Three years ago in anatomy lab, I remember going in during the wee hours of the morning to my team’s cadaver, and spending 3-4 hours alone separating structures and cleaning out fascia for better visualization. VERY CREEPY, but very cathartic. I felt the same way when I was finishing up my apron in the OEDK at 1:00am. Less creepy, but equally satisfying. There’s just something about getting those lines just right….

But let me rewind and go back to the start. When we were practicing how to sew in class and I couldn’t really follow along, I was worried about how the rest of the class was going to be. Why couldn’t I understand the allegedly basic concept of sewing? I found out why when I tested positive for COVID later that evening. So after isolation and a few catch-up days, I was finally ready to go to the OEDK and start my apron.

First, I retrieved the fabric that I had set aside from the ENGI table, a plaid green, dependable choice. I read through the instructions on Canvas and didn’t understand them fully. So I went on YouTube and spent an unreasonable amount of time (1.5 hours) watching other people make aprons. I picked a size as per the recommendation on the chart provided = Medium. I measured and cut out pattern paper 34″ by 24″ and folded it in half so that I would only have to do half the cutting. I tried cutting off 1/2 the waist band minus 3″ at the top of the makeshift apron but I felt that it was too wide, so I cut off a bit more, fitting it to my body. Then I made similar cuts to the fabric (that I had also folded in half and taped to the table and to the pattern paper placed on top of it). Then, I measured and cut my neck strap after placing the apron on my body, and used my waist length to cut out two side straps.

WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER: I get lost in measurements sometimes, and I spent way too much time getting all the numbers right, the sides matching, and making sure the fabric’s pattern was centered. I also shouldn’t have cut the fabric after folding it in half, because it made the cuts uneven.

Then, it was off to the machines! Except I couldn’t remember how to use the machines and there were no lab assistants around and the students who were there didn’t know how to troubleshoot and the YouTubing wasn’t helping. Then, another student who saw my struggles came by and gave me a full but brief lesson (God bless him) and I finally learned how to use the sewing machine. I started practicing on some extra fabric, and the first few rounds were terrible, but after I got comfortable, I picked my fabric, folded the edges, and sewed them to give it that clean look.

WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER: I should have shown up on a day with lab assistants or TAs to relearn how to use the machine. I should also have pinned the fabric while lining the edges so that it didn’t move and go off fabric like in the picture above.

I was tired after spending half a day in the OEDK, so I left and returned on another day to sew on the straps only to find that half the machines were broken, and the others were occupied. When I finally got my chance to sew and tried to practice box stitches on the small strap material, I realized it would be very difficult. But I practiced a few times and attached the neck strap and the side straps using box stitches. Some boxes were better than others.

WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER: I thought that putting the straps on wouldn’t take very long, but they took the longest because of how focused I was on getting the box stitch shape right. I should definitely have come earlier to finish the project.

And then it was 1:00am, the morning of the due date for this assignment, when I finished a simple, beginners’ level apron made of green plaid fabric with clean edges, a neck strap, and two side straps.

GO COOGS!

Would anyone buy this? Unlikely. Am I proud of it? Absolutely! Stay tuned for updates in future blogs about modifications I will make to my apron. I think pockets are the next step!

Cost Estimate:

• Fabric: 2 yrds x 5.99 each = $11.98
• Straps: For the roll = $6.99
• Thread: Green and light blue thread x $2.99 each = $5.98
• Work Time: 9 hrs x $7.25 each = $65.25
• Parking at OEDK: 2 days x $12 each = $24

Total = $114.20