This DIY Dish Towel Apron is a long time coming! I love to bake and cook with my kids. I joke that the first gift that I give my future daughter-in-laws will be a husband who can hold his own in the kitchen! Starting a couple years ago, I asked the boys to help me with some simple parts of baking, like pouring in the vanilla, or turning the mixer on to the right speed. They immediately noticed that I would always don an apron before beginning, and wanted one too. So, I would tie on a huge, adult-sized apron, fold it in half at their middle, and wrap the ties several times around their waists. Almost every time we do this I say to them “I need to make you some aprons in your own size!” And then we finish baking and I forget until the next time. 
While wandering Ikea last week I spotted these darling, simple, linen/cotton dish towels in a pack of three and immediately saw them as perfect kid-sized aprons. This simple DIY will show you how to take any basic dish towels and make them into aprons for kids!
You’ll need:
A dish towel (cotton or linen will work best)
1 yard of 1″ twill tape
1 yard of 1/2″ twill tape
scissors
12″ x 8″ of canvas or cotton for an optional front pocket!
1) Cut off the tag and press the towel flat
2) Fold and press to mark the center, lengthwise. Then measure 5 1/2″ from one end and fold either corner into the center at that point. 
3) Pin and press both corners towards the center. Rather than cut off anything and hem back under, I simply fold and stitch these corners, making an aprons shape and easily adding the straps!
4) Cut both pieces of twill tape in half, and much one half of the 1/2″ tape into each upper corner of the folded edge. These will be the neck straps.
5) Add one piece of the 1″ twill tape inside each of the side seam corners. 
6) Fold the side straps over onto themselves, as shown, so that they are headed the correct direction off of the apron.
7) When you have everything pinned in place, it should look something like this! Now simply start at one corner and stitch all around the folded edges! Reinforce the straps by backstitching across them a couple times. 
The stitching gives the front a fun, simple detail.
If you want to add a pocket to the front of the apron, fold and press the top edge of the canvas 1/2″ and 1/2″ again, then stitch across the top. Then fold and press each side over 1/2″ and pin to the front of the apron, just below the side straps.
Stitch around the pocket edges. I added a single stitch line down the pocket, to divide it in half. You can do the same, or leave it as one. Also, fold the edges of the twill tape straps over and again 1/4″ and stitch across to keep them from fraying. You’re done!
Now, wasn’t that easy! I can’t believe it took me years to make that happen.
And the baking continues, this time with perfectly sized Dish Towel Aprons for all!
(Plum’s shorties are from this tutorial)
