This was a fun first project, though I learned first-hand how quickly the sewing machine becomes your biggest enemy!

I started this project by tracing out the measurements listed for a size medium apron onto parchment paper to act as a sewing pattern. After drawing it out to the specified measurements I decided it didn’t like how wide it was at the top and adjusted the measurements freehand until I preferred the appearance. I then traced the pattern onto the fabric with chalk, adding half an inch or so of extra fabric outside the pattern to later be folded over for a clean edge. I then pinned all the edges of the apron down and went to begin sewing. On my first attempt I dove right in and tried to sew a nice long stitch. The machine somehow jammed immediately and as I tried to remove the fabric, a small hole ripped open in the corner of my apron! After achieving the exact opposite of sewing things together, I decided to take a break and return later.

Later on I arrived eager to begin sewing again only to discover that none of the machines were functioning and one had been partially disassembled. After attempting to fix various machines, involving 3 OEDK employees for assistance, and many many Youtube tutorials, I once again decided to take a break.

Instead of sewing, I measured and cut the triangles of green and tan fabric to make fun patterned pockets. This was more challenging than I anticipated because I tried to simply cut the pocket pattern in half and draw it twice but it was confusing to work with triangles rather than squares. Eventually I got the triangles assembled and pinned and moved on to finally tackle sewing. Once the machines were all assembled and working correctly, this part was actually pretty easy! I hemmed the edges of the apron for a clean look then moved on to attaching the pockets. This was difficult because I had used many pins to place the pocket exactly how I liked it, then had to stop sewing every 3 or so stitches to remove another pin. Another minor issue was the tan fabric had more of an open weave than the plain green fabric so sometimes it would bunch up a little bit, making my pocket a little round on some corners. Nonetheless, the pockets and edges were sewn and looked great!

Finally I cut out my tan fabric for the straps of the apron. This fabric was woven so after I sewed where I wanted the straps to be on the fabric, I cut the edges and let them fray a bit. I then sewed them to the collar and sides of the apron using a box stitch and again more pins. My box stitches were sometimes a bit rectangular but they were very secure and functional so I would call it a success!

This project not only taught me a lot about sewing, but a lot about the importance of patience! Had I taken a break sooner to refocus, I wouldn’t have created a hole. I also realized that sewing can be more forgiving than I thought. During my original attempts to hem the apron a few failed stitches were easily removed and nearly invisible. This gave me the confidence to keep working even though I was afraid to do something wrong. In the end, I really enjoyed this project and I look forward to utilizing my new sewing skills again soon!

Economic Breakdown:

Cost Type	Cost	Price	Source	Quantity	Total
Materials	Black Fabric	$7.49/yd	Joann.com	1 yd	$7.49
	Green Fabric	$4.99/yd	Joann.com	1 yd	$4.99
	Tan Fabric	$6.99/yd	Joann.com	1 yd	$6.99
	Thread	$1.64	Joann.com	1	$1.64
	Pins	$1.79	Joann.com	1	$1.79
Labor	Sewing Operator	$14.04/hr	ZipRecruiter.com	N/A (covered by prototyping engineer)	0
	Prototyping Engineer	$12/hr	Personal Wage	6	$72.00
Overhead	Facility Cost (Machine Time)	$.011/hr	-Slashplan.com -Singer.com ChooseTexasPower.org	6	$0.07
	Quality Control	$12/hr	-Zippia.com	N/A (covered by prototyping engineer)	0
Design	Engineering and Development	$40/hr	Salary.com	N/A (covered by prototyping engineer)	0
Total Cost					$96.97