guess who started kindergarten yesterday??
this gal.
i was glad to see that her school shopping list was slightly less cleaning-supply-based and more art supply/glue stick based this year – she even got to pick out “homework folders” (thank you Target for having an elephant folder!). and one thing that was actually on last year’s list for pre-k as well as kindergarten but i somehow completely neglected to send last year was a “button up the back art smock.” of COURSE i’m not buying something like that! 😉
it seemed easier to make one from scratch than to even try to repurpose one of my husband’s old shirts, and i knew just the pattern to use – the Art Smock from Little Things to Sew (affiliate link) by Liesl Gibson! that book remains my favorite sewing project book ever. i’ve sewn six separate projects from LTTS but some (like the bucket hat) i’ve sewn multiple times. i was reminded of the art smock pattern because of Gail’s version (always so good, that Gail).
this is my first time sewing the Art Smock, and since we were out of town for Labor Day, i ended up sewing it quickly on Monday afternoon (skipping the pockets). the fabric combo was kind of difficult to figure out – i wanted it to be cute and make her happy, but not too precious to my stash since the goal is for it to catch stray paint and marker. i made the medium (size 4-6).
i ended up going with two prints from Denyse Schmidt for JoAnn – i had just the right amount for the sleeves and was just a couple inches short on the body, but you can’t really tell; it’s just slightly less a-line in the front. the date on the selvedge said 2011, so i figure after 2 years it was time for it to get used! it’s quilting cotton but not thin quilting cotton.
here’s my little kindergartner in her brand new shoes and art smock – you can see her first day skirt (sewed Monday night) a bit too – i’ll post that another time. she also had me french braid her hair the night before so it was curly the next day – crucial.
i did not make her backpack this year. she chose one on a back to school shopping trip with her grandparents, it’s covered in Disney princesses, and i’m totally fine with that.
her brother wanted to wear his backpack on our walk to school, too.
how are your kiddos doing so far this school year? Em was thrilled to be back at school – and I think I worked through all my “my baby is growing up!” emotions last year, so it was a fun and exciting morning. can’t wait to see what fun things she learns this year!
skirt as top 
Great minds think alike, LOL! I made one just like it: http://nestfullofeggs.blogspot.com/2011/10/art-smock.html
Happy Kindergarten to Em!
Omigosh Rachel that is CRAZY!! I’m sure I followed your blog back then but the fabric combo didn’t ring any bells at all when I pulled it, and you have no idea how long I hunted through my stash and how many different fabrics I auditioned before i decided on these two. That’s hilarious. Great minds indeed! Bet this was a deja vu for ya. 😉
Our girls will be twins 🙂
What a sweetheart. Love the big backpack!!! that book is great isn’t it? I am going to make up some bucket hats this summer:) Issie starts “Prep – school” in January next year. I have worked out that in the US, kindergarten means the first year of school? I think that is right. In Australia, Kindergarten is offered for 3-5 year olds prior to school ( I think you call it preschool). Got it sorted now!
Preschool is actually separate and before kindergarten here – it’s for 2-4 year olds, depending on where you live and what you want to do (it’s totally optional). Kindergarten starts at 5 and is usually in the grade school building, and is kind of the first “official” year of school.
My year old is back to school tomorrow, here in the UK. I made the same art cover up from Little Things to Sew for her a couple of years ago and I think maybe it’s time to make another. She can’t wait to go back to school as she misses her friends so much.
http://asaucystitch.blogspot.co.uk
I’ve had exactly the same problem choosing fabric for this project (yet to make one). Not wanting to waste good fabric but not wanting to sew something ugly. Yours is lovely!
I’ve just done some ‘forced’ sewing for kindy too.
hee! such a little lady! I love that she planned her hair for school. someday I have to make some art smocks for the kids. How have I never done that? Maybe next KCW. good for you being all cool about the disney princess backpack. I’ve had my fill of disney princesses already, and can’t stand the sight of them anymore. Of course, nothing pleases Clover more than a sparkly, fluffy, pink thing with princesses on it.
We don’t start school until next Monday. It’s killing me, have to take my kids to work with me today.
aw thanks kristin! 🙂 love the art smock, and what a fun school supply! happy kindergarten to em, hope she’s loving it!! (and can’t wait to see that skirt!)
Custom smock? What a lucky girl! How much would it cost me to have you make 25 when I return to teaching? 😉 So cool!
I love the smock! I have to say that the reason I’ve never made one of these is b/c I’m afraid i’d be sad that the fabric would get all painty! Hahah, which is why we just use daddy’s old shirts 😉 but every time I see one of these i think thats so cute…so maybe i should just suck it up and make one 🙂 I’m glad to hear that mama was totally cool…and that Em was excited for school! Hope the first day went great! 🙂
I hope she had a great first day of school! I love the art smock…it’s very pretty.:) We got off to a good start…now we’re trying to settle in a routine with all the sports practices.
Happy first day of kindergarden, Em!! Such a sweet art smock! I was meaning to make one but I just never got around to it. Instead we’re going with a old giant t-shirt over the clothes. Definitely not as cool as Em’s smock!
Oh good for you for using the stash! It looks great!
Such a sweet combo K! I love kids starting Kindergarten, it’s pretty much the cutest thing EVER.
look at her in her handmades!!! great job momma! Looks like you’ve got a kinder-lover on your hands. 🙂
I made this art smock for my daughter to start Kindergarten too! My sister gave me some dark brown and orange, butterfly fabric that fit the bill of enough girliness for my daughter, yet I wasn’t heart broken to turn it into an art smock to get messy. The school supply list requested an old t-shirt for an art smock and I thought, no way, I can do better than that!