This pattern is designed with all sewing machine types in mind. I created this for a beginner sewing class.

Materials Needed:

1 Yd 100% Cotton Fabric 36” at least wide without a directional pattern or borders. I prefer Denim or Canvas for better durability.
Spool of matching thread
2” Belt Buckles
1-2 Yd 2” wide Webbing or Strapping
Jean needle in your sewing machine

Measure & Cut Fabric:

Pro Tip: Mark the backs of all cuts with the size using a fabric marker or chalk

19” tall by desired width (27”-36”) for adult
11” tall by above width for pockets
5” tall by waist measurement less 20”-29” based on width for Strapping if no Webbing or Strapping
Optional Hammer Loop: 3” x 7”, using 3” tall will keep patterned material going same direction.

Child Sizes:

<= 5Yr Old: 12” tall by 14” wide for Main Body & 7” tall by 14” wide for Pockets

Terms:

Back Stitch: When mentioned this is used at the beginning and end of the stitching. First stitch forward between ¼” & ½” then use the machine’s reverse to go backwards over top of the previous stitching. Then continue stitching until the end of the fabric, but do not stitch off the fabric. At the end of the fabric use the machine’s reverse to go backwards over top of the previous stitching between ¼” & ½” then stitch forward off the fabric.

Right Side: This is the brighter side of the fabric. Sometimes this is obvious as the back is almost white, other times the Right side is shinier or slightly brighter.

Raw: This is a cut edge of material. In this case zigzagged or serged edges are still considered Raw

Selvage: This is the uncut side of the purchased material that does not fray. This edge often has printing from the manufacture on it.

Instructions:

Pro Tip: If the machine struggles to move forward at any point find a way to even up the presser foot. Put a needle case or folded scrap material under the foot’s edge to make it even, just be sure not to stitch onto the needle case or scrap.

Set your Machine to the ZigZag stitch.
Stitch along the short sides of the pocket and main body pieces so that the stitching is on the material by about 1/8" to keep the remaining edges from raveling far or use a serger to finish the sides. Any side that still has a salvage can be ignored as these do not ravel.
Optional Hammer Loop: ZigZag the short edges like detailed above.

Fold the top of the pocket piece down by 1" and iron or pin, then stitch along the previous stitching.

Fold the top of the main body piece down by 2.5" and iron or pin, then stitch along the previous stitching leaving the apron edges open to create a place for the belt to slide through.

Place pocket right side against main body wrong side matching the bottoms of the pieces and pin.

pocket right side against main wrong side

Stitch the pinned side about 1/2" from the edges, making sure to back stitch on each end. This will attach the pocket & main body pieces together.
Open the pieces so that the right side of the pocket is laying down and the right side of the main body piece is laying up. Press the seam with iron or fingers against the main body piece.
Stitch just to the side of the previous stitching so that you are stitching the seam down to the main body piece.

Turn pocket piece against the main body piece so that all right sides are facing the same way. Align the bottom so the stitching does not show on the front side and is barely rolled under. Use your fingers to crease the bottom.
Pin both edges of the pocket down to the main body piece, making sure to keep each piece flat.

Stitch the pinned side about 1/2" from the edges, making sure to back stitch on each end. This will create one big pocket on the front of the Apron.
Fold back the sides of the Apron about 1/2" and pin.

Stitch the pinned side about 3/8" from the fold to finish the edges adding a upside down U shape at the pocket's top, making sure to back stitch on each end. It is Okay to overstitch a small amount as to make more of an H shape as long as you back up to be where I describe in the steps below.
- Creating the U shape is easier to use your handwheel to manually step the machine one stitch at a time
- Stitch just past the top of the pocket and backstitch stopping just below the pocket's top edge.
- Put the needle down, lift the presser foot, then pivot to align with the pocket's top edge.
- Put the presser foot down and stitch 2 stitches across the top of the pocket.
- Put the needle down, lift the presser foot, then pivot to be parallel with the apron edge.
- Put the presser foot down and stitch 2-4 stitches down then back up to the pocket's top edge.
- Put the needle down, lift the presser foot, then pivot to align with the pocket's top edge.
- Put the presser foot down and stitch 2 stitches across the top of the pocket so that you are on your original side stitching and continue stitching down the side of the apron.

Use a ruler or other straight edge and a fabric marker/chalk/pencil to mark straight vertical lines for your pockets. These can be a width of your preference, but no smaller than 1.5" wide.
With the apron flat on a surface pin the pocket to the main body across the marked lines.

Stitch down the marked pocket dividers starting at the bottom of the apron with a back stitch. Then stitch up to the top of the pocket and make an upside down U shape.
- Creating the U shape is easier to use your handwheel to manually step the machine one stitch at a time. Mine looks more like an H, but that's totally okay!
  - Stitch just past the top of the pocket and backstitch stopping just below the pocket's top edge.
  - Put the needle down, lift the presser foot, then pivot to align with the pocket's top edge.
  - Put the presser foot down and stitch 2 stitches across the top of the pocket.
  - Put the needle down, lift the presser foot, then pivot to be parallel with the marked pocket divider.
  - Put the presser foot down and stitch 2-4 stitches down then back up to the pocket's top edge.
  - Put the needle down, lift the presser foot, then pivot to align with the pocket's top edge.
  - Put the presser foot down and stitch 2 stitches across the top of the pocket so that you are on your marked pocket divider.
  - Stitch down the pocket divider line on top of your previous stitching far enough to do a final back stitch.

Run your belt (Webbing/Strapping) through the pocket at the top of the main piece.
Cut the belt to a good length, with about 12" or so more than the waist of the person who will be wearing it. Most webbing/strapping should be melted at the end to keep it from raveling.

Attach the adjuster side of your belt buckle by sliding the belt through the opening closest to the buckle part from the back side and then slide the belt back through the last opening. You will create a loop that goes around the middle between the two openings.
Fold the end of the belt that was put through the buckle over by about 1/5" and stitch across, making sure to backstitch. (pictured with next step's picture)

Attach the other side of the buckle by running the belt through the opening from front to back and pin about 1" overlap to the belt.
Sew forward across the belt as close as your machine will let you to the buckle. Then back all the way across on the same stitch line and end by stitching forward all the way across with a small backstitch to secure the thread. You will have stitched across the belt 3 times along the same line.
Move closer to the belt's tail and repeat.

Optional Hammer loop:

Fold the long sides of the loop together with the right sides together and pin the long edges. This will make the height about 1.5" tall.
Stitch the pinned side about 1/4" from the edges.

Pull one end of the hammer loop through so that the Right Side is now outside & Press flat with the seam in the center.

Fold the loop in half so that the short ends match up & pin to the side of your apron making sure to tuck about 1/2" under.
Stitch across the loop about 1/8" on the apron making sure to back stitch both at the top & bottom edges of the loop.
Stitch across the loop about 1/8" from the previous stitching & repeat to create a second set of stitches to hold the loop on.

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