Pattern Review: Little Flirty Skirty Apron

This is the Little Flirty Skirty apron from The Apron Lady. I made a size 10/12. Cute, right? However, I probably won’t ever make this pattern again. The directions were a mess. I think they’re the same ones included with the adult version, and that might be the problem.

I’m not sure why the neck strap is cut in two pieces and then seamed together. Also, in order for the neck strap to fit over my kid’s neck, the apron had to hang low.

I added an inch or two to the suggested waist tie length and don’t have enough to tie a bow. And Macy’s skinny, remember? If you want to tie a bow, you’ll need to add WAY more.

The bodice is very narrow. Another inch or so on each side would be better.

Some sort of facing would have made the top edge neater and attaching the neck strap look neater, too.

It calls for 4yards of ric rac. The store I was at only had 3.5 yards so I got some smaller stuff for the pockets. I had 42″ left of my 3.5 yards. Even if I’d done the pockets with the same stuff I’d have used just over 2.5 yards.

You’re supposed to hem the apron and put on the ric rac before you attach the bottom ruffle. I did neither. I hemmed the bottom by attaching the ruffle and then applied the ric rac.

The pattern says to apply the ric rac before attaching the back ties. I wouldn’t do it this way again. I’d attach the ties and then cover my stitches with the ric rac.

In other news…I got a ruffler foot and it’s SO fun. Carla has a tutorial on them, if you’re curious. There’s also a video here. I used it to make the polka dot ruffle for the bottom of the apron. Look at those evenly spaced pleats!

And the real reason Macy’s head is cut off in the first shot:

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Comments

  1. bummer that the pattern was lame.
    Your kids are fun. I think I like them.

  2. He he! I love Mace! Happy late birthday, btw!

    All that sewing talk is just jabber to me. Maybe it means "I'm making my hot cousin Amy one of these freaking cute aprons cause I love her sooooo much". Am I right?

  3. Dude, I'm friends with you SO I don't have to sew. Duh.

  4. Super cute apron and kid. I'm off to watch the ruffler foot video. With four girls it sounds like something I need.

  5. trying to justify a need for a ruffle foot. lame on the pattern. sometimes i think the pattern designer is just an engineer that has never sewn.

    • If you haven’t used a ruffled foot, you’re missing out…especially if you have more than one little girl to sew for. I’m a mother of 3 daughters and 1son. I’m the grandmother of 3 darling little girls and another one on the way. I realize that when I was making dresses for my girls, it was the 80′s, but ruffles were big then right along with the big poofy shoulders/sleeves.as they grew, they had their formal dances at school. I made their dresses then as well, and no there weren’t tons of ruffles or poofy sleeves, but there was plenty of gathering to be done. The dresses were very “southern belle” style. When my 2nd daughter went to her Winter Formal, she had a girl approach her with this comment, “My word Ande do you always have to out do everybody with your dresses”. She was voted the Winter Formal Princess that year, and she looked like one…not my words, her dates words when he came to pick her up.
      If you sew ruffles on little diaper covers or if you make your granddaughter a princess/bride dress, and she says to you, “Grandma, I want sooooo many ruffles on my dress ok”. Then when it’s done and she sees it for the first time, awe struck, puts it on and runs to you with her arms outstretched and squeezes you as hard as she can and says, “Grandma it’s the most beautiful princess dress I’ve ever seen!!” Then she turns to her mom and says, mom, “See all the ruffles, I just knew she could do it!”. Then one last look back at Grandma before she runs off to play, she says “Grandma I love you! You’re the best grandma in the whole wide world!”. It’s all worth it.
      The ruffler foot saves you so much time, ans cuts the stressing over a broken “gathering” thread. I love mine, and Ive purchased one for all four of my girls (I count my sweet daughter-in-law as mine).

  6. greenhoneyhive says:

    I can tell you that the neck strap is in two pieces because of the Laws (CPSIA) pertaining to childrens clothing…..It must capable of coming loose….At this point it is actaully against the law(Beleive it or not) to make items that tie at the back of the neck for children under twelve…The only"legal" method for making ties are two piece straps to the back of the neck with fastener tape (Velcro although it is also against the law to call it that unless you use that brand) so that it can "break away" Any pattern that does not follow that method is "breaking the law"……Idiotic but true….Those of use who make items for children or patterns for childrens items are struggling to comply with all the new stupid laws

    • That’s very interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of those laws. Thanks for enlightening my mind…now I can share it with my daughters the next time we get together for sewing time.

  7. That's the weird part…you don't use any sort of fastener. The directions tell you to sew the two halves together, sew them into a tube, turn it right side out, and attach it (by sewing).

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