Looking for a way to let your little one’s personality shine while they’re crafting their next masterpiece? A reversible artist’s smock featuring Petal Signature Cotton™ is just the answer. Mix-and-match Marketplace designs or let your pint-sized Picasso create their own design and then download the free smock pattern to get started!
How to Make a Child’s Art Smock
Child Art Smock Materials
- 1 3/4 – 2 3/4 yards of Petal Signature Cotton™, Organic Cotton Sateen or Cotton Poplin*
- We’re using 1 yard of Orange Pop by katerhees and 1 yard of Hatches – Periwinkle by kristinnohe to create a reversible smock
- Free Art Smock Pattern, available in sizes XS – XL
- Sewing machine
- Fabric scissors
- Pins or Wonder Clips
- Coordinating thread
- Marking tool
*Please refer to the smock pattern to determine total yardage required based on your size. All seam allowances are 3/8″ unless otherwise stated.
Featured Smock Designs
by kristinnohe
Step 1. Prep Your Pattern Pieces
Print out and assemble the free smock pattern. Lay your pattern pieces on the fabric and cut out your pattern pieces. Mark your notches and transfer any markings from the pattern onto the fabric.
Step 2. Create the Smock Pockets
Fold and press all four edges of each pocket piece in by 1/4″. Fold and press the top edge of the pocket piece down by another 1 1/4″. Stitch 1 1/8″ from the top, all the way across, to secure the top edge of the pocket.
Step 3. Attach the Pockets
Place one pocket piece on top of each smock body piece. The wrong side of the pocket should be touching the right side of the smock body piece. Align the corners of the pockets with the large and small circles you marked on the Smock Body pieces in step 1. Topstitch and edge-stitch around the sides and bottom of each pocket piece.
Optional: Stitch straight down the center of the pocket, top to bottom, to create two pockets.
Step 4. Stitch the Smock Together
Pin both smock body pieces together, right sides facing. Stitch together along the neckline and armholes using a 3/8″ seam allowance. Do not stitch across the shoulders yet! Clip the curves.
Stitch along the outer curve, leaving a gap between the notches at the center front. Clip the curves.
Step 5. Create the Overlap in the Smock Back
Pull the back shoulders through the opening in the center front, turning them right-side out. Cross them over one another, bringing them back through the opening, taking care not to twist them. Insert the back shoulder pieces into the front shoulder pieces. Stitch along the shoulder lines with a 3/8″ seam allowance.
Step 6. Finish the Smock
Turn the smock right-side out out, pressing in the edges of the center opening. Press and edge stitch around all the edges, making sure to secure the bottom opening.
From rainbow snails to marvelously mod designs, these collections will get you started on your art smock masterpiece.
Do you know roughly how big the head hole is on the largest size? I don’t want his head to get stuck!
Hi Amanda!
I don’t know the circumference exactly. However, one sure-fire way to check if it’s big enough would be to print the pattern, measure the chest width of the child, cut out the corresponding size and see what the neck circumference looks like when held up to the child. Since the straps are rather thick, you could probably get away with making them a bit smaller to increase the size of the space where the child’s head comes through if you’d like to make more room.
Best,
Betsy
Spoonflower
I’m sold! I’ve made four child-sizes and now all the moms want them to match! Any tips on making this into a “mom-sized” apron?
What cool news, Rachel!
We do have a number of adult apron posts on the blog, which you can see here, but they don’t have the cross back feature that this smock has: https://blog.spoonflower.com/?s=apron.
If you’re looking for a pattern, Peppermint’s Milton Pinafore, Sew Liberated’s Penny Pinafore are similar. Additionally, a whole of patterns came up when I searched online for cross back apron sewing pattern, which may be helpful too!
Happy sewing!
Best,
Betsy
Spoonflower
So perhap
I made this pattern in an XS and it is ADORBLE! Could you please provide the yardage needed for each of the larger sizes?
Hi Rachel!
Glad to hear you love this pattern as much as we do!
You can find the size chart for the larger sizes and their related fabric requirements of page 3 of the pattern that’s linked in the post. (Here’s the direct link: https://blog.spoonflower.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SF-Free-Pattern-ChildsSmock.pdf)
Best,
Betsy
Spoonflower
Thank you very much for the pattern. I’ll try to make a nice apron for my grand daughter…but I’m really not very familiar with pattern. You will have laught a lot looking at me cutting the pattern. But I hope I will make it !
Nice holidays to you!
So what happens if the child that you are making the smock for has a chest measurement that falls between two sizes? Extra small is 20-21 inches and small is 23-25 inches. Her chest measurement is 22. Also, where would the best place to enlarge or reduce size be? I’m guessing half at centre front and a quarter each on each side? Please advise.
Hi Donna,
I would move up to the small size of 23-25 inches for this child, might allow some room for growth in the next years as well! Also you are correct, I would start by taking away/adding 1/2 or 1/4 inch at a time on the sides if you’re looking to alter this.
Crafty regards,
Anna
Spoonflower
Thank you for the pattern. So clear and easy to do! Just made some for my sister’s art center in her classroom.
Is there a trick to making them easier for the children to put on? They are struggling a bit.
Hi Cathy,
I believe this style of smock only has one way to put it on, by opening the back and feeding the head and arms in. However, you may be able to split one of the shoulder or side seams, or even separate the front, clean up the edges, and add in some snaps, Velcro, or ties for easy opening and closing.
Crafty regards,
Anna
Spoonflower
Hi, I made a size small for an almost 3 year old girl. It’s super long though, is it meant to be?
Hi Lone! The smock is intended to be about knee-length, but as always, you may need to make adjustments for your own little one’s unique size and your preferences.
Happy making,
Theresa
Hello, Is the seam allowance (3/8\”) included in the pattern already?
Thank you.
Hi Ewa,
The seam allowance is already included, yes.
Happy sewing!
-Anna
Spoonflower
I have no idea how to assemble the pattern for the art smock. What do I cut and what do the numbers and letters on the edges of the pages mean. Is there a tutorial on how to cut and assemble the printed pattern?
I was able to assemble it after all!
Woohoo! Well done, Judy!
Best,
Betsy
Spoonflower
I’m guessing that the seam allowance is included at the cutting line……? I just finished a project that was originally in German and translated to English, which worked out ok for the most part. However, that pattern stated more than once throughout the instructions while cutting to LEAVE A SEAM ALLOWANCE. Nothing like that is stated, except “All seam allowance are for 3/8″ unless stated otherwise.” Just checking to be sure before I cut anything. Thank you.
Hi Marie, this pattern includes a 3/8″ seam allowance. So sorry for any confusion!
Thank you so much for sharing this. A friend of my mother’s made me a blue and white floral towelling beach wrap very like this, almost exactly 50 years ago. I was very shy so loved having something to wear as a cover up on the beach. I adored it and can picture it like it was yesterday. I’ve been hunting for a pattern like it for years. 🙂
These directions are not clear at all. The pictures don\\\’t show everything fully, and they do not use contrasting thread. The video is not much better since it keeps cutting suddenly without showing the entire step. Attaching the shoulder was especially challenging because they warned not to twist it but then did a poor job of explaining how to attach it properly.
.
I would give this pattern and directions a 2/5.
Hi Elizabeth,
We’re sorry for any confusion this tutorial might have caused! The shoulder piece is inserted exactly as shown in the video and blog post– simply feed it through the inside of the apron and out the other end until the edges meet, and pin together in place with a single pin. You then sew across this piece and repeat on the other side.
Best,
Anna
Spoonflower
I USED A SIMILAR PATTERN MANY YEARS AGO WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS SMALL–AND WANTED IT FOR A NEW GENERATION, SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING IT AVAILABLE!
When I print out the pattern the test size only measures 1 1/2″ x1 1/2″ instead of 2″ x2″. Will this affect the size of my pattern? I’m afraid to cut for fear it will be too small. And yes it was printed at 100%.
I figured it out . The fit to page button was on. Once I unclicked it the test size was 2″x2″. Can’t wait to start.
Thanks for these comments. I wouldn’t have had a clue how to make it the right size and had no idea there even was a fit to page button.
I’m new to printing out a pattern and would like to know if the test square needs to measure 2″x2″. Mine measures 1 1/2″ by 1 1/2″. Will I need to enlarge my pattern first before I start?
I just made this smock for my granddaughter and it was so easy! The only thing I changed was the way I joined the straps, making it easier to press and no confusion or twisting straps. I turned it completely right side out and pressed all edges flat. Then I turned under 3/8” and pressed the front of straps, slipped the rear half inside by 3/8” and top stitched across the strap, then all around. Is completely reversible and with two totally different prints so she can be playful or serious as she creates. Thanks for a well thought out, easy to assemble paper print as well as the fabric apron. Well done!
Thank you for your idea with the stitching to the right-side. I was planning to stitch all around also, now the shoulder seams will be much easier!!! Thanks for the idea!
Happy Sewing….. Marie V
Hi Finkster,
Thanks so much for sharing your alternative method and we’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the pattern!
Kind regards,
Meredith F.
Spoonflower
Made the medium size smock. No problems at all. Love the pattern and the tutorial.
I did encounter a problem when I went to make the small size smock though. When I went to cross and match the shoulders, I found that the back shoulder was only about 1/2 inch wide. Yet the front shoulder was about 2″ wide.
Need help/advice, please!
Help! Complete novice with patterns here..printed it out on A4 but can’t match them up? Only have one set of numbers ( in the triangles), so have tried by eye to match, but not working out…:(
Does it go numerically across? And the letters?
Sorry. Any tips appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Mil,
We’re sorry for the unexpected trouble! The numbers run numerically left to right but you should be able to match the numbers to their “partner” top to bottom (example: the #1 triangle on one page connects with #1 on the next page). While the pattern was designed on US Letter sized paper, if you print the pattern at 100%, you should not run into an issue of any pattern pieces getting cut off. If you have any other questions, please let us know!
Such a fun project. I just finished two smocks for my older granddaughters who are soon to be 4 and 5. I can’t wait to mail them!
I made this in size small for a 2 year old. It came out very well! Thank you!
The children i want to make this for live far away. And I doubt that their parents have a measuring tape. Can you give me approximate ages to go with each chest measurement?
If anyone else comes across this problem they can simply use a piece of string, ribbon, power cable, belt – anything – around child’s chest, and then measure that flat with a ruler.
Hi Marti,
Thanks so much for your question! Unfortunately we’re unable to provide a size to age correlation chart but you may wish to do a quick Google search for average sizes based on specific ages. Sorry we couldn’t be more help!
This doesn’t look like it prints in A4 paper like most PDF patterns I am use to. What size paper do I need or do you have a A4 paper size version for this pattern. Most useful.
The directions need to be printed in portrait mode but the actual pattern has to be printed in landscape mode.
Hi Deb,
This pattern is designed for 8.5″ x 11″ paper. I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Perhaps I’m not seeing it but are there instructions available without the videos in-between for easy printing?
Hi Laura,
You can find text only instructions here. I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Such a clever design!! What a surprise when the edge was one continuous seam!! It went together very quickly and the finished apron was very neat. I may shorten it and make a summer top to go with shorts.
Hi, My son is 3 years old. What size would you recommend? XS?
Hi Ellen,
We would recommend basing the size off of your son’s chest measurement outlined on page three of the pattern. I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
I would love an adult size of this apron!
Tessuti has a free pattern from a cross-back apron https://www.tessuti-shop.com/collections/pattern-books/products/tessuti-apron-pattern-one-size
Thanks for sharing your tips!
Best,
Betsy
Spoonflower
There are going to be a lot of adult-size pattern requests. I just responded back on the email that was sent to me requested the same thing — an adult-size pattern.
Hello Carol, Daisy Kingdom has this pattern: Simplicity 7481
I highly recommend The Mary Mulari crisscross apron pattern. I’ve made scores of these aprons and it’s a great pattern with clear instructions.
Sorry I can’t post photo but it’s available through her website and some fabric shops.
There are some free adult patterns for cross-back aprons. This one is from Purl Soho ==> https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2015/11/20/cross-back-apron/
Hi Carol,
While we don’t have plans to make an adult version of this pattern, there are lots of great options out there! We suggest searching specifically for crossback apron style patterns. The York Pinafore has a great apron expansion pack and is a tried-and-true pattern in the Spoonflower office.
Please keep me in mind if you do make an adult version!
I second the motion for an adult version!