Simone & Sabine