I started my apron journey on Thursday September 1. I’d never sewn anything before this, so this was a new challenge for me. I started by deciding the length and width I wanted the apron to be by taking measurements of my torso and width. I decided that I wanted it to be 18 inches wide and 37 inches long. I measured out the lengths on paper and cut my pattern paper the shape of the apron using a pair of scissors. I liked the curved look in the top corners of the apron rather than the straight cut, so I folded the paper and marked 3 points at the top, side, and two inches up and to the left of the bottom point on the apron to create an arc that I would use to cut the curved part of the apron.

Pattern Paper

After creating the pattern paper, I placed it over my fabric and used fabric scissors to cut it to the shape of the pattern paper. I then realized that I needed to hem the sides of my fabric, and that I failed to leave excess fabric on the sides of the apron to fold it inwards during the hem, so I ended up making the apron slightly shorter to account for two hem folds, the first being 1/2 cm and the second being 1 centimeter. This means that the width of my final apron was 3 centimeters shorter in the width and length than I originally planned. For next time, I know to plan ahead and decide my hem fold lengths and cut the appropriate amount of excess fabric to account for the hem.

Lengths of the hem folds I used around each edge of the apron.

My next step was to pin the folds down. I did this using the sewing pins, and because I can be quite the perfectionist, I used plenty of them to ensure that the folds were held down securely and would not move out of place when I began sewing. I started with the curved edges and the bottom edge, because I wanted to be able to fold the straight sides over and secure the edges of the first hems down with the second hems on the sides and the top.

The first hems- curved edges and the bottom edge.

After pinning the first hems down, I was ready to begin sewing. I wanted a cream sewing thread to go with the red fabric, so I picked my thread and wound the bobbin with it before placing the bobbin in its compartment, and I got to sewing. After some practice with the scrap fabric and some troubleshooting with the help of YouTube, I was able to get the sewing machine working. I slowly kept it as straight as possible, removing the pins from the fabric as it was being sewn, and I ended up with initial hems that I was proud of.

The result of my first sewn hems.

Next, I pinned down the top edge and the straight sides for the second round of hemming. I followed the same process as before, and then overlapped the hems with the ones that had already been sewn down. At this point, I felt more confident with the sewing machine, so that part went much smoother, and once again I was satisfied with the result.

All edges sewn down!

Now, I had the shape of the apron and I was very happy with how it turned out, but the job was not done. I had already cut out the neck strap, but I cut the waist straps after the hem was done because I was unsure if I wanted it to be able to tie in the back or the front, and I decided that front was easier. This required more length than if it tied in the back.

I decided I would start with the neck straps, but not without practicing first. I used some scrap straps and fabric to work on my box cuts, and I noticed that the sewing machine got jammed more often, and the turns required much more precision than the straight hem sews. After a couple practice tries, I felt ready to do the real box stitches. It was a slow process and not the most accurate, but I was able to create the first two box stitches successfully, even though it may not have been perfectly square and the corners do not all align, it holds to the fabric pretty well.

The first box stitches for the neck strap

Next, I decided where the waist straps would be sewn on, which ended up being about 2-1/2 inches from the bottom of the curved edge. Following the same process as before, I placed the straps on the outside of the fabric this time because I felt like it would create a better fit for the apron when it’s put on.

Box stitches for the waist straps.

I felt more confident creating these box stitches the second time around, and they held the straps on well. Now, all I had to do was cut off any excess string left from the sewing, and I was done!

The apron felt comfortable to wear and fit me nicely despite the measurements being thrown off in the beginning, so overall, I’m proud of my product!

I had a great time designing and sewing this apron, and it was a huge learning experience for me having never sewn before. For my next sewing endeavor, I have a few things I would do differently.

• Deciding on a hem length beforehand and cutting excess fabric to account for it
• Take it slower on the box stitches- use the turning knob to my advantage to make it more precise and clean
• Ensuring that I check if the thread and the machine are set up correctly before jumping into sewing- I got impatient at times and tried to sew when the machine was not properly set up.
• Using larger sizes for the folds during hemming- the 1/2 cm and 1 cm folds were small and made it harder to create straight seams so if the folds were larger it would make it easier to handle the fabric as it moves through the sewing machine.

I’m glad I learned the basics of sewing and I’m excited that now I feel confident taking on any sewing-related project in the future!

Estimated Cost:

Material:

• 1 Yard Red Flannel Fabric – $5.99 – https://www.hobbylobby.com/Fabric-Sewing/Flannel-Fleece-Fabric/Flannel-Fabric/Red-Flannel-Fabric/p/45414
• 3 yd Strap Fabric – $2.39 – $7.95 for 10 yd @ https://www.amazon.com/Herringbone-Cotton-10-Yards-SP-2787-Natural/dp/B08THYZTXB/ref=asc_df_B08THWFL5G/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=492071593868&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7290030833601093673&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027580&hvtargid=pla-1170124172116&th=1
• 6.22 yd thread – $0.04 – $7.99 for 1200 yd @ https://www.amazon.com/Connecting-Threads-100-Cotton-Thread/dp/B07RRFDQGQ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2EYK0I3G2AE3V&keywords=cotton+sewing+thread&qid=1662429097&s=arts-crafts&sprefix=cotton+sewing+threa%2Carts-crafts%2C101&sr=1-5

Labor Costs:

• 5 hours at $14.85/hr (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes516031.htm) – $74.25

Overhead (Electricity, OEDK Staff Pay, OEDK Supplies, etc.):

• Estimated $20

TOTAL COST: $102.67

The cost for producing this single unit is $102.67, but when producing in bulk and more efficiently, the price of production will go down significantly.