I made a gardening apron.

I've been thinking about this for over a month and today I got all my notes together and numbers and made one.

The two longer pockets on the sides can carry hand cultivator, hoe, scissors, pruner, soil thermometer, garden gloves.
In the front are shorter pockets so the apron doesn't hang in my way.
The back row are narrow pockets for pen, pencil, markers, dibble, jack knife, plant labels and the two wider pockets in front of those are for a small notebook, seed packets and even a tape measure.
I'm ready for anything when I get out in my garden this year. No more running back and forth from the workshop to grab a different garden tool. I'll always have them with me.

A closer view.
Now I'm ready for spring, if only the ice-covered snow would melt.

That's really cool! What a great idea

THAT is totally AWESOME!!!

How much?

I love the colours too.

Gwynn

Wow! greats job, that will be really helpful! I'm always running across the yard for something i forgot!

I love the apron. What a neat idea!

nicely done! i used that very fabric several years ago to make a tablecloth for our first home the year we got married. i love it.

That reminds me...I saw something recently about the practicality of a full blown apron and realized that would probably be really useful in my life. I need to find some time to make one. Unfortunately the sewing machine is in the baby's room, so that's not going to be easy

How long did it take you to make it? You could sell those! Great idea!

I started out with some basic measurements and an idea of what I wanted. To get there took a little doing but it came out OK. Not perfect, but no one but me knows where the mistakes are hidden.

It took me about 3 hours once I started sewing. And some un-sewing.

A friend of mine told me to make some to sell. I don't have the patience, I'm afraid. I could never sell things. Its not in my make up. It would also mean they'd have to be perfect so I'd have to get basic instructions down in black and white to follow step by step. No, I think I'm done with that. I have too many other quilt projects on my list and there's spring and summer gardening to take up the rest of my time. Yippee, for spring.

I just tucked my wet/dry meter in a pocket. I can also get my PH meter in there. Its new and I've not tried it yet but I may do so this spring.

Please snow, melt quickly now. Temps today are in the 40s but its windy.

i am an apron fan, i wear them every day. i have some just for show--cocktail aprons--and some for work, and i have been known to leave the house in an apron without realizing it. (i have also been known to do grocery shopping--and gardening--while wearing a thimble that i forgot about too).

I love your apron - great idea!!! I wear aprons all the time too, but always wish they had better pockets. I bought a couple of really simple dress patterns not too long ago with then intention of making gardening dresses with custom pockets kinda like yours... now I'm more inspired to try and finish, thank you!

oh my gosh... i love it. You sound exactly like me. I've just recently started sewing and everytime my friends or family see something i make they say "you should sell that!" and my response is "no way it's not perfect enough to sell".

I saw some REALLY cute Debbie Mumm fabric with herbs on and thought to myself "i really wish i could use that for something gardening, but what?" It never occurred to me to make an apron.

Now I am inspired! If you have any notes on how to make it I would love some starter advice.

I really like your apron!

Great idea and great job! I always hate getting out to work in the yard and finding I need a "___". I'm such a lazy bum that 9 out of 10 times I'll just postpone what I was going to do until "next time"...especially in the summer!

I'd have to hide my apron, though. People would be borrowing all my stuff and not putting it back!

Here's a little info if you want to make one.....
I made mine in 5 pieces, the two long pocket sides, the center shorter pockets, the double pocket on top of them, plus the waistband.
I used my walking foot since some of these pieces get pretty thick to sew.

Fabric cuts:
Two of the Side pockets cut 20" long by 9 1/2" wide. This is to fold up one end for the pocket and leave about 1 1/2 at the top.
The center pockets cut 15" long by 16" wide.
The short center pockets cut 6 1/2" long by 16" wide.
The waistband was cut 36" long by 2 1/2" wide and cut to fit later when it was sewn to the others.

I started with the outside sets first. I turned over the outside edges of the pockets and sewed a running stitch to hold down the edges inside all around. Turned under what will be the top edge about an inch or so and sewed it all around. Then folded up the pockets to the length I wanted them and sewed the side seams together.
Next I sewed a double line of stitching to designate the pockets. I have 2 pockets on mine.

The center piece I did the same on the sides and to the top edge, folded up the fabric to make the pockets, sewed the side seams together and finally ewed a double line of stitching to make 6 pockets evenly spaced across for long things like pens, pencils, plant labels, markers, etc.

The little one on top I did the same thing on the sides and top, laid it over the center pockets and matched the side seams together and sewed them together.
I then sewed a double line of stitching down the center to make only 2 pockets for notebook and seed packets.

Sew all the 3 pieces together.

Waistband: I folded the fabric right sides together and sewed a seam along the long edge. Turned the tube rightside out. Pressed it and attached it to the top of all the pockets. Sewed it along the bottom edge all the way across.
I trimmed away the excess fabric at the ends of the waistband and stuck a piece of thick cording thru for my tie. Knotted the two ends so they wouldn't slip back thru the waistband.

That's about it. Since I didn't make this with double fabric or quilted fabric, I stuck some batting in the bottoms of the long pockets so the scissors or anything sharp I might put in them wouldn't work a tear into the bottom of the pockets.

Rough, but it works.