Beginning Sewing Student Work

I have been teaching Beginning Sewing classes for the City of Long Beach Parks and Recreation Department since 2002, using an apron pattern from Kwik Sew.  McCalls Patterns purchased the company, and the artwork for that pattern did not get to McCalls. Before I depleted their entire stock of patterns I had to find a replacement.  My criteria included that the pattern must have a style which is suitable for men and women,that it fit a wide variety of body types, that it be easy, that it can be made out of quilting cotton and that a beginner can make it in 3-4 class sessions. (The first class in my series is always a lecture/demonstration.)  It sounded easy, but in doing the homework and trying a few likely candidates from both independent pattern designers and the large commercial companies I found a number of problems.  One pattern did not provide a pattern piece for the ties, and assumed that people would rotary cut their own.  My students are often newbies who have never sewn before and do not own tools, so it is a large investment to add a rotary cutter, ruler and mat to their supply list.  Another pattern was cut on the open (i.e. across the 45" width of fabric), which would require two tables per student----not feasible with twelve students in a class!  Other patterns involved too many steps or had poor reviews on Sewing Pattern Review, a great site for sewing pattern reviews.  For the moment, I have settled on a pattern which comes in both an adult and a children's size and has an optional oven mitt for students who work fast.  Vanessa, was the first student to finish the project and she agreed that I could post a picture of her proudly modeling her first completed sewing project.

New Style Beginning Sewing Apron