I’m cooking more meals at home, and enjoying more complex recipes. I don’t know about you, but I am not a neat cook. 🙂 Just ask my husband. I’ve always got several tea towels on the counter, and still end up wiping my hands on my clothes. Time for an apron. I decided I wanted a pinafore apron with back cross straps.

I looked at a lot of ready-to-wear versions and came up with this pattern that fits mosts sizes. With the center front panel, it gives you more room to reach and stretch for those pans in the back corner of the cupboard, the cross straps move with you and nice big pockets hold tissues!

I chose to use three different fabrics, all in linen. Linen is a great choice of fabric type for aprons, as it wears and washes well.

This is a simple sewing project, perfect for beginners.

What is a pinafore apron?

A pinafore apron covers the bodice of the garment, protecting from spills and splatters in the kitchen, garden or studio. This free apron pattern offers cross back straps making it easy to put on and comfortable to wear. It also includes big side pockets to put a towel in the kitchen, trowel in the garden or other supplies you might need handy.

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Here are the sewing instructions for the diy pinafore apron:

One (1) Apron

Free Pinafore Apron Pattern

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Make your own pinafore apron with back cross straps to protect your clothes while cooking. Have fun with different fabric choices to make it yours!

Here is our free cross back apron pattern.

Materials

If you want to use one fabric, a total of 2-1/2 yards of fabric
I used 3 fabrics: Center front: 1/2 yard, Sides: 1-1/4 yards, Pockets and straps: 3/4 yard
Thread to match

Tools

Scissors
Sewing machine
Pins
Sewing ruler
Iron
Tweezer bodkin
Optional: Rotary cutter, cutting mat and quilters ruler

Instructions

Start by cutting your pieces. For the front, cut one piece 14" wide x 34" long. For the sides, cut two pieces each 20" wide x 24" long. Cut two pieces each 5" wide x 22" long for the straps. For the pockets, cut 2 pieces 9" wide x 10" long. NOTE: If you are tall, you may want to cut the strap length longer.
Start by making the straps. Fold each strap piece in half lengthwise, right sides together and sew with a 1/2" seam allowance on the long sides.
Here are the straps sewn.
Press the seams open, and center the pressed open seam on the strap.
Turn the straps inside out. I like to use a tweezer-type bodkin for this.
Press the straps again, centering the seam on one side, which will become the back of each strap.
Turn in the ends of each strap and topstitch with 1/4" seam allowance. This finishes those edges.
Topstitch the side edges of each strap. This keeps them nice and flat with multiple washings.

Put the straps aside. Now we'll make the pockets.
Finish the edges of the pockets. I used a zigzag stitch around all edges. This is so the fabric won't fray and ravel with multiple washings.
Press 1/2" in on both 10" sides and one 9" side. Press the remaining 9" side down 1-1/2". This will be the top of each pocket.
Fold the top of the pocket right sides together, using the pressed crease as a guide. Sew from the top down along the side pressing lines for the length of the top fold.
Turn the top of the pocket right sides out, and press again, This finishes the top edge of your pocket nicely, with no raw edges.
Now, topstitch 1" from the top of the pocket to secure the top fold down. This helps keep it neat with multiple washings.
Now the pockets are finished!
Now we'll work on the main apron. Let's start with the center front. Again, finish all of the raw edges. I zigzag stitched them all. Press 2" down on one of the short sides to finish the top of the center of the apron.
Fold and press 1/2" on each side, and finish the top of the apron just like we did on step 12 to finish the top of the pockets.
Prepare the side pieces. Finish all of the edges. Again, I zigzagged all of the edges.
To finish the top of the side pieces, fold down 2" on the 20" side, press and topstitch.
Now we will sew the side pieces to the front. Start at the unfinished edges (the bottoms), line them up and sew 1/2" seam allowance. Sew both side seam pieces to the center front, one on each side.
Press the seams open.
Press the 1/2" all of the way to the top of the center of the apron.
Finish the back edges of the side panels. Fold them in 2" and press. This shows the finished top edge of the side panels, and then folding in the back edge and pressing.
Topstitch the back edges that you just pressed.
Now it is time to hem the apron. Press the entire bottom edge of the apron up 1-1/2" to form the hem.
Topstitch the hem for the apron.
Now it is time to add the pockets. You can place them where you like. I positioned the pocket top 4" down from the top of the side panels, and had them overlap the center front panel by 2". Pin them in place.
Topstitch around the side, bottom and up the other side on both pockets.
The final steps are to secure the straps. Pin one end of the apron strap so that it lines up with the bottom of the center front facing on the wrong side, and the side of the center front.
Here is how it is pinned from the inside.
To secure the strap, top stitch first across the top of the apron, along the fold line.
Next topstitch from the inside along the edge of the fold. Both of these stitching lines secure the straps and the folded fabric.
Topstitch along the side seam from the side panel to the top of the apron, on both sides.
Now to sew the other ends of the straps to the backs of the apron. Take one strap and line it up with the corner on the opposite side back. This makes the straps cross. Pin straps in place. Make sure there are no twists in the straps. You can try on the apron at this time and make any adjustments, if needed, to the straps.

Stitch the straps to the back along the top and bottom edges.
Here is the finished front of the apron.
And, the finished back of the apron.
Enjoy your new pinafore apron with back cross straps!

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A perfect apron for my messy cooking!

What types of fabrics are best to make a pinafore apron?

You’ll want to make sure the fabric you use is washable. This is an apron and it will get messy (especially if you are like me in the kitchen!). I made a linen pinafore apron, using three coordinating linens. Any cotton fabric or cotton blend would also work well.

Browse through more sewing projects on Create Whimsy.