40+ Free Apron Patterns & Tutorials
18 Comments 
[Updated 2012] Whether you’re looking for something frilly, fancy or just plain practical, this apron collection has you covered!
I’ve handpicked dozens of free patterns from around the web and organized them here in one handy spot for you to browse through.
You’ll find simple, easy designs that are ideal for beginner sewers as well as more advanced projects suitable for those with more experience.
I’ve separated them into three groups so you can find what you’re looking for quick as a wink (Full, Half & Assorted).
I’ll be adding more to this page over time so you may want to bookmark it for future reference. Enjoy!
PS: Don’t miss the free ebooks I put together that are packed full of vintage tutorials, you’ll find them on this page (mainly for women but there are a few for men and children as well). If you’re a fan of retro styles, you just hit the jackpot!
Full
jordanapaige.com
Frilly: Five tiers of ruffles below the waist using five different complimentary fabrics.
spotlight.com.au
sewinginnomansland.com
Unisex: Suitable for both men and women, this chef’s style is a popular classic.
purlbee.com
womansday.com
Denim: A pair of Levi jeans will make two of these.
kimboscrafts.blogspot.ca
onjustacoupleacres.blogspot.ca
Paisley: Ties at the neck and waist, trimmed with 7/8″ lace. Via pdf download.
fabriceditions.com
theribbonretreat.com
Morocco: Scroll down page to “Studio 8 – Morocco” to find the pdf to download.
quiltingtreasures.com
honeybearlane.com
Fifties Style: Has a big pocket in the front and is sewn with 2 yards of 45″ fabric and embellished with rick rack or other trim if you like.
craftygal.com
preciousinfants.com
Chef’s: Provides two pdf templates to download, has two long waist straps that can tie around the front if you like. Suitable for both men and women.
marthastewart.com
sew4home.com
Make-Do: A vintage-style keeper that’s made with an old shirt, contrasting fabric and trim.
maryjanesfarm.org
curbly.com
Garden: Made with 5 fat quarters, lightweight cotton webbing, rick rack and 1/2 yard of fabric for top and pocket lining.
sew4home.com
joann.com
Pleated: Has two roomy front pockets and ties around the neck and waist.
sew4home.com
analogme.typepad.com
Button-Down: Made with 2 large or extra-large men’s long-sleeved, button-down shirts.
larkcrafts.com
joannfabricandcraftstores.blogspot.ca
Half
stitchesinplay.typepad.com
Reversible Scalloped: Fancy & flirty, this one’s fully reversible and has pockets.
warehousefabricsinc.com
twomoreseconds.com
Vintage Pillowcase: Gathers at the waist and has long enough ties they can go back or front.
craftydame.blogspot.ca
betzwhite.com
Double Layers: Basically 2 layers of skirt gathered onto a waistband and trimmed with bias binding.
knot-dresses.com
mooshkette.squarespace.com
Stash Happy: Retro style made from an upcycled pillowcase, fabric scraps and coordinating fabric.
larkcrafts.com
sewmamasew.com
Clothespin: Has pockets and is embellished with jumbo rick rack (optional).
seasonedhomemaker.com
barij.typepad.com
Tailored & Lined: This is nice and long and made by repurposing an old dress.
pleasantviewschoolhouse.blogspot.ca
frogcreekcottage.com
Holiday: Fun, festive and easy to make with a piece of eyelet, grosgrain ribbon and a bit of fabric.
marthastewart.com
cicadadaydream.blogspot.ca
Kaleidoscope: One of my favorites, pin-tuck waistband is wide in the center front, ties wrap around to front.
etsy.com
robertkaufman.com
Also see this one that’s made with fat quarters.
Assorted
creatingbycami.blogspot.ca
For Cleaning: Gathers at the waist and has big roomy pockets across the front to hold cleaning supplies.
organizedhome.com
marthastewart.com
Clothespin: European style with deep front pockets to hold pegs.
motherearthnews.com
janesapron.typepad.com
Tool Belt: Made with an old sheet or other repurposed material and twill tape.
heart-of-light.blogspot.ca
madaboutpink.blogspot.ca
You’ll also find over a dozen different ways to make them with dish towels on this page (scroll to the bottom half).
Yay!! Thank you for these!! You can bet I will link these on the Apronista too! I don’t know how yo manage to find them all!!
Deanna
Yeah!!!! More aprons! Thanks so much!!!
Hi!
Thanks for including me on your list! I’m also excited to check out everyone elses ideas. So many creative people in one place – awesome!
Thanks for including my “pleated hem” tutorial on this site. It was exciting to see. It is so validating, even if it helps just one person! Thanks again!
I got this e-mail about aprons, and as I have been perusing all the beautiful apron patterns people have been sharing, I thought I would share the thoughts. Patty
Subject: Fw: THE APRON
Do you remember ?
The History of ‘APRONS’
I don’t think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it s erved as a potholder for
removing hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how muc h furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ‘old-time apron’ that served so many purposes.
Send this to those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma’s aprons.
REMEMBER:
Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.
Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.
I remember my Grandmothers wearing aprons,and my mother. Good old days,women would not wear them today, no need, no cook stoves, kindeling and no eggs to gather. time gone by. JIM H.
I remember my great-grandmother wearing an apron. She always had one on when she did her baking. And I thank her for all the beautiful pies! I was just a little girl at the time, but now I have those recipes and her know how. I make some of the best pies around! and. . .now all I need is an apron! Thank all you ladies for sharing your patterns. Patty
I love the story of Grandma’s apron, thank you for sharing.
I want to make the frilly reversible apron, but can’t find how much to enlarge the pattern. Can anyone help? Thanks!
just wanted to let you know that #3 & #7 in the full apron category are no longer available
Hi,
Wheres the pattern for making the striped aprons with the bow(top of the page)….super cute
The floral pinafore was the style I’m
mostly interested in, but the pattern not
available.
Elsewhere in this weeks’ tips, the link to
the window treatments patterns are not
available.
Love all the goodies and tips each week.
Thanks!
Hi Linda, I just double checked the links and they are loading for me. Maybe they were temporarily down when you checked?
I’ve been hunting for an apron that doesn’t tie or hang on the neck at all (arthritic neck makes it painful). Have you seen an apron pattern for one that might go over the shoulders and tie into the waistband somehow?
thank you thank you for for the apron downloads – loved them – wonderful wonderful site
Thank you soooo very much for the wonderful patterns!! I still wear aprons, and love the great variety. Can’t wait to try them all!
Thank you for sharing all these wonderful apron patterns! I can’t wait to sew them all.
Wow looking forward to these wonderful patterns! love to use these as gifts. Especially with good cooking friends.
My sister and I made four of the reversible scalloped half aprons for a reunion raffle. We found holiday fabrics (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentines, Birthday, Superbowl Sunday, Halloween, and Fourth of July) and paired them with like colors (Easter and Valentines both had pastel pink) and used a coordinating color of gingham for the band and ties. Turned out great. We patted ourselves on the back for that idea! Going to make more Holiday Apron sets for Christmas gifts this year.
When I was young, my GreatGrama, Grama and my Mom all wore aprons. My Mom worked.at the Truck Stop right down the hill from Grama and Grandad’s where I lived. I would take one of Mom’s pretty aprons ,an old order pad and a pencil and I’d go to work. I would show up and my mom’s best friend would laugh and let me wait on customers. I had a great time “waitress ing back then. My GreatGrama wore an apron that I would love to find the pattern for. It had wide straps over the shoulder that connected to a mid back shoulder strap deep round pocket that had a long almost comma shapedtop they tied at the waist and they had a square bib. I learned from the 3 women, how to make the best dishes! My mother-in-law said she knew I was a good cook, all you had to do was look at my husband! If not for my Grama my husband would have starved to death. They were wonderful women and I still miss them terribly.