If you’ve been looking for a simple sewing project which takes only a yard of fabric, very little time or money, and doesn’t require the purchase of yet another pattern, then this post is definitely for you!

I came across these directions in the “Earn Money by Practical Sewing” section of Inspiration, a 1924 publication of The Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts & Sciences.

As the title suggests, this section was specifically geared toward women who desired to earn extra income from sewing:

The apron illustration here takes but a yard of material to make and a scant quarter hour of time. When neatly made, it should be worth 65c. with an outlay for material of not more that 22c., thus allowing a good margin of pay for the work. A store or specialty shop might be glad to keep on hand a dozen or so of these for sale, buying them at 55c. and selling them for 69c. or 75c.

This section also included an advertisement for percale cottons, which suggested making these aprons in colors such as pink, blue, green, lavender, tan, yellow, black and white. “Pink or green aprons will appeal to those of you who might wish bright cheery colors, while our blue percale will be just the thing for those who wish a more quiet color.”

What you will need:

  • I yard of plain weave cotton fabric in a solid color
  • 15-inches of rick-rack
  • Thread

Cut your fabric into a 36″ square (vintage percale was woven in 36″ widths, which is the reason for a square of this size.)

Tear or cut a *2-inch strips from each side of the square (you will end up with 4 strips, but only three will be used.) The square is now 32″ big.

* The original directions called for 1-inch strips to be cut for apron and neck strings, which would make the overall apron a little larger. However, this would make the strings extremely narrow after being hemmed, so I decided to cut them wider.

Hem all four edges of the square – I folded mine 1/4- inch, pressed, folded another 1/4-inch and machine stitched in place.

Hem the 3 strips of fabric (in the same way as the main body of the apron).

Trim one corner of the square with rick-rack braid, applying this for 7½-inches on both sides of the corner. This serves as decoration which hides the seam finish.

Press down this corner, bib-style.

Apply neck loop, using form 22 to 26 inches for this and finish ends neatly.

Apply the strings on each side 12 to 15 inches down from the bib turn.