Jan. 15: Half Apron

Tomorrow is my first official non-training shift as a barista at the coffee shop up the street. Besides getting to hang out in a coffee shop all morning, my favorite part about the job is that it is a less than 5 minute walk from our apartment. So, this weekend I made myself a new apron.

I have been saving this fabric for 9 years, trying to figure out what to do with it. I got it in Samoa while studying abroad my senior year of college. There I wore it as a lava lava, traditional dress of many Oceanic peoples. I decided it was time to make a decision and go with it. Since aprons are very versatile, can be worn for cooking, crafting, cleaning, at home, or at the coffee shop, I decided this project was worthy of the sentimental fabric. 

I made up the design and technique as I went. The quick version is.. 

1. The pocket is a square about 8" by 8". I hemmed around around the edges, then decorated with some fabric scraps, a piece of ric rac, a felt bird, and a scrap of doily (see detailed picture below).   
2. The main fabric piece is a rectangle about 30" by 20" (I wanted it long and to wrap around hips). I cut two rectangles this size. I sewed three sides of the pocket to one of the large rectangles. Then I sewed the two large rectangles together, wrong sides together, turned them, and top stitched around with a zig-zag stitch.
3. The ties are about 107" long (I wanted them long to wrap around and tie in front with extra). I cut a piece of fabric 107" by 3" and formed a tube by sewing the edges together long ways with wrong sides together. I turned the tube and ironed flat. I found the center of the tube and matched it with the center of the main rectangle piece, pining in place for stitching. I topped stitched all along the length of the tie (top and bottom), attaching it to the main rectangle piece.

I didn't think to take pictures as I went and just realized how hard it is to describe the process. I have respect for those who write simple, understandable tutorial posts. I will have to try that another day.

Pocket detail