TUTORIAL How to make 4 styles of Childrens aprons from 1910's

This is a tutorial, that unlike others I have made does not require MATH! yes we will be using measurements, but there will not be multiplying, dividing, subtracting or even adding to make the patterns.

What you will need is: The child you wish to make the apron for, and a T shirt that fits the child. (plain shape, short sleeves is best.)
Tools include: Measuring tape, large sheet of paper, pencil and ruler. I like to use a square and a clear ruler. Also scissors for cutting the paper.

Overview of the FOUR styles

Left to right:

1. No. 4615 Advertised in Home Needlework Magazine, August/September 1910, Page 316 "Children's and Girls one Piece Apron. 4615 Five sizes 4 to 1 2 years. The 8 year size requires 1 4 yards 27 inches wide 14 yard contrasting material 27 inches wide."
2.  Farm Journal Patterns 4850 Advertised in Farm Journal, October 1912, page 550 Girls and Misses One-piece Aprons in 6 sizes; 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 years. "A useful apron, cut in one piece, but prettily shaped, is shown, in No. 4850. Girls do not object to wearing aprons if they are pretty, and this one can be made exceedingly so. While white crossbar muslin, madras, or cambric can be used, very pretty ones are made of pink or blue chambray, hemmed or faced with the old fashioned rick-rack braid sewed along the under edge, so that a row of points extends beyond." This one is different from the first in that it meets at center back, likely closing with buttons.
3. Advertised in Woman's Home Companion, February 1913, page 75 "No. 1439 One Piece Apron. 4 to 8 year sizes. Quantity of material required for medium size, or 6 years, eight yards of twenty seven inch material. The ease with which this attractive little school apron, which is suitable for any wash fabric, can be laundered is one of its practical features which will strongly appeal to every mother It is particularly attractive if made of a plain toned wash fabric with the edges scalloped in a darker shade or in a contrasting color."
4. No. 1230 Play Apron  was also advertised in Woman's Home Companion, February 1913, page 75, "Play Apron with Pocket 2 to 4 year sizes. Quantity of material required for 2 years three fourths of a yard of twenty two inch material. The large pocket is a special feature of this apron."

Now lets start making the patterns!

Get your victim child dressed in the proper T shirt. My model is my daughter who is wearing 2T

Measure from the neckline of the shirt to their knees (Older girls aprons may be longer) at center front and back. 

Measuring from the underarm seam to knee at side also is a good idea on a wiggly child.

Write down measurements and remove shirt from child. Do be kind and give them another shirt!

Take the big piece of paper and draw a long line at least 2" longer than the longest measurement you took (likely the back)

Lay the shirt nice and flat, fold in in half along the center back, smooth it flat! Lay it on the line drawn on the paper.

• Trace around the shirt, make sure to get both the front and back necklines and the shape af the armholes.*For the third style you may wish to trace around the sleeves if they are short, but it isn't necessary.*

• Make your side seam parallel to the  center one, even if the shirt is not.
• Now measure length that you measured. Do not be concerned if they fall at different levels, children are wiggly! My own were 1" apart at furthest!

• Choose a line and square across, past the side seam by several inches.

Now you will chose which style you want.
Style 1 and 2

•  Angle out the side seam. I chose to do a 1:4 slope so for every 4" down, my line was 1" away from the side seam.

• When you draw this line, make sure it doesn't go into the shoulder! Just touching is fine.

•  Measure down the old straight side seam to the hem. Mark the new angled side seam to this length. Draw a curved hem.
• Add seam allowance to shoulder seam (I use 1/2")
• Fold along angled side seam.
• Cut out armhole.

FOR #1

• Draw line from the shoulder point to hem, parallel to the center line.
• Cut out along shoulder seam allowance and front neckline, and center line of the doubled paper.

•  Open pattern up and cut off the front along the line we drew, this is now the back.

•  Round over the corners.

• You will need to add the small band at the back for closure, it is about mid armhole depth.
• The pattern is meant to be bound around the neck, hem and armholes, so no seam allowance was added.

FOR# 2 (I didn't actually pattern this one, as I only noticed the differences later)

• Offset the center line by about 1/2" for the back overlap.
• Cut out along shoulder seam allowance and back neckline, and center line of the doubled paper.
• Unfold. Cut along original front line and front neckline.
• Round over the back corners.
• You will need to add buttons at the back for closure.
• The pattern is meant to be bound around the neck, hem and armholes, so no seam allowance was added.

 Style 3

•   Angle out the side seam. I chose to do a 1:4 slope so for every 4" down, my line was 1" away from the side seam.
• Now using your clear ruler, move this line so that it is touching the curve of the armhole.
•  Measure down the old straight side seam to the hem. Mark the new angled side seam to this length. Draw a curved hem.
• Make the sleeves just a little past the original shoulder, 2" was a good mark on the 2 year old.
• the bottom of the sleeves should be higher than the original armhole.at where the new angled side seam meets the armhole.

•  Draw in the square neckline, you will probably want to make it wider and deeper that the T-shirt since the apron will be a pullover out of woven fabric.

  Style 4

• Lower the armhole about 2" for a young child, you want the line to be higher than the waistline, think empire waistline.
• Extend the armhole line to about half of the chest line.

•  Cut out along center line.
• Fold at shoulder. (cut side seam and armhole if needed)

•  Cut out back neckline
• Unfold and cut out front neckline
• Make back strap the same width all around as the shoulder. Mark the overlap in back by about 1/2" if you can.

• You will need to add ties at the corner for closure.
• The pattern is meant to be bound around the neck, hem and armholes, so no seam allowance was added.

Now you will notice I didn't add pockets or even tell you how to, that is up to you!
If this has been helpful or you would like more simple patterns like this, comment, drop me a line. there are more I could do, like this Apron from March 1910