Hi Sewists!
So, one of the big things that’s been happening to me lately is that I have gone from being a regular, every-day ‘wage’ person to a bona fide Sole Trader! Yes! I’ve quit my job of 22 years and finally set up on my own.
As I’m sure you can imagine, this has been fantastically liberating for me. It’s early days still, but in the last few weeks I have paid my bills by teaching tap dancing, making a pair of curtains, choreographing a couples first dance, selling badges on Etsy and covering for a hairdressing friend who has broken their leg! The beauty of being a sole trader is that you can make your money however you like! (So long as you make your money!) One of the most enjoyable things about working for yourself is that you have to stock your own ‘stationary’ cupboard. For me, mainly, that currently means Hairdressing-Equipment.
Something I’m in desperate need of is a hair-colouring-apron. Where I used to work, they were supplied, now, I’m happy to supply my own, but all the ones on the market are black and boring. I had this piece of fabric in my stash. Not the most fascinating colour, I’ll grant you, but at least it’s not black. And It’s definitely wipe-down, which is a major criteria for hairdressing aprons. I’ve no idea where I bought it from, or why I bought it. it’s some-kind-of-cotton with some-kind-of-pvc coating. Maybe I was trying to buy swimming shorts material, but it’s totally wrong for that… I’d forgotten I had it to be honest, and was a little spooked when it popped up at the perfect time.
To make the pattern for this apron, I suppose I have to say that I draped my first pattern! In so much as I cut a rectangle of pattern paper and pinned it to my mannequin, marked out the shape with a sharpie then drew it all out on the floor with a ruler… As draping goes, I think this was a pretty easy baptism! If you want to bypass that epiphany though, you can just follow the measurements below…. bear in mind, It’s a saucy apron, above the knee! Depending on where you get your splashes, you might want to lengthen it.
Cutting Out & Notions:
- 2 x Front
- 1 x Neck Band
- 1 x Waist Strap (super long to also make Right Waist Tab and ‘Brush Holder’
- 1 x Top Pocket
- 1 x Pleated pocket
- 4 x snaps
- 1 x clip
Construction:
- Sew the neckband right sides together along the long edge.
- Finger press the seam open. Position the seam at centre back and sew the point. Turn through and edgestitch.
- Finger press the waist strap in half. Open out and fold the edges into the centre. Fold in half again and edgestitch both long edges. (Mine is 2.5cm wide = 10cm to start – adjust yours to fit your clips)
- Fold the seams of the top pocket and stitch down at approx 1 cm. Double stitch the top.
- Edgestitch the top pocket in place on the right front. Reinforce the corners.
- Fold and stitch the pleats of the pleated pocket. Fold the seams and stitch down. Double stitch the top.
- Edgestitch the pleated pocket in place on the left front. Reinforce the corners.
- Sew the two fronts together at the centre front seam. Finger press the seam open and topstitch down.
- Double fold the bottom, sides and top. Double topstitch these in place.
- Sew bias binding to the curves at the arm. Leave an overhang at each end to tuck under on the wrong side. (It’s easier to use a narrow bias binding on my fabric – otherwise double-turn the hem like the rest of them)
- Fold the bias binding to the wrong side and double stitch in place.
- Fold the raw edge of the neckband under and stitch it onto the top right corner.
- Attach snaps to the left end of the neckband as desired. I left a long bit so I can keep my clips there.
- Cut a piece of waistband and use it to attach the clasp on the right waist side.
- Attach the other side of the clasp to the remainder of the waistband.
- Attach a snap to the left waist side and a corresponding snap to the other end of the waistband.
- Use any left over strap to make a ‘brush holder’ on the lower right front.
And you’re done! Well, I’m done! Now that I’m hairdressing in my own clothes (rather than my own black clothes) I’m pleased to say that this covers all the splashy bits. The (unknown) composition of the fabric makes it totally wipe-down-able, so hopefully it’ll last a while. Again, I’ve no idea why I bought this fabric, but I’m so glad to have made the perfect thing out of it.
So now I can wear my favourite bias-cut shirt and peacock-pocket jeans without the worry of splashing hair colour all over me!
Until next time, Happy Sewing!
Notes to self;
- Keep the walking foot on with this type of fabric.
- Stitch length was a bit erratic, maybe go slower on these materials?