Recycled Cub Scout Pant Aprons for Boys. (Part 2 of the recycled pant apron series)

Those who have been following us long enough where able to see Little Man making homemade graham crackers on our local Fox 10 :Good Morning!

This post started when we where here: Crazy Cub Fundraiser Dinner . His leader informed me that Little Man's pants where not regulation. He needed green khaki. The whole rest of the year, Little Man wore the uniform pants we got. Until finally, they where too short. He got tall on me. It was time to graduate.

How do you make a fun pocket Army style apron like this...out of these old cub scout pants?

I think each apron I make is different depending on the style of the pants, so I'm going to show pictures and give ideas, just so you can wrap your head around how it's done. Starting with pockets on the pant leg, that I wanted to use as the pocketed bib for the apron, I left enough space to turn the seam inward, and to attach the neck strap.

At one point my son asked me to turn these pants into shorts, but the leg pocket was in a weird place, and the shorts would have been a mini skirt. Not good for a boy...or a girl. In my humble yet accurate opinion... my son will not be cross dressing.

I cut the front and back apart. This pair of pants will make two aprons. One for Little Man, age 11 (next week) and Face, age 7.

The length of the leg that had the pocket will make the bib of the apron, and the remaining part of the leg will be turned into an additional pocket.

I pin things a lot. It's a trick my mom used to tell me all the time (she has a bachelors degree in home economics education). Things look a lot more professional when you measure the seams and you pin things. Use a lot of pins.

So, I folded the top of the bib inward and the bottom of the bib inward, pinned it, and then pinned it to the bottom of the apron. Notice the addition of the additional pocket made from the bottom half of the pant leg, now in the middle of the apron covering the "fly".

Pin it with right sided together, so when you sew it, the pocket will be front facing.

I did purchase seam binding. I know it can be made at home, but for just over two dollars per apron, it was a good deal for me. Face got the army green, and Little Man got black binding, just so we could tell the aprons apart.

I sew seam binding over the open edges to give it a finished look, but you don't have to if you want more of a frayed country look to it.

I use an additional length of seam binding to make the neck strap. I measure it to fit over the head...apparently that is a good thing.

I then secure it well into the bib top of the apron, inside of the seam before I sew it.

For the waist strap, I used a strip of camouflage heavy canvas, with seams bound inward, 120 inches long. I center it in the middle of the apron through the belt straps, and then fasten it securely to the side seams.

We ended up with five sturdy pockets to hold all the cooking tools of my little chefs. Now...we just need to go through basic training. "And knowing is half the battle". Thanks G.I. Joe.

There you go.
End note. Both boys where excited beyond words at the new aprons. Little Man got a little misty eyed...he was so happy his favorite pants didn't get put in the trash. Who knew a little boy could get so attached to his pant?