Little Fawn Pinafore

Laurel, 5, 2009

 Pinafores are great garments for little girls.  Through spring and summer, they are worn as sun dresses and for fall and winter, they can be popped over over a coordinating basic yoke dress.  By doing so, they serve their original purpose of keeping the under dress clean for another wearing.

Laurel wore this pinafore for her third day of home school class.  Unfortunately,  I took the picture just after she ate lunch,  which left a spot of peach juice on the bodice.  Oh well.  It might come out and the pinafore is what I call a second generation garment anyway.   That sounds so much nicer than “hand-me-down.”

Rebecca, 6, 1984

Twenty five years ago, I made this pinafore for my daughter to wear to first grade.  She wore it over a basic yoke dress of gorgeous Liberty of London tanna lawn.  The crisp print featured leaves of autumn colors–rust, coral, gold and browns.  Laurel would love that dress.  But after considerable digging through closets and the cedar chest, I’ve finally accepted the sad reality that it is MIA. 

 

This is another Little Sunday Dresses pinafore, as seen in the previous post that shows Laurel in her Cinderella pinafore.  I’ve always liked the back buttonhole extension and the underarm ties which allow controlled expansion of bodice, thus extending the length of time the pinafore fits.

My daughter-in-law once said to me, “Did you save EVERYTHING?”  Of course, I did not.  But when I think of the precious smocking moments I snatched out of my very busy young motherhood days, I am glad I saved what I did.  It makes me grin from ear to ear when is I see Rebecca’s dresses on Laurel.  It truly is a second generation dress.    Perhaps some day Rebecca will have a little girl who will wear this—if the peach spot comes out.

It’s probably a stretch, but I’m trying to tie this 25 year old pinafore into my theme of “Modern Projects for Old Fashioned Nanas” by teaching Laurel about recycling.     Yeah…..that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

Pattern:  Little Sunday Dresses pinafore

Smocking design:  Little Fawns by Terri Jane Collins

Fabric:  ivory polycotton border eyelet, 45” wide