K4305/S9419: Apron with Pleats

Another apron done and ready to wear! This one is Kwik Sew pattern 4305, version B. My other aprons (including the one I have yet to make) all have straight hems, so I wanted to try something different for this one. I admit I was a little unsure about it at first, because the blue fabric I had for it was/is quite a bit stiffer than all my other cottons, and I worried it wouldn't drape properly. But I think it worked out okay. I did make a change to it by leaving off the pockets. Actually none of my aprons have pockets. This is because pockets and I are enemies. We get along about as well as Klingons and Tribbles. Anytime I wear something with pockets that are at or around hip level, whether it's a housecoat, an apron, or a jacket, I inevitably get stuck on every drawer pull, knob, and handle in the vicinity. Plus I don't actually use pockets, because everything I put in them ends up going through the wash, hehe.

Before we get into the pattern notes, let me just mention that this is potentially an odd one. The pattern I have, Kwik Sew 4305, is technically out of print, since the Kwik Sew brand of patterns has been discontinued. But! There is a Simplicity pattern, number 9419, that appears to be the same. The photos and line art are identical, as are the backs of the pattern envelopes. I haven't read the directions for the Simplicity version, so there's a possibility they were updated. If that's the case, these notes might not apply to the Simplicity pattern; if they weren't, you might run into the same issues. I'd also like to mention that I had some trouble with the layout instructions, whether the printed side should be facing up or down. But that might be because I was using two separate pieces of fabric, since I added a contrast front piece and ties. If I make this pattern again, I'd still be careful to check that everything is going to turn out with the right side in the right place. Speaking of the contrast sections, if you want to use contrast as well, it will require about 1 1/8 yards of fabric.

K4305/S9419 Pattern Notes:

• The pattern directions for the ties and neck strap said to leave openings on the sides of the ties for turning. I found that to be unnecessary. Sew the whole ties as you normally would, leaving the marked ends open. Then you can avoid extra slip stitching!


• The directions for the belt carriers seemed to be really wrong. It was probably the biggest problem I had while making this apron. (Just in case this has been changed on the newer pattern, my pattern piece is approx. 5" long and says to only cut 1 of fabric.) At first I followed them, but after cutting in half, I realized that the resulting pieces were way too short to be belt loops. There was a bit of confusion with the cutting part as well, because it said to cut in half lengthwise and I couldn't figure out how to do that without leaving an obvious raw edge, so I cut it the same way I usually cut pieces for button loops. Then I cut 2 pieces out of the contrast fabric, but that made the loops too big. I ended up shortening them by 1 inch, and then they were just the right size. I was a bit nervous after all that, so I also double-checked their placement on the side pieces before basting them on.
  


• There also seemed to be a problem with the tie end pattern pieces. They didn't match up properly with the side pieces of the apron. The raw edge was cut at an angle that was supposed to match the side piece. But the only way they matched up on the side pieces was if the seam edge faced up toward the top of the apron, which left the edge marked 'Top' on the bottom. I ended up flipping them so that the seam faced down, and trimming the raw edge of the ties to match the sides. I'd added a little extra to the belt when I was cutting it, so it didn't do any harm, but it was a bit annoying.



• I had the same issue with the facing that I had on my last apron; when I turned everything right side out, there was a triangle point that stuck out from under the facing. I didn't want to cut it off and leave a raw edge, so I opted to fold it and tuck it back up into the facing so that the side hem caught and held it out of sight.


• I used a bound seam finish on the two side seams, because for some reason I quite like doing that. But I ended the binding a little before the stitching line for the facing and the fold line for the hem, to avoid extra bulk. I also pressed the seam allowances on the facing seams toward the outer edges, and the side seams toward the front, for the same reason.


• I made the hem 3/4" instead of 1 1/4", which was a personal preference. The pattern piece for the front listed a smaller allowance for the hem than the side pieces did, but it turned out not to be the case, and when pinned together the bottom edges were even. 



• Because I used a contrast fabric for the front section, I was faced with the decision of what color thread to use for the hem. Now I didn't use any topstitching on this apron, to keep the seams as unnoticeable as possible. So I decided to keep that theme for the hem, and used yellow thread for the contrast section and navy for the rest of the hem. I broke the thread at the side seams, leaving long ends at each break (even at the start of the new stitching in yellow), then used a hand needle to pull the ends from the right side to the inside of the apron. Once they were there, I pulled them all through the folded edge and knotted them all together, using that edge to hide the knot. It was a few extra steps, but I'm really happy with how the thread blends into the fabric.

Overall, I think this was a nice apron to make. While I was working on it, I'll admit I found it rather frustrating, mostly because of the odd directions and the problems with the belt carriers and ties. But in retrospect, now that I know about those, I think it would be much easier and more fun to make this pattern a second time. There aren't too many seams, so it sews up quickly. It's not as detailed or fancy as some of the other apron patterns out there, but it covers your clothes well and you can add some visual interest by using contrast fabrics. I hope this helps if you decide to make this pattern as well!

Happy sewing!