Apron design

My apron pattern was roughly adapted from the free “Sam” apron pattern from Helen’s Closet. This website has many other free garment patterns for anybody interested in sewing their own clothes.

I took the finished measurements from the instruction PDF and added 2 inches to each measurement for seam allowance. I followed the general shape of the apron, and followed the directions to add two pockets, and two towel loops. Instead of cutting all pieces of the apron out of a single piece of fabric, I used fabric scraps and other materials from the bins to make the pockets, towel loops, and straps.

Because I wanted to start working on my apron while the undergraduate section was still getting their introduction to sewing, the four home sewing machines were unavailable. I decided to learn how to use the Juki sewing machine near the maker bar instead. I familiarized myself with the machine by sewing on scrap pieces of fabric.

Once I felt comfortable with the Juki, I began working on my actual apron. I started by folding the fabric in half and cutting the rough shape of the apron. From here, I decided to reinforce the curved section at the sides of the chest area with bias tape cut out of scrap fabric. Fabric cut on the bias is cut at a 45-degree angle to the selvage edge, allowing the fabric to be flexible and conform to different shapes, such as this curved edge.

At this point, I really wished I had an iron to press the bias tape down. I proceeded to find the iron a few days later.

I folded and pressed the sides of the apron twice to not leave any raw edges visible. This prevents fraying and makes the apron look much neater. I added a small pocket at the chest area and a large pocket near the waist.

I added towels loops that I made by taking scrap fabric, folding and sewing the edges together. I sewed on the towel loops before sewing the large waist pocket. I attached both pockets in a way that formed 3 sub-pockets to both secure the pocket to the apron while adding some extra functionality. On the chest pocket, the large section perfectly fits my phone, while the 2 small sections fit pens/pencils/markers. I divided the waist pocket into 3 equal sections.

After attaching the pockets, I measured, cut, and sewed the edges of some nylon webbing I found in the bins near the nuts and bolts. I didn’t feel like making my own straps out of fabric, but I also thought the ribbon at the table might have been too flimsy or difficult to sew. I decided to attach a buckle to make the length of the neck strap adjustable without having to tie it.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this project. I’ve always wanted to sew an apron, so I’m very glad I got a chance to do so with this assignment. I spent two late nights at the OEDK to finish this apron so I could avoid the issue of other people needing the sewing machines. If I had to pick a favorite part of my apron, it’s either the chest pocket that perfectly fits my phone or the loops that I can clip my carabiner onto.

Cost Model

Cost Type	Cost	Price	Source	Quantity	Total
Materials	Black Canvas Fabric	$5.99 /yd	Michaels	1 Yard	$5.99
	Accent Fabric	$5.99 /yd	Michaels	½ Yard	$3.00
	Thread	$4.99 /cone	Michaels	1 Cone	$4.99
	Strap Adjuster	$17.99 / 24 pc	Michaels	1 Piece	$0.75
	Nylon Webbing	$3.99/yd	Michaels	2.5 Yards	$9.98
Labor	Sewing Operator (me)	$14 /hr	ZipRecruiter	7 Hours	$98
	Prototyping Engineer (also me)	$36 /hr	ZipRecruiter	1 Hour	$36
Overhead	Sewing Machine Rental	$55 /day	Camp Couture	1 Day	$55
				Total	$213.71

 

There are a few factors that make the creation of a detailed cost model difficult. For example, because my accent fabric came from the scrap bins, I had to estimate an amount of fabric and its cost. In my cost model, I did not include a design section because I quickly adapted a pattern I found online. From this pattern, I didn’t account for the time required for the original pattern makers to create the apron pattern, nor did I calculate a cost for creative licensing. This is because the website did not make a note of how long it took to develop this pattern, and it is likely beyond the scope of the cost model to try to find that out. Additionally, the pattern is free, but not for resale or profit. Because I don’t play on reselling or profiting off this apron, this shouldn’t be an issue.

For the overhead cost, I found the cost of renting an industrial machine from a fashion studio. This cost includes access to all necessary sewing accessories like scissors, irons, pins, and other miscellaneous equipment I needed while sewing the apron. The studio would also handle disposal of items placed in trash cans. While I personally took more than 1 day to finish the apron, if I were to sit down and do it all at once, I would finish it in 1 day.

The main cost of this project would be paying the sewing operator. Because I am an amateur at sewing, I’m sure I took at least 10x longer than a professional sewing operator would have to make this apron. Manufacturers will also purchase materials in bulk, leading to a net cost reduction.