From Pants to an Apron

Today, I have crafty pictures for you, but they don't involve paper.  Instead, I'm showing you how I made an apron from an old pair of pants.

Please keep in mind, this is not an apron to protect one's clothes but it does provide a lot of extra pockets--6 to be exact.

The pants I used here were hand-me-down elastic waist pants.  I don't wear elastic waist pants and even if I did, the elastic in these pants had rotted out so I removed it. Not counting removing the elastic, this project took about an hour.

First, pin the pants down so that the front and back parts of the waistband is straight.  Then smooth out the pants so that they are as flat as possible.

When you are smoothing the pants, you can feel where the pant's pockets end.  Cut the pants across in a straight line between where the pockets end and the legs of the pants begin.  Then cut the legs apart.

Set one leg aside.  Turn the other leg so that the ankle of the pants is pointing towards the waist of the pants.  Lay it on the pants where you want the front pockets to be.

Cut off the leg along the same line as the pants.  Open up the ankle part of the leg along one seam.  Leave the hem and the other seam intact.  This is going to form the front panel or front pockets of the apron.

Lay the front pockets panel on the pants so that the hem is pointing up and the cut edge is along the cut edge of the pants.  I aligned the seam of the pockets panel with the front seam of the pants.

Turn the pants inside out.

Sew the bottom of the pants together to make a pouch. You can see I did not have blue thread for my serger.  Hey, it's on the inside and besides that, this apron is for use while feeding the homeless, not going to a fancy ball.  LOL!

Turn the pants right side out.

I sewed from the top to the bottom twice--once on each side of  the middle seam line--so that it would be reinforced.  The apron now has six (6) pockets--the two pockets that came with the pants, the two front pockets formed by the front panel, and the two pockets formed by the front and back of the pants.  Set this part of the apron aside and grab the second leg.  Lay it flat along the crease lines--not the seams.

Cut off a strip that is one and one half inches in from the front crease of the leg.  Do not undo the hem of the pants; just cut through it.  Repeat with the back crease of the leg.  (Discard the center pieces with the seams.)  These strips with the creases will make the strings that are used to tie the apron around your waist.  Fold the edges of the strips inward towards the crease and sew along the edge.  Then sew the unfinished end to the back of the waist of the apron.

And here's Ilaria modelling the apron:

with her hands in the front pockets:

and showing how deep the front and back pockets are:

That's it.  A quick and easy pocketed apron from an old pair of pants. 

We will be filling those pockets with toiletries for the homeless, but if you are a stand-up kind of crafter, it would also make a great place to put stuff while you are crafting.  Or maybe while you are cleaning the house. 

Huh?  Did I just say that?  Maybe I'm coming down with something.  Hmm.  Nope, just need to go get crafty with my paper stash.

Happy Creative Time!