Simply Made Sunday: Kids’ Dishcloth Apron

ByEmily Updated on Everyday

Welcome to Emily’s Simply Made Series! Each post features a craft that looks cute or is practical but is easy enough for even the uncraftiest of people. Cute DIY things are NOT just for the pros! You can do it too!

As I was cruising through Target the one day, I walked past all of their end caps where they keep clearance items. Seriously. I find some killer deals there!

Well, this trip was no let down! They had all of their summer kitchen items on clearance! Napkins, table runners, table cloths, and TOWELS! I got a 2pk of towels for $0.98!

But I didn’t want them for my kitchen. I wanted them for crafting! Any time I find fabric pieces for cheap I jump on it! You can re-purpose anything.

Today, I am re-purposing my new kitchen towels into children’s aprons! And, this can be done with or without a sewing machine! Your choice. I’ll explain both ways.

I LOVE having kids help in the kitchen! I don’t love changing their clothes afterward, so say hello to a $0.50 Apron!

First, take one of your towels.

And iron it.
Now, fold one of the corners in about 1/3 of the way in and iron it.

Same on the other side. You’ll end up with this:

Here’s where you can either use the sewing machine or do without it. If you don’t have/know how to use a sewing machine, your best crafting buddy is Heat n Bond Ultrahold Strips OR Liquid Stitch, available in ANY craft store or Walmart. They are great! They create a no-sew bond that is washable! Just follow the directions for use, using them in substitute for the stitching!

To sew, you’ll want to stitch each corner about 1/2″ to 5/8″ in.

Sew or bond both corners this way, making sure you leave an open space to snake ribbon through!!

Cut off the excess fabric from the corners, just below your stitching or bonding.

Now, you can cut off the bottom to a point where it fits your little and hem the bottom with your sewing machine or with the Liquid stitch or Heat n Bond, OR do as I did and flip up the bottom

So that it’s long enough, then sew or Bond the edges to make a pocket!!

I also sewed a seam down the middle to make a double pocket! (you can use the bond here as well, but if you do, bond the middle first, then the edges.)

Then take some ribbon, shoe strings, twine, heck anything you can tie, really! I had some of this Cars ribbon that’s been sitting around, and Miles LOVES that movie…so we went with that.

Cut off a length of the ribbon. We used almost 3 yards, or  5-6 ft! Make sure it’s long enough to grow into!!

Burn the edges of your ribbon to prevent fraying

Then use a safety pin pinned to the end

to string it through the “tunnel” you made in each corner.

Once you go up through one corner, then go across and down through the other tunnel.

Now pull the ribbon through so that it’s even, pulling a little extra at the top (this is the neck hole) and make a knot at the end of each ribbon. (you can take off the safety pin, too.)

And it should look like this:

Woo hoo!! This took me 20 minutes from start to finish, but even with no experience, this should take no more than an hour.

Questions? Leave me a comment!

We think imitation is the BEST form of flattery! If you make this or any of my Simply Made Sunday projects, come by and post a picture of it on our Facebook page! We want to see!