Forget Me Not Utility Apron With Timer, Sewuseful!

Often when I'm baking, I'll walk away from the kitchen and get started on something else - cleaning, sewing, gardening, napping - while still wearing my apron. This means that I usually can't hear the kitchen timer beeping to signal that my baked goods are ready, so they burn. Boohoo!

I made this little apron with a snap on kitchen timer so no matter where you go around the house with your apron, you will always hear the beep of the timer. Your baking will never be overcooked! I've seen clip on timers but those sometimes fall off or get lost. By using a very secure snap this timer is guaranteed to stay put so you won't have any more excuses for bad cooking. The timer snaps off when it's time to throw the apron in the wash.

This handy utility apron would make a great gift for the busy cook in your life who likes to multi task but also wants to make sure their baking or cooking doesn't burn!

If you like this idea, but would rather bake than sew, you can buy this handy apron from my etsy shop at : http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6451315

Step 1: Supplies

You only need a few supplies for this sewuseful apron!

1 yard of medium weight cotton
needle or sewing machine
thread
scissors
yardstick
fabric pen or pencil
sewing gauge
iron
very strong glue
small kitchen timer
snaps

Step 2: Wash and Iron Fabric

To avoid any scary surprises once you get your first stain and have to wash your apron, make sure you wash and iron the fabric before cutting out any pieces.

Step 3: Cutting Out the Pieces

With the wrong side of your fabric facing up, measure and mark a rectangle 20" tall by 38" wide using a yardstick and a fabric pen or pencil. This will be the main apron piece. If you are a taller person or would like a longer apron I would suggest lengthening the piece by 3 to 5" depending on your preference.

Using your yardstick and fabric pen or pencil, cut two apron strings, 2" wide by 36" long.

Once you have marked the fabric, cut it out.

Step 4: Make the Apron Strings

With the wrong sides of the apron strings facing up, take one short edge and fold it under 1/2" and press.

Fold the long edge of the apron string in half lengthwise and press. Then open the long edges you just pressed so you can see the crease you just made in the center from pressing.

Using the crease as a center point, fold each long raw edge towards to crease so both raw edges meet in the middle. Press.

Fold long edges in half again You will have a skinny apron string with one unfinished short edge.

Sew the folded over side of the short end and the open edge of the long side. Make sure you backstitch at the beginning and end so your apron strings will last a lifetime. You have just made one apron string!

Repeat with the other piece. You will have made two apron strings. Set them aside for now.

Step 5: Sewing the Apron

With the wrong side of your apron piece facing up, on a short edge fold fabric over 1/2" and press. Fold over another 1/2" and press. Repeat on the other short side of the fabric.

On one long side of the fabric fold over 1/2" and press. Fold over another 1/2" and press.

Sew around the three sides using a 3/8" seam.

Step 6: Attatching the Apron Strings to the Apron

With wrong sides facing up, on long unfinished edge of apron, fold over 1/2 " and press. Fold over another 1/2" and press.

Place the unfinished edge of one of the apron strings between the two 1/2" folds you just made.

Stitch a square shape on the apron piece to secure the apron string in place.

Repeat on the other side with the other apron string.

Once both apron strings are secure, sew across the long edge of the apron.

Step 7: Attaching the Snap

Try the apron on and decide where you'd like to place the kitchen timer. I've chosen to place it on the right side so it rests on the right hip when the apron is worn.

Mark the location of the timer with a fabric pen or pencil.

Take half of the snap and sew it on to the apron using the pencil mark as a guide.

Using a very strong glue, glue the second half of the snap to the kitchen timer. Let the glue adhere to the timer as per manufacturers instructions. The glue I used took 10 minutes to adhere and 24 hours to dry completely.

Once dry, snap the timer on to the apron and bake a cake!

The nice thing is you can glue a snap onto anything you want to have handy! Try a potholder, MP3 player, or just a cute crocheted flower.