Where the Idea Began:
Children love getting stuck into painting, baking and messy creative play – but keeping an apron on can be another matter entirely. Traditional neck and waist ties can be uncomfortable and are all too easy to pull loose halfway through the fun.
When I started thinking about a handmade birthday gift for my nephew, who is turning two, a children’s crossover apron felt like the perfect choice. With no ties to fasten and straps that cross neatly over the back, it slips on easily and stays in place, giving him the freedom to move and play independently.
I worked from a free crossover apron pattern from Spoonflower, which comes with both a PDF pattern and a YouTube video tutorial.
THE DESIGN:
The design of the apron was inspired by my nephew himself. At nearly two years old, “please” often comes out as “pease”, which felt like a perfect excuse to lean into a playful cooking theme. An apron is, after all, a natural part of being in the kitchen – whether that’s helping to stir, pour, or simply getting gloriously messy.
From that idea came the pea appliqué, designed to represent his family. Each pea stands for a different family member, including a slightly different “cat pea” for their much‑loved cat. It’s a simple, playful nod to his pronunciation of “please” as “pease”, while also tying neatly into the idea of cooking and kitchen play.
I also wanted the apron to include a pocket where he could keep his prized possessions, and add dimension to the appliqué to make it slightly 3D, giving it extra sensory interest as well as visual appeal.
Materials used:
- Twill fabric
- Thread
- Bias binding
appliqué:
- Array of different coloured cotton fabric
- Toy stuffing
- Fabric glue
- Black embroidery thread
- Medium weight interfacing,
The Final piece:
I loved how this apron turned out, with its bright, vivid colours and playful patterns. One detail that really makes the design for me is the rolling little cat pea tucked around at the back – a small but joyful touch that helps tell the family story behind the apron.
The stuffed appliqué worked beautifully, adding texture and character, while the ‘pease’ text brings a comic‑book feel to the design.
What made the finished apron feel even more special was how quickly everyone in the family recognised the in‑joke woven into the design, linking “pease” with “please”.
To finish it off, I embroidered my nephew’s initials and the year, turning it into a keepsake as well as a practical garment.
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