As you can see from this photo, I’m short. My mom has always taken care of altering my pants to fit me perfectly, but I realized I need to take it upon myself to learn the craft of sewing. As we learned in class, the household sewing machine was revolutionary. The sewing machine meant bringing factory-grade machines into the home which allowed for more creativity and more money saved.

Step 1: Make Patern and Size Apron 

I wanted an apron that fits me specifically. I used a general sizing chart for rough estimates, but my main priority was the length. Standard aprons have always been too long for me, so getting that right was a high priority. For the curve that goes from the chest to the under-rib cage, I freestyled that steep angle to better suit my frame.

Step 2: Cut Fabric and Find Strap Size

The process here involved pinning the paper pattern to the fabric and using cloth scissors to cut it out. After the main body was ready, I measured the correct strap lengths for my neck and hips to ensure a secure fit.

Step 3: Heam and Iron everything

A major lesson I learned here: Raw edges = Falling apart. Raw edges are “scary” in the sewing industry. To make the sewing process seamless, I had to hem the fabric by ironing it first and then pinning it down. I made sure during the ironing process that all my folds were equal and symmetrical.

The Failure: While the body of the apron turned out well, I forgot the “no raw edges” rule for the neck strap. When I applied the box stitch, I could see some fraying. It was a clear reminder of why that prep work is so vital.

I also decided that I would like to make my own strap that goes around my neck. At first, I just sewed down the middle of some fabric thinking that would make a strap, but I forgot the “no raw edges” rule, so it started to fray. For my second iteration, I folded a piece of fabric like a trifold and then in half so there were no exposed edges. Then I sewed it straight down the middle and it worked!

Hem: Ironed and Pinned

1st and 2nd Iteration of Neck Strap

Step 4: Sewing Process and Box Stiches

I thought I was in the homestretch because I did all the prep work and all I had left was to sew. However, I spent about three hours just trying to get my sewing machine to work. I replaced the broken needle, refilled the bobbin, and rethreaded the Juki twice, but it still didn’t work. Eventually, our TA and the ODEK Technician had to step in to fix the machine.

After that was sorted, it was smooth sailing for the most part. I set the machine to a stitch length of 3 and noticed that the slower you go, the more control you have. After going through the whole ordeal of just getting started, I took my time to make sure I liked how my stitches came out. The most helpful tip was the “sharp corner turn” hack. This involved lifting the presser foot lever while keeping the needle down in the fabric, then shifting the material.

Finished Sewing Body Profile

The trickiest part was the box stitches. I will admit this frustrated me at times. I had to practice multiple times by first drawing it on paper and then on the fabric. My only tips here are to remember the sharp turn hack, practice as much as possible, and remember that you can always remove your thread and try again.

My first box stitch attempt

My 2nd Box Stitch Attempt

How much did everything cost?

Final Thoughts

I think the hardest part is simply getting started. Now I feel confident using the sewing machine and I can’t wait to do more fun projects. As for the cost of the apron, I think it was high mainly because of my inexperience. I believe the whole project could be done in a fraction of the time now, which would help with the cost. I have so much respect for the textile industry now and I truly understand the pricing of high quality clothes. I’m happy with my results the apron fits me well! I think this is the best fitting apron I have ever worn. The length fits me perfectly. I’m also proud how my sewing came out.

Station Cleared and Cleaned!