Aprons and such for fundraisers

I have been sewing hot-cold rice bags and aprons to sell for a fundraiser for my daughters youth activities. I was quite proud of myself for getting all the sewing done a good week before the event. I can procrastinate with the best. I had set a rule for myself to NOT start any other sewing projects until this one was done. Otherwise I would have had a couple dozen UFO's sitting around and nothing to sell. I know me ;) 

I made extra soap for the fundraiser too. I will be happy to share that another day. I am not an expert soap maker. I make it for myself. It is better, more moisturizing for my skin, plus I can make the bars any size I want to fit my hand. A young lady at the event was born with a stunted arm and hand. She has had multiple surgeries at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. She heard me mention I make small bars to fit my hand and showed me her own small hand. I am hopeful my little bar of Chocolate Mint soap will make her bath time easier. 

The rice bags were too simple and quick, thank goodness. I made several last year as Christmas gifts. I have some left and will share them with friends. I just got a message from a friend that is having arthritis pain in her hands and heated up one of my little rice bags. She loves it! The channels allow her hand to nestle in gently. The slip case will help keep the rice bag clean. After chatting with her, I now want to design a rice pocket. Like a mitten with rice channels to wrap her hand in warmth. A new goal :)

The star and thorn of this fundraising was the aprons. I drew up my own pattern which meant I was working without directions. They went together fine though I spent hours pondering this way versus that way. I was afraid I would mess them up, so I tried to figure out the pitfalls first. I hate wasting fabric. Instead I feel like I wasted time. Maybe I should be more bold?

Once finished, they looked great. I did not get pictures of each one, my bad! Each apron was unique. My girls and I rotated the different fabrics to make sure each one had its own personality. It paid off. I am delighted to say one of my aprons is being shipped to Kazakhstan in Russia! It will be a gift from one mother to her sons' mother in law. How sweet! I hope she enjoys it. 

Have you ever sewn for money? Craft shows? Fundraisers? What did well? What crashed?