By Natalie Pellette

For the apron project, I chose to attempt a cross between the intermediate and proficient level assignments by creating my own pattern and adding a patch pocket. I enjoyed every step in the project and appreciated being able to approach the assignment guidelines creatively.

One challenge I unintentionally created for myself was getting the due date wrong and grinding out the whole project in one night when I had another week to work on it. I didn’t take any photos during the design and sewing process as a result. I think the quality of my apron is similar to what it would have been if I had spaced out the work.

Pattern Design:

I began the pattern design process by looking online at different apron styles for inspiration. I knew I wanted my apron to have two sections, a top and bottom, that seamed at my waist for a better fit. I decided to keep it simple since I didn’t think I had much time and I drew out a two piece pattern with a tapered waist and crossback straps. I didn’t need to take many measurements for my design, but I wanted to make sure they were accurate. My favorite aspect of sewing is customizing how a garment fits to a specific person so I spent a lot of time draping the fabric and playing with how it would lay if I moved the waistline up or made the neckline wider, etc. The measurements on the drawing are the approximate dimensions of the final product; I cut the fabric with an extra inch or two inches for seam allowances, depending on if a section was going to be seamed, hemmed or hemmed on both ends. I used a fabric tape measure for draping measurements and a ruler for cutting measurements. 

*I ended up adding tying straps at the neckline instead of the crossback straps because they would offer more adjustability and make the apron easier to put on.*

 I think the fit turned out as I intended. I’m happy to get more successful experience with pattern design even though I didn’t use a formal technique or produce a paper pattern. Before I began cutting my fabric, I thought through the order in which I would sew everything together and decided on the following:

Apron Process:

1. Cut the yard of fabric into ⅓ and ⅔ portions. Cut the top third into a 12” by 15” rectangle and the bottom ⅔ into a 24” by 30” rectangle. Set the scraps aside for later.
2. Taper the top piece rectangle so that the top side(neckline) is 14” and the bottom is 13.” Taper the bottom piece rectangle so that the top side (waistline) is 24” and the bottom is 26”(hem).
3. Use fabric pins to hold a ½ -1” fold of the top edge and side edges of the top piece of fabric for  hemming. Use fabric pins to hold a ½ -1” fold of all edges of the bottom piece of fabric for hemming.
4. Double hem the top edge and side edges of the top piece of fabric. Double hem the bottom edge and side edges and single hem the top edge of the bottom piece of fabric. 
5. Center the unfinished side of the top piece along the single-hemmed side of the bottom piece and sew a seam to attach them, resulting in the appearance of a double hem along the top edge of the bottom section. The body of the apron is now complete!
6. Take the fabric scraps and cut four long pieces that are at least 2-3” wide. These will be the straps of the apron.
7. Pin ½-1” fold along both of the long edges of the four scraps. Single hem these folds to create the straps. Pin a ½” fold on one end of the straps and double hem them to reinforce. This will be the tying end of the straps.
8. Pin and then seam the unfinished end of a strap to the remaining portion of the waist band that is not double seamed. Repeat this for the other side of the waist band. Now the waist ties are complete. 
9. Pin and then double seam the unfinished end of a strap to a comfortable position along one side of the neckline. Repeat this for the other side of the neckline. Now the neckline ties are complete.
10. Add patches and pockets as desired 🙂

Critiques + Conclusions:

I think the order of the process worked well, but in retrospect I would’ve made some changes to my sewing choices. I would’ve double folded all of the hems instead of single folding them so that there wouldn’t be any fraying fabric edges on the back of the apron. I am otherwise  happy with my hems because I chose to use double hemming, which has a finished look and is more durable. My straps came out a little bit sloppy because I was working with limited fabric and I didn’t see the provided strap material. I also wish I would’ve used the box stitch method to secure them along the neckline instead of the double seam because it’s more secure.

 

I added a pencil patch pocket and heart-shaped pockets to the bottom section of the apron. The patch pocket turned out really well with a clean finish. I am happy with the heart pockets as well, but if I were to redo them, I would have added finished edges so that there wouldn’t be fraying fabric. They’re also not very sturdy because of their shape so I would probably only use them to hold something small and light.

In summary, I like the apron I made! 🙂 I could’ve done a few things differently for a cleaner finished product, but the pattern and fit, which were the most important steps to me, turned out nicely. I already used my apron in my painting class, so I know it’s functional!

Cost + Timing breakdown:

Work time, including design, measurements, cutting and sewing = 6 hours

Labor Cost ($15/hour) = $90

Fabric cost = ~$7.50 /yard 

Thread Cost = $2

 

Total Materials cost = $9.50

Total Labor + Materials cost = $99.50

*I did not include reusable equipment in this estimate, like my sewing machine, fabric scissors, and ruler, as I already owned these items.*