Easy Summer Picnic Ruffled Apron

Aren’t Summer picnics just the best? I am such a sucker for yummy grilled hamburgers and barbecue and sitting outside on the patio and drinking sweet tea. We definitely have picnics here in Southern California, beach picnics in fact, which are super awesome. But I’m pretty excited to get in a bunch of Tennessee picnics this summer. I think the sweet tea and barbecue will fit so much better there, don’t you?

I’ve made up this darling Easy Summer Picnic Ruffled Apron to make picnicking even more fun! I am totally craving some barbecue ribs right now.

Aren’t those ruffles just the cutest? I love the fabrics too – they are so bright and cheery looking!

So let’s get started on the tutorial. This is a great apron for using up some of those fat quarters you have in your stash!

Materials:

3 Fat Quarters – one per ruffle
These darling fat quarters are from the line Ribs and Bibs by Blend Fabrics.

Fabric for skirt and waistband – about 2/3 yard

Lightweight interfacing (if your fabric is lightweight) – 19″ x 2 1/2″

Begin by cutting out your fabrics. From each fat quarter, you will cut three pieces that are 6″ x 22″. (So you’re cutting your fat quarter into thirds.)
You will need from your waistband and skirt fabric:
– 2 pieces 5″ x 44″
– 1 piece 5″ x 19″
– 1 piece 14″ x 19″
Cut out your interfacing piece now as well.

Sew the three sections of each fat quarter together on the short sides, so you will make one long ruffle. Hem the short sides and the bottom of the ruffle.

Repeat for the other two ruffles. Sew gathering stitches along the top of the ruffles, 3/8″ from the top edges.

Hem the two sides and the bottom of your skirt piece.

Measure up 4 3/4″ from the bottom hem of the skirt and mark across. Mark another line 9″ up from the bottom hem. Pin your ruffles so the top raw edges line up with the marked lines, and the last ruffle should line up with the top edge of the skirt. Sew in place. You will also want to sew down the top edge of the bottom two ruffles with a zig zag stitch so they won’t fray.

Take a minute to bask in the cuteness of all those ruffles. Ok. We can move on.

Now place your waistband piece (the 19″ x 5″ one) between the two tie pieces. Sew the pieces with right sides together.

Iron the piece of interfacing to the top half of the waistband piece on the right side.

Place the waistband piece over the skirt piece and line up the edge of the waistband with the top edge of the apron skirt. Sew in place with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Press the apron ties in half, right side together, and press the waistband in half as well. Sew the long edges of the ties together, making sure not to sew over the waistband or apron skirt. Sew the ends of the ties at an angle.

Turn the apron ties right side out and press. Press under the raw edge of the waistband on the back side of the apron 1/2″. Pin the opening closed. Topstitch around the bottom, top and sides of the waistband and ties, 1/4″ from the edges. This will sew the opening of your waistband closed as well.

And you are all done!

I am just so in love with all these ruffles! And those little lobsters too.

So what is your favorite thing to serve at a picnic or a barbecue? I’d love to hear!