In this easy, step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a kid’s apron for crafting and messy play, out of the leg of an old pair of jeans.
Today I’m going to show you how easy it is to make a durable and adorable kids apron from the leg of an old pair of jeans.
Best Kids’ Aprons For Crafts and Messy Play
These denim kids’ aprons are the BEST for crafting, baking and messy play. Much like the denim bibs I make from our old jeans, these aprons are durable, stain-resistant and will last for years, so they’re perfect for a kindergarten classroom, a preschool or daycare.
One Pair of Jeans = Two Kids’ Aprons
One pant leg makes one denim apron, so you’ll get two kids’ aprons out of one pair of jeans. The aprons are easy to make, and require only basic sewing skills.
You can make the entire apron out of one pant leg. The pocket on the front of the apron is the back pocket from the jeans and the neck and waist straps are made from the inseams of the jeans. If you wish to trim your apron with colourful bias tape, you will need to purchase that.
You couldn’t ask for a better fabric than denim for a kid’s apron. It washes well, doesn’t rip or tear easily, repels water and stains, and like your favourite pair of jeans, it only gets better with age.
I made the aprons you see here for my daycare kids ten years ago, and they’re still going strong.
I made two sizes of aprons: a small apron for the toddlers and a slightly larger apron for the preschoolers.
I should probably make a few for my kindergarten and up kids because they’ve outgrown their aprons now, and they used to love wearing them.
I should also figure out how to upload a template for my aprons, but for now, you can do what I do – just trace an apron that your child wears now to use as a template for your denim apron.
Personalize Your Kids Aprons with Fabric Scraps
I personalized my kids’ aprons with colourful hearts (made from scraps of fleece), so they would know whose apron was whose, and to give the children sense of ownership with their aprons.
As for where I got the jeans to make so many aprons, my daycare families bring me their old jeans for crafting, but you can hit a second-and store, and buy generic brand jeans for a couple of bucks a pair.
Ok. Grab your jeans and I’ll show you how to make these aprons for your kids!
How to Make a Kid’s Apron from an Old Pair of Jean
Tip: a denim sewing needle is a good thing
I use a Denim Sewing Needle when I’m sewing these aprons. It’s a sturdy needle, and is less likely to break when you go over seams. If you don’t have a “denim” needle, use the largest needle you have, slowing down when you go over the thick parts, so it doesn’t snap.
To Make Your Denim Aprons, You’ll Need:
For your convenience, this post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Make a template from one of your kids’ aprons
I made 2 sizes of aprons for my daycare kids – large for the preschoolers and small for the toddlers.
To make my templates, I borrowed a couple of store-bought kids’ aprons from one of the hooligans, and traced them onto plain paper. You can use newsprint, wrapping paper, poster paper or tracing paper for this step.
Seam allowance:
*If you’re finishing your edges with bias tape, there’s no need to add a seam allowance.
*If you’re finishing your edges with a hem, add 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Kid’s Apron from Jeans – Step-By Step
1. Cut the leg off a pair of jeans at the top of the leg.
2. Cut the pant leg open along the inseam.
3. Centre your template on the open pant leg, lining up the bottom of the template with the bottom of the pant leg. The hem on the bottom of your jeans will provide a nice finished bottom for your kid’s apron.
4. Finish your edges for the sides and top of the apron. You can either with bias tape, or by turning under once for a 1/4 inch hem and zig-zagging all the way around.
I used the trim off a couple of old, fleece scarves to trim the edges of some of my aprons. I used the fleece itself to make the hearts for the front of the aprons.
5. Rip one of the back pockets off your jeans and center it on the bottom half of the apron. Stitch it in place with a zig-zag.
6. If you’re adding a fleece heart, centre it on the top half of the apron and stitch in place with a zig-zag stitch.
7. For the straps, you’ll need to measure your child with a length of string to figure out how long you need to make them.
The neck and waist straps:
Your straps are going to come from the inseams and the outer, side-seam of your jeans.
See the picture right above? See the seam on the left and the seam in the center of the photo above? Those are the seams I’m talking about. They’re nice and thick, and easy to snip out.
8. Cut along side the outer seam all the way up the pant leg, and then trim to the right size. No need to finish the edges or ends of this piece.
Sew one strap to the top of the apron, and one strap to the waist of the apron.
Stitch some velcro to the straps and and to a spot on the backside of the top of the apron and to a spot on the backside of the waist of the apron.
And here’s the finished apron!
The front pocket comes in handy for stashing googly eyes, glue sticks, crayon and all kinds of crafty odds and ends.
And that’s all there is to making a kid’s apron from a pair of old jeans!
You nowhave a durable, re-purposed denim apron that’s just perfect for a crafty child or a messy little artist!
To wash my kids’ aprons, I just toss them in the washing machine with a 1/4 of my homemade laundry detergent.
More Easy Things to Sew for Kids:
Extra Large Flannel Receiving Blankets
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
