How to Make a Tablecloth Using Vintage Aprons

You probably first laid eyes on these utilitarian accessories as a young child. Your grandmother, aunts and possibly even your mother wore them on an everyday basis. Aprons were ordinary for preparing a meal and for cleaning house. Unique aprons were even saved for special occasions and holidays. Vintage aprons are a fun collectible to amass and incorporating them into a vintage kitchen seems the perfect marriage. You could, of course, wear them as they were originally intended or you could add a bit of unexpected, by creating a whimsical tablecloth.

Things You'll Need

• Assortment of vintage aprons
• Quilted fabric to cover the top of your table
• Thread to match quilted fabric
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Pins
• Masking tape
• Hand sewing needle

Instructions

1. Clip strips of masking tape and roll each into a ring. Space several rings randomly on the surface of your table.

2. Unfold the quilted fabric and center it on the table surface right side down. Press with your hand so that the tape keeps it from slipping.

3. Using the table top as your pattern, cut the quilted fabric around the edge of the table a 1/4 inch larger than the table surface. Do not remove from the table.

4. Choose aprons that are similar in length, patterns and color.

5. See how different aprons look by pinning them to the edge of the quilted fabric so they hang down creating a lovely skirt around the table.

6. Remove the aprons and cut the ties off where they meet the apron waist. Set the ties aside.

7. Matching the cut edges created from the cut ties, sew apron waists together. You will end up with a continuous string of vintage aprons.

8. Pin the apron waists to the quilted fabric with the wrong sides of the vintage aprons facing out.

9. Remove the quilted fabric from the table and discard the tape. Using a 1/4 inch seam, sew the vintage aprons to the quilted fabric.

10. Turn the tablecloth right side up and place on the table top.

11. Sew the raw edges of the leftover ties together.

12. Make bows using the vintage apron ties. Hand stitch the bows over the attaching seam of apron waists.

Tips & Warnings

• If your vintage aprons are not all the same length, simply shorten and hem the longer ones to match or make a pattern around the tablecloth by alternating short and long aprons. The exact number of vintage aprons and the amount of quilted fabric will vary according to the size of your table.