Apron apron 🟢

Image • • Jasmine

Clarify design requirements: 30 mins

    1. Market research
    2. Need assessment
    3. Interview

The first thing I did was to clarify what I need for an apron and the required features for an engineering apron that can be used throughout the semester.

I have a poor neck so I need an apron that’s not going to pressure my neck. I also want a neat design apron with some pockets to hold different tools. I also interviewed two engineering experts to learn how they would design an apron, which provided me with inspiration and insights on current design limitations. Then I synthesized all information into a general design guideline to highlight user needs:

Jasmine wants a neat design apron with several pockets that are strong enough to protect her from stain, dust, or cut while not pressuring the neck.

Sew an apron: abt 9 hours

    1. Finalize design requirements
    2. Creation process
      1. Measure & sew
      2. Challenges
      3. Testing usability
    3. Final product

Using gathered user insights, I first researched and determined an apron style that’s best for this class. I compared several types of aprons, especially the bib and cross-back aprons, which are one of the easiest to make, and one of the most effective ones for practical use with more body coverage. Types of Aprons – Insane Choices

Considering Jasmine’s needs, the cross-back style proved to be the best choice, since it does not place too much weight on the neck and provides more coverage than the bib style. Inspiring samples: Sanchi MNL cross-back apron

Then I finalized the design requirements and sketched out an apron design based on the final ideation.

The creation process

  1. measures & sew
    1. Based on market research, I selected a cotton fabric for stronger protection and comfort.
    2. I used a peer sample apron and self-measurement to determine the final apron size.
    3. Following the sewing tutorial on youtube, I first cut out the ideal apron size on paper as a reference. I folded the fabric into half and then place the reference on it to start cutting.
        1. Considering aesthetics, I added 1 inch on all sides of the apron to leave enough space for folding & sewing and used ball pins to mark the folds.
    4. After cutting, I start sewing fabric folds and straps on the apron. I cross-sewed the strap to ensure it stitched, I also hand-sewed the strap on fabric because the fabric was too thick for the sewing needle to go in. I then ironed the fabric to flattened folds and straps.
    5. Once the apron body was done, I moved on to designing pockets. I want to have middle pockets to put hands or big tools in it and a smaller pocket on top to hold smaller objects like goggles or pencils. Recall from interview insights, I designed curved pockets so there are different depths. Then I measured out the position and size of all pockets and used fabric chalks to mark positions.
    6.     
        1. I added separation within each pocket so I can put different sizes/lengths of objects in it and keep them standing. This will help me see objects & grab them easily.

Challenges

  • cut a hole in the fabric

To allow cross-back straps to tie to the back and be adjustable, I thought about having straps pass through a hole then I can take it to the back to tie. But when I cut a hole, I found that it doesn’t look pretty, can’t sew folds, and has the possibility of strings coming out from the fabric due to friction.

Solution: I sewed a leaf using extra fabric then sew it onto the apron to cover the original hole. Instead of cutting holes, I sewed two rings and sewed them on the apron to allow straps to pass through. More aesthetic and usable.

        

  • Straps slide off shoulders

When testing apron usability, I found that the apron straps easily slide off the shoulder.

Solution: I sewed the strap closer to the middle and solved the problem.

 

Testing apron usability

I tested apron usability in different tasks and made changes according to feedback.

S1 rapid moving: Test if apron coverage is comfortable and not limiting movements ✅

S2 put pencils & goggles in the top pocket then lower down the body to pick up things on the ground: Test if the top pocket fits small objects & test the length of the apron if it’s limiting movement ✅

S3 put different tools in the middle pocket and leave the apron on for 20 + mins: Test if the middle pockets fit different objects & easier to see and grab. & See if the overall weight is comfortable for the user ✅

Final Product

 

Reflection

The first thing I wish I could have done better was the sewing work. In some curves and hand stitching works, the result was not as good as I expected. Definitely need more practice. Another thing I wish I could have done better was labor cost. I spent more time than I expected on this project which increased the overall cost. In all, I had a lot of fun making this apron, and I’m happy with the result. I estimated that making an apron will at most take me around 4 hours, but I underestimated all the details and considerations that are needed for this project. This project showed me a different perspective on the product-making process. I was able to put myself in the shoe of product people in making actual products which inspired me to reflect on my past research process, especially in realizing the need to consider user limitations and capability in future research & design.

 

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