Peg Bag Apron Tutorial

ok, so to make your own little peg bag apron is super easy people.
I am sure many of you could whip one up in no time, without any help from me.
For those looking for a bit of guidance, well here it is!

So lets start with a bit of background fabric.  This piece is 70x40 cm.

now fold it in half so the longest sides form your side seams and the short sides meet together at the top.

To start with we are going to have the right sides facing out so we can do the fun bit first - decorating!

This bit takes the longest.  If you are going to do any embroidery or button work on the fabric now is the time to do it.

This is the time to get creative.  I have used a doily, vintage buttons, a piece of linen, a hankerchief and some selvidges.  I LOVE using selvidges for this kind of thing!  I have quiet a little collection going now...

I fiddled around for ages trying different things

until I was happy with what I had.

Now you can machine or hand stitch onto you background fabric.

Attaching doily's and  lace can be tricky.  I recommend using pins and going slowly.
Try using a zig zag stitch if you are having trouble.   The look is a bit shabby, so it does not have to look all perfect and neat (convenient, hey!)

When I have little bits to embroider or sew away from the machine,
I pop all my bits in a tea cup, so I can go sit outside or on the couch in front of the telly!

Now we need to make some straps

Find some different fabric than your background and cut two strips,

lets say each is 15 cm by 40 cm.

With the wrong side facing up to you, iron each edge in to meet in the middle, like

the lower stip in the picture above

Then at one end you will need to fold the raw ends in and carefully snip the corners:

 Then fold in half length ways so the raw ends are tucked neatly inside

Now we are going to sew around the edges, starting at the end with raw edges still exposed

and working around until you are back at the beginning again:

Now to sew the bag together.  I like to attach the staps at the same time as I sew the side seam

so align the raw ends of your straps with the raw edges of the right side of the front of your apron bag and pin.  Make sure they are about a 1.5 inch from the top edge, so you have room to turn down the top of the bag.

Next you will sew up the raw edges of the apron bag, with right sides facing, folded part at the bottom, making sure your apron straps are tucked inside and not caught up in your seams.

Now if you turn it right ways out you will have a bag with a raw top and two straps that you can tie around as apron straps.

Next  you may want to box out the bag so it is easier to get your hands in.

I do it this way,

turn the bag wrong side out again and pinch the corners and then flatten so that the side seam is now in the middle and goes up to form a triangle.  Measure in and mark 5 cm from the tip of the triangle (you see my son decorated my rule for me...)

Then draw a line straight across, sew across this line and then  cut off the triangle top:

Next I add two little pleats to the back of the apron bag.  This helps the bag form an open pouch, again making it easier to get your hands in to the pegs.  

To do this measure in 5 to 10 cm in from the side of the seam on each side and form a pleat about 2 cm wide.  

Hold the pleats down with pins and baste in place:

Now all you have to do is turn the top hem over, iron, then over and iron again to form a neat opening, then sew all the way around the top of the bag :

Good work, now you are finished!

Time to have a cup of tea, and find some laundry to wash so you can try out your new bag!

Let me know if you make one and feel free to email me any questions.  This is my first time writing a tutorial and it was harder than I thought, so please let me know if it is not clear!

Trace xx