Pintuck Pinny for Women and Girls

Use measurements to create a cute and practical pinafore that’s just the right size for you or a child.

Front and Back Band Your Dimensions Examples

A: Measure around body, under A: Upper Body Circumference K=36.5
arms, above breast. L=33
P=23
B: Multiply A (Upper Body B: Width of Top Band K=10.25
Circumference) by .28 to get L=9.25
width of top band. Round to P=6.5
nearest quarter inch.
C: Multiply B (Width of Top Band) C: Width of Pintucked Top Band K=31.75
by 3 and add 1. and 2 Pockets Before Trimming to L=28.75
Size P=20.5
D: Divide B (Width of Top Band) D: Finished Height of Top Band K=3.5
by 3 to get the finished height of L=3.0
the top band. Round to nearest P=2.25
quarter inch.
E: Multiply D (Finished Height of E: Height of Top Band with Seam K=8
Top Band) by 2 (it will be folded in Allowance L=7
half) and add 1” for seam P=5.5
allowance.
F: Add 1” slack to E (Height of Top F: Height of Top Band and Top K=9
Band with Seam Allowance) for Pockets Before Trimming to Size L=8
pintucks. P=6.5

Front and Back Body

G: Measure from under arm to G: Finished Height of Body Pieces K=24
mid thigh, or where you want the L=22
smock to end. Round to nearest P=16
quarter inch.
H: Add 1.5 inches to G (Finished H: Height of Body Pieces with K=25.5
Height of Body Pieces) for seam Seam Allowance L=23.5
allowance and hem. P=17.5
I: Measure around the widest part I: Circumference of Hips, Chest or K=43
of your body. (Hips for me, but Belly L=32.5
belly for my little one. Could be P=22
chest.)

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.
Front and Back Body
J: Multiply I (Circumference of J: Circumference with Ease K=47.3
Hips, Chest or Belly) by 1.10 to L=40.65
1.30 for ease. (If there is a big P=28.60
difference between your upper
and lower body, use only 1.10. I
used 1.10 for myself, 1.25 for my
older daughter and 1.30 for the
little one.)
K: Divide J (Circumference with K: Finished Width of Body Pieces K=23.65
Ease) by 2 to get the finished L=20.32
width of the body pieces. P=14.30
L: Add 1” to K (Finished Width of L: Width of Body Pieces with Seam K=24.75
Body Pieces) for seam allowance. Allowance L=21.25
Round to the nearest quarter P=15.25
inch.
M: Multiply K (Finished Width of M: Armhole Width K=4.75
Body Pieces) by .20 to get the L=4
width of the arm hole. Round to P=3
the nearest quarter inch.
N: Multiply M (Armhole Width) by N: Armhole Depth K=2
.40 to get the armhole depth. L=1.5
Round to the nearest quarter P=1.25
inch.
O: Subtract N (Armhole Depth) O: Placement of Top of Pocket K=9
from G (Finished Height of Body L=8
Pieces), then multiply by .40. P=6
Round to nearest quarter inch.

Straps
P: Multiply B (Width of Top Band) P: Width of Unfinished Strap K=6.25
by .15, then by 4. Round to L=5.5
nearest quarter inch. P=4
Q: Multiply E (Height of the Top Q: Height of Unfinished Strap K= 17.5
Band with Seam Allowance) by 2 L= 15.5
then add 1.5. P= 12.5

Bottom of Pocket
R: Transfer the value from B R: Width of Bottom Half of Pocket K=10.25
(Width of Top Band). L=9.25
P=6.5
S: Add 1 to D (Finished Height of S: Height of the Bottom Half of K=4.5
the Top Band.) Pocket with Seam Allowance L=4.0
P=3.25

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.
Procedures Diagram

1. CUT FABRIC FOR FRONT BAND AND TOPS OF

POCKETS. Since you are going to make
pintucks for the front band and pockets along
the length of the fabric, you can sew the
pintucks along the length of one long piece,
then cut it in thirds. The pintucks will gather
some of the fabric together, so slack is
included in the value of F. Cut one piece that is
the value of C (Width of Pintucked Top Band
and 2 Pockets Before Trimming to Size) by the
value of F (Height of Top Band and Top
Pockets Before Trimming to Size.)

2. SEW PINTUCKS. Fold the piece from step 1 in

half lengthwise and press a hard crease. Using
a double needle and a pintuck foot on your
machine, sew your first row of pintucks along
the crease. (See the video at
http://jemimabean.blogspot.com/2010/08/se
w‐beautiful‐blog‐tour‐pt‐5‐pintucking.html or
your machine’s user manual for instructions.)
Use the first row as a guide and sew all
subsequent rows beneath it. Keep sewing
pintucks until the combined rows equal the
value of D (Finished Height of Top Band.)

3. CUT FRONT BAND AND TOPS OF POCKETS.

From the fabric with the finished rows of
pintucks, cut three pieces that are the value of
B (Width of Top Band) by the value of E
(Height of Top Band with Seam Allowance.)
(There will be 1/2” of fabric below the
pintucks, which is the seam allowance.) Re‐
press fabric along the crease with right sides
out.

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.
4. CUT AND PREPARE FABRIC FOR BACK BAND.
The back is a blank canvas. Use plain fabric,
appliqued fabric, embroidered or cross –
stitched fabric or printed cotton. Keep in mind
that the straps are going to cover up part of
the fabric on each side (value of P/4.) Cut one
piece for the back that is the value of B (Width
of Top Band) by the value of E (Height of Top
Band with Seam Allowance.) Fold in half
length‐wise with right side out and press a
crease. (Image shows three pintucked pieces,
and the back band for each of three smocks.)

5. CUT BODY PIECES. Cut 2 pieces that are the

value of L (Width of Body Pieces with Seam
Allowance) by the value of H (Height of Body
Pieces with Seam Allowance.)

6. MEASURE AND CUT ARM NOTCHES. Fold your

two body pieces in half width‐wise. From the
top outside corner, measure in toward the fold
the value of M (Armhole Width) and mark with
a fabric pen. From the same corner, measure
down and mark the value of N (Armhole
Depth). Draw a slight curve between these two
marks. Cut along curve through all four layers.

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.
7. SEW THE BODY PIECES. With right sides
together, sew the sides of the two body pieces
using a ½” seam allowance. (You can serge
these seams or finish them with a zig‐zag stitch
to prevent fraying.)

8. HEM THE ARMHOLES. Finish the armholes

with a ¼” double fold hem.

9. GATHER FRONT AND BACK OF BODY PIECES.

Sew two rows of basting stitches along the top
edge of both the front and the back body
pieces between the armholes. Gather the
fabric and distribute evenly until it is the width
of the front and back bands.

10. ATTACH THE FRONT AND BACK BANDS. Once

the gathers of the body pieces are the same
width as the top bands, place the front band
face down along the gathers (right sides
together) and pin in place. Make sure the
decorative side of the band is at the top edge,
pinned to the body. Sew using a ½” seam
allowance. Repeat with the back band.
Remove basting stitches.

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.
11. SEW THE BACK OF THE BAND TO THE BODY.
Fold the band over so the right side is out and
the back of the band is on the inside of the
garment. Carefully fold the bottom edge of the
back band over approximately ½” so it covers
the seam and stitches you sewed in the
previous step. Press well. Machine or hand
stitch in place. (I chose to use the machine
from the front side of the garment, making
sure to catch the bottom edge of the back in
my stitches.) Repeat with the other band.

12. CUT AND PRESS STRAPS. Cut two pieces that

are the value of P (Width of Unfinished Straps)
by the value of Q (Height of Unfinished Straps.)
Fold each end up ½” and press well. Fold strap
in half and press. Fold each side in toward the
middle and press again. Fold in half and press
again, so you are left with a strap which is ¼
the original width and all the raw edges are
folded inside. Repeat with other strap.

13. SEW STRAPS TO BODY. Pin a strap in place

over one of the outside edges of the front
band. Make sure the bottom edge of the strap
lines up with the bottom of the band and the
raw edges of the band and the top of the
armholes are sandwiched well between the
folds of the strap. Hand‐stitch the bottom
edge of the strap to both the front and back of
the band in place using small, hidden stitches.
Repeat with the other three ends of the straps.

14. SEW EDGES OF STRAPS. Pin the open edges of

the straps closed. Edge stitch each strap from
the bottom of one band, all the way across the
strap to the bottom of the other band.

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.
15. HEM SMOCK. Try the smock on. Sew a double
fold hem along the bottom edge.

16. CUT BOTTOMS OF POCKETS. Cut 4 pieces that

are the value of R (Width of Bottom Half of
Pocket) by the value of Q (Height of the
Bottom Half of Pocket with Seam Allowance.)

17. SEW POCKETS. Open the top bands of pockets

and press flat. Place one piece of the bottom
of the pocket facedown on the top band of
pocket (right sides together ) and sew in place
with a ½” seam allowance. Place another piece
of pocket bottom on the opposite side and
sew in place. Fold pocket in half with right
sides together. Using a ¼” seam allowance,
sew the two sides of the pocket and part of
the bottom edge of the pocket, leaving
approximately 2” for turning. Trim seams and
clip corners. Turn pockets right side out and
press well, making sure to tuck and press the
opening into the seam. (This will be closed
when you attach it to the body.)

18. ATTACH POCKETS TO BODY. With right side

out, place smock down, centering one of the
side seams. Measure from the armhole down
the seam the value of O (Placement of Top of
Pocket) and mark with a pin. Fold the pocket in
half width‐wise and finger press a crease. Now
place the top center of the pocket on the pin
and center the rest of the pocket on the seam.
Pin in place. Stitch pocket to body along the
two sides and the bottom. Repeat with other
pocket.

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.
19. Trim threads , press and you are done!

Copyright 2012 Sew,Mama,Sew! This project originally appeared in Sew Beautiful magazine June, 2012.