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in Farmstead Kitchen· Homemaking· Homestead Skills

DIY French Bistro Apron Tutorial (No Sewing Required)

Learn how to make the perfect no-sew DIY French Bistro Apron. Out of a flour sack towel! It's a frugal, functional, and super cute absorbent cafe apron!

Preview Product Price
Dritz Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web Regular Weight.625' X20yd Dritz Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web Regular Weight.625" X20yd $4.74 Check Prices
Wright Products Simplicity Twill Tape 1/2' X18yd, Ivory Wright Products Simplicity Twill Tape 1/2" X18yd, Ivory $5.97 Check Prices
Schiff Ribbons 922-1 100-Yard Cotton Twill Tape Ribbon, 1-Inch, White Schiff Ribbons 922-1 100-Yard Cotton Twill Tape Ribbon, 1-Inch, White $24.47 Check Prices
Utopia Kitchen 12 Pack Flour Sack Dish Towels - 100% Pure Ring Spun... Utopia Kitchen 12 Pack Flour Sack Dish Towels - 100% Pure Ring Spun... $13.16 Check Prices
Darice 97148 1-Inch Foam Brush Value pack, 50-Piece Darice 97148 1-Inch Foam Brush Value pack, 50-Piece $8.09 Check Prices
Intertape Polymer Group PMD24 ProMask Blue Designer Painter's Tape... Intertape Polymer Group PMD24 ProMask Blue Designer Painter's Tape... $3.58 Check Prices
FolkArt 36303 Home Decor Chalk Furniture & Craft Paint in Assorted... FolkArt 36303 Home Decor Chalk Furniture & Craft Paint in Assorted... $6.81 Check Prices

Learn how to make the perfect no-sew DIY French Bistro Apron. Out of a flour sack towel! It’s a frugal, functional, and super cute absorbent cafe apron!

I have a bad habit of not wearing aprons. And you know what happens? I end up using my clothes as a towel when I’m working in the kitchen. Not exactly the best way to keep your clothes in great condition, now is it?

But to be honest I don’t find those pretty cotton prints at the fabric store to be very absorbent. And I put so much work into making the aprons, it kills me to soil them. My Gathering Apron is lined and it just feels too heavy to me for everyday use. They sure are a lot nicer than the plain t-shirt I’m trying to protect from kitchen mess…

My solution has been to carry a flour sack towel around tucked into my back pocket or thrown over my shoulder. But there’s only so many times you can drop that thing on the farmstead floor kitchen and still feel ok about using it in food production.

My solution: A quick and easy no-sew flour sack towel bistro apron!

Now I can just wear my towel! My clothes stay cleaner. I don’t have to worry about dropping it on the floor…. I love the way it looks! 

And I didn’t have to break the bank buying it. (It costs about $3 per apron.) OR take all day making it. (I was done in about half an hour and that’s with taking photos.) Saving money and time makes me happy!

But the biggest perk for me (yes more than how inexpensive it was to make) is I didn’t even have to sew a single stitch!

My sewing machine is in storage and won’t be coming out in the next 1-3 years. So that’s a long time to wait to make an apron. But being a no-sew apron is great if you haven’t learned that homesteading skill yet!

Learn how to make the perfect no-sew DIY French Bistro Apron. Out of a flour sack towel! It's a frugal, functional, and super cute absorbent cafe apron!

No-Sew Bistro Apron

Supplies

 

Flour Sack Towel (Makes 2)

Twill Ribbon

Stitch Witchery

Iron

Wet Rag

Dritz Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web Regular Weight.625' X20yd
Dritz Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web Regular Weight.625" X20yd
  • DRITZ-Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web is regular weight and can be used for hems trims and belts
  • Offers the home sewer and crafter new and innovative ways to finish projects neatly and...
  • Made in United States
$4.74
Check Prices
Wright Products Simplicity Twill Tape 1/2' X18yd, Ivory
Wright Products Simplicity Twill Tape 1/2" X18yd, Ivory
  • It's all in the details! Add trim to your throw pillow, table cloth, or reupholstery project and cre
$5.97
Check Prices
Schiff Ribbons 922-1 100-Yard Cotton Twill Tape Ribbon, 1-Inch, White
Schiff Ribbons 922-1 100-Yard Cotton Twill Tape Ribbon, 1-Inch, White
  • Available in 4 Different Widths
  • Available in White and Natural
  • Herringbone Twill Pattern
$24.47
Check Prices
Sale
Utopia Kitchen 12 Pack Flour Sack Dish Towels - 100% Pure Ring Spun...
Utopia Kitchen 12 Pack Flour Sack Dish Towels - 100% Pure Ring Spun...
  • VALUE PACK - The 12-pack provides you with ample flour sack towels for all your household needs for...
  • LONG-LASTING MATERIAL - Manufactured using 100% Pure Ring Spun Cotton, and knitted in a diagonal...
  • COUNTLESS USES - Due to being highly absorbent, these towels are great for dust cloths, drying...
$13.16
Check Prices

I got my Flour Sack Towels from Lehman’s cause you KNOW everything they have is farm-tough! They work beautifully for everything from natural cleaning, drying dishes, or these 25 other homestead uses!



Take 10% OFF Orders with code “COUPON10” at Lehman’s. Valid now through 7/1/18.  Shop now!


Cost Break Down

$ Half of a Flour Sack Towel

$ Twill Ribbon

$  2- 2-yard sections of Stitch Witchery

$ per apron (Plus any decorating you want to do with it.)

Assembly Instructions

(If you want to embellish your apron with the French Ticking Stripes, see the tutorial below first… Or check out my other ideas for making your aprons pretty!)



  • Wash, dry, and press the flour sack towels.
  • Neatly fold one in half and press a crease along the fold.
  • Cut along the crease. (Photo 1)
  • Fold up a ¼” hem and press it flat. (Photo 2)
  • Cut your Twill Ribbon to length. (Measurement of your waist + about 40″ )
  • Tear off 2 sections of Stitch Witchery that are the length of the entire top of the apron.
  • Find the center of the ribbon and match it with the center of your apron.
  • Arrange 1 layer of Stitch Witchery, the Twill Ribbon, and then another layer of Stitch Witchery   ” from the top of the apron. (Photos 3, 4, 5) 
  • Fold the top over, lining the folded ¼” top with the bottom of the Twill Ribbon sandwich. (Photo 7)
  • Pin the layers at the ends and middle.
  • Wet a clean rag and lay it on top of the hem you’re creating.
  • Press and hold a hot iron on the wet fabric for 10 seconds. (Photo 8) 
  • Repeat over the remaining length of the hem. (You may need to re-wet your rag if it drys out.)

That’s it! Now you have yourself a lovely little bistro apron! The Stitch Witchery should have formed a bond and you have a nice pressed hem! Without sewing a single stitch!

Learn how to make the perfect no-sew DIY French Bistro Apron. Out of a flour sack towel! It's a frugal, functional, and super cute absorbent cafe apron!Flour Sack Bistro Apron Embellishment Ideas

  • Stenciling– You could use some fabric paint to stencil on a farm theme (I like this one), an encouraging word (this one would help you keep your focus on the hard days), or maybe even a little something sarcastic (this one sure made me laugh!)
  • Patterned Paint Roller- These are so neat! They’re a cross between a stencil and a paint roller. I even used one to paint my curtains when I couldn’t find a fabric color that matched my room!
  • Tie Dye– A great project to get started learning natural dying techniques using plants as the color source.
  • Flower and Leaf Botanical Prints– I am TOTALLY doing this when the flowers start blooming!
  • Natural Fabric Dying-
    • Reduce Food Waste with Vegetable Dyes
    • Dyeing Cotton with Natural Dyes
    • 5 Weeds that are Natural Dyes
    • Natural Dyeing with Plants
  • French Country Stripe Ticking- This is the method I chose to embellish my first apron. See tutorial below.

French Country Ticking Bistro Apron

I used a few cheap supplies to make some French Country Ticking Stripes on my apron. It turned out beautifully!



Additional Supplies

Darice 97148 1-Inch Foam Brush Value pack, 50-Piece
Darice 97148 1-Inch Foam Brush Value pack, 50-Piece
  • Multi-use value pack of 50 angle-edged foam brush
  • 1-Inch wide soft and absorbent foam
  • Made in china
$8.09
Check Prices
Sale
Intertape Polymer Group PMD24 ProMask Blue Designer Painter's Tape...
Intertape Polymer Group PMD24 ProMask Blue Designer Painter's Tape...
  • Specially formulated pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive designed for exposure to sunlight for up to...
  • Exposure to sunlight for up to fourteen days. Exhibits secure adhesion and easy, clean removal from...
  • Consistent, easy unwind
$3.58
Check Prices
Sale
FolkArt 36303 Home Decor Chalk Furniture & Craft Paint in Assorted...
FolkArt 36303 Home Decor Chalk Furniture & Craft Paint in Assorted...
  • Works on many surfaces such as Wood, metal,ceramic, plaster, terracotta, canvas and much more
  • Easy to layer and distress
  • Great for furniture-no stripping or priming required
$6.81
Check Prices

Painting Instructions

You will be laying down 6 pieces of tape and painting the spaces between. Make sure that you press the tape firmly into the fabric or the paint could bleed under.

  • Find the center of the apron.
  • Lay Tape One 1″ to the right of the center of the apron. (Photo 1)
  • Lay Tape Two 1″ to the left of the center of the apron. (Photo 2)
  • Place Tape Three 1″ to the right of Tape One. (Photo 3)
  • Lay Tape Four 1″ to the left of Tape Two.
  • Lay Tape Five ¼” to the right of Tape Three. (Photo 4)
  • Place Tape Six ¼” to the left of Tape Four.
  • Paint the fabric spaces in between the strips of tape. (Photo 5) 
  • Allow it to dry (I forced it with a hair dryer) and carefully peel off the tape.
Preview Product Price
Dritz Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web Regular Weight.625' X20yd Dritz Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web Regular Weight.625" X20yd $4.74 Check Prices
Wright Products Simplicity Twill Tape 1/2' X18yd, Ivory Wright Products Simplicity Twill Tape 1/2" X18yd, Ivory $5.97 Check Prices
Schiff Ribbons 922-1 100-Yard Cotton Twill Tape Ribbon, 1-Inch, White Schiff Ribbons 922-1 100-Yard Cotton Twill Tape Ribbon, 1-Inch, White $24.47 Check Prices
Utopia Kitchen 12 Pack Flour Sack Dish Towels - 100% Pure Ring Spun... Utopia Kitchen 12 Pack Flour Sack Dish Towels - 100% Pure Ring Spun... $13.16 Check Prices
Darice 97148 1-Inch Foam Brush Value pack, 50-Piece Darice 97148 1-Inch Foam Brush Value pack, 50-Piece $8.09 Check Prices
Intertape Polymer Group PMD24 ProMask Blue Designer Painter's Tape... Intertape Polymer Group PMD24 ProMask Blue Designer Painter's Tape... $3.58 Check Prices
FolkArt 36303 Home Decor Chalk Furniture & Craft Paint in Assorted... FolkArt 36303 Home Decor Chalk Furniture & Craft Paint in Assorted... $6.81 Check Prices

Do you wear a bistro apron in your farmstead kitchen?



Take 10% OFF Orders with code “COUPON10” at Lehman’s. Valid now through 7/1/18.  Shop now!


Keep Reading

  • Harvest Gathering Apron TutorialHarvest Gathering Apron Tutorial
  • 30 Homesteading Skills to Start Learning TODAY (Wherever You Live)30 Homesteading Skills to Start Learning TODAY (Wherever You Live)
  • Super Scrub Cold-Process Gardener’s Soap RecipeSuper Scrub Cold-Process Gardener’s Soap Recipe
  • Bread of Life {A Giveaway}Bread of Life {A Giveaway}
  • Make Your Child Want to Help on the Homestead with These Gift IdeasMake Your Child Want to Help on the Homestead with These Gift Ideas

Comments

Filed Under: Farmstead Kitchen, Homemaking, Homestead Skills

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Comments

  1. Tessa says

    26 April, 2018 at

    This is lovely – the kids could make this as gifts for Christmas!

    Reply
    • Quinn says

      26 April, 2018 at

      They totally could! That’s an awesome idea!

      Reply

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