Festive Reindeer Apron

If your little one wants to help you in the kitchen this Christmas then this apron is a must-have. Not only will it protect clothes but the holly and berry colours give it a seasonal look. And the cute deer will appeal to children.

Essentials

Fabric: cotton, striped 8cm x 75cm, six pieces; 30cm x 40cm; plain, 35cm x 80cm
Felt: squares, cream; taupe
Thread: embroidery, cream; taupe; dark brown
Sizzix Big Shot (655268)
Sizzix Bigz Die: deer (657049)
Sizzix Movers and Shakers Dies: mini snowflakes (657474)
Sizzix Movers and Shakers base tray (657007)

Make an apron

Take two 8cm x 75cm lengths of striped fabric and stitch them together to make one long piece. Fold a 2cm double hem along one long edge and stitch down. Double hem and stitch the two short edges in the same way. Run a line of long straight stitches along the raw edge and use these to gather up an even frill 75cm long.
Pin the gathered edge of the frill to one long side of a plain cotton rectangle, with wrong sides together, leaving 2.5cm of plain fabric at either end. Sew into place, trim the seam to 5mm and fold right sides together. Sew a parallel line 6mm from the edge to complete a French seam Double hem the short sides of the skirt rectangle to line up with the ends of the frill.
Run a line of long straight stitches along the top edge of the skirt panel and use these to gather the fabric evenly to a width of 35cm. Join two more 8cm x 75cm lengths of striped fabric into one long piece, with right sides together. Fold in half lengthwise with right sides facing outwards and press. Turn under 1cm on both long raw edges and press. Pin the top centre of the gathered skirt inside the centre of the folded strip. Pin the rest of the gathered edge into place working out from the centre.
Pin the folded edges of the remaining length of the waistband together, folding in the short ends neatly. Top stitch the waistband starting from one short edge, 2mm in, securing the skirt as you work.
Fold a 30cm x 40cm striped rectangle in half with right sides together to measure 20cm x 30cm. Stitch down both short sides and turn out. Take two more 8cm x 75cm lengths of striped cotton, fold in half lengthwise and press. Fold the long raw edges in by 1cm and press. Fold one short edge on each piece and top stitch 2mm from the edge.
Fold in the raw edges of the striped rectangle and pin the unsewn ends of the two neck straps inside, 5.5cm from the centre. Top stitch along the folded edge securing the straps into place. Pin the top of the waistband to the bottom of the bodice, overlapping the pieces by 5mm. Top stitch along the length of the waistband, 2mm from the edge to hold the bodice in place.
Use a Sizzix Big Shot to cut 13 snowflake shapes from cream felt. Pin nine motifs evenly along the bottom edge of the skirt above the frill. Secure with two strands of cream embroidery thread using a small running stitch. Cut two deer designs from taupe and features from cream felt using the Big Shot. Handcut two 1.5cm x 2.5cm rectangles from cream felt.
Pin the two deer shapes tail to tail onto the centre of the bodice. Tuck the cream rectangles under the backs of the deer so they show through the spot holes. Oversew the shapes to the bodice with two strands of taupe embroidery thread. Pin the features into place and oversew with cream thread. Use dark brown embroidery thread to stitch in the pupils of the deer’s eyes.Arrange the four remaining snowflakes around the deer and sew in to place with cream thread.