Prior to this project, I had limited sewing machine experience. I enjoyed hand sewing when necessary to alter my own clothes, but hand sewing is tedious and time consuming so I didn’t do it often. When I took ENGI 120, my project involved sewing, however, my group couldn’t figure out how to consistently use the sewing machine, so we ended up hand sewing. The process was slow and painful (we stabbed ourselves with needles a lot). This project has helped me become familiar with a sewing machine after being unable to use one for so long.

Here are the steps I took to complete my apron:

1. Decide Measurements

The first thing I did to make the apron was decide on my measurements. I used the measurements listed in the assignment description for a size small. I added one inch to each measurement, because I wanted to have extra fabric to fold & sew the sides of the apron. I left 0.5 inches on each side to accommodate for this. 

2. Cut Fabric

Once I had finalized my measurements, I used a yardstick and big paper to cut out my apron dimensions. Once the pattern was cut on paper, I used this to help me cut the fabric.

3. Fold & Sew Sides

Once the fabric was cut, I measured approximately 0.5 inches on each side of the pron and folded it in. I used a hard surface (think scissor handles, rulers, etc.) to crease the fabric so it would stay folded. I also added pins to keep the fold in place. I sewed the sides of the fabric one at a time until I had finished the entire perimeter of the apron.

4. Surprise Step!: Make Apron Smaller

Once I had sewn the sides of the apron over, I prepared to begin sewing the straps. When I held the head strap at the top of the apron, I realized the top of the apron was too wide for me. I decided to fold the top foot of the apron in at an angle, to preserve the width of the bottom half of the apron but make the top dimension smaller. I folded and pinned the apron once more, and sewed the sides. Once I did this, I cut the extra fabric from the inside to make the apron appear more finished.

5. Add Straps

Once I had resized the apron, it was time to add straps. I measured the top strap by pinning one end of the strap to one side of the apron, putting the apron around my neck and seeing where I wanted the apron to fall. I marked & pinned the spot, then headed over to the sewing machine to make the box stitches. I used the same process to decide the length of the waist straps. I sewed the waist straps using a box stitch, and folded and sewed the edges of the strap materials for a cleaner finish.

6. Add Zipper Pocket

Once I sewed the straps, I had a finished apron that fit the assignment criteria. However, I was feeling confident in my sewing machine abilities and was up for a challenge, so I decided to attempt the zipper pocket. I watched the video and read the instructions, but was still having a difficult time visualizing how the zipper pocket worked. I took a break and came back a different day, and the instructions clicked this time. 

I first decided on the size of my pocket, which would determine the size of the fabric piece I needed to cut. The zippers available in the OEDK were 12 inches long, and I decided I wanted my pocket to be about 5 inches deep. Based on the instructions, I cut a 12” by 14” piece of fabric for the pocket. I drew the rectangle on the top of the fabric as per instructions, then sewed the rectangle to the outside of the existing apron. I cut down the middle, and pushed the fabric through. Then I sewed the zipper on each side, and sewed the three sides of the pocket together to finish it.

Reflection

Overall, I had a really good time working on this project and I am proud of the apron that I created. Although creating the zipper pocket was a bit out of my comfort zone, I’m really glad that I challenged myself to do it. 

In the future, I want to be more intentional about the measurements I decide on, whether it be for a piece of clothing or another 210 project. I originally used the dimensions in the assignment because I thought they were required, but once I finished the body of my apron I realized it wouldn’t have fit me right. I ended up folding the fabric over and re-hemming. While this method worked, the length of my angled sides of the aron are slightly uneven. This also required extra work, vs. if I decided on the correct dimensions before I got deep into the project.

I also want to develop a more streamlined way of documenting my work. As I type this blog post, I am trying to remember the steps that I took, looking for pictures of the process, etc. For future projects, I want to spend more time documenting my work as I go.

Cost Estimate

I spent ~4 hours working on this project. Assuming labor costs $15/hr, the labor cost for this project would be $60. I will estimate that I used ~1 yard of fabric on this project. Assuming fabric costs $10 per yard, the cost would be $10. I used one zipper, which I will estimate as costing $1. I used ~4 feet of strap material, which I will estimate to cost $2. The total cost estimate would then be $73.