November 2 - Work Apron

This project is amazing because of how simple it is.

I was preparing for my big craft show last weekend, and I desperately wanted to do away with my cash box. I wanted a pocketed apron to organize my bills and make change quickly. I was trying to piece together some sort of apron when Zac had a brilliant idea. He said, "If only you had a long-sleeved shirt, you could just fold up the bottom and use the arms to tie it around your waist." Brilliant. And what was even more brilliant was that I had an old long-sleeved shirt in my scrap bin.

Here is my well-loved shirt. It might look decent still, but what you can't see are the holes in the armpits, the sleeves that are about 5 inches too long, and the hole on the belly from where the fabric rubbed against my jeans! See, I'm justified in retiring it from my wardrobe! :)


I began by folding up the bottom and lining up the edges.


I pinned the edges, then sewed the pocket inside-out. After I had the large pocket completed, I flipped it over and divided the pocket into 3 smaller pockets. I stitched right on top of the fabric for this, going almost all of the way up to the top of the pocket. I stopped about 1-1.5" from the top.


Here is the finished product:

And me trying out my modeling career:

Other uses for this project include:
1.) Craft apron for kids, loaded with pencils, crayons, and markers.
2.) Washing windows outside - load up your belt with a rag or paper towels and put your windex in another pocket. Then your hands are free to climb the ladder and you have all your materials with you.
3.) Planting your garden - keep your seeds in the pockets until you need them, which will keep your hands free for turning up the soil.

Thanks for your innovation, Zac! This is a keeper!