Creative Momnesia: Small Bib Tutorial

I had made a few 4th of July/patriotic bibs & burp cloths to sell on my etsy site (www.thecaffeinatedmommy.etsy.com - shameless plug!). Unfortunately, they did not sell well, so I outfitted my little cutie appropriately for the 4th with one:

Wow...has he changed from July 4, 2010!

2 weeks old

(WHERE has the time gone??!)

Oh, sorry. Anyway, I had a couple done, and a couple more in the process of being completed (you know, just in case they were all snatched up really quickly. Ahem. So, since they were setting here in all their unfinished glory, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity for my first tutorial.

I will apologize in advance for the quality of these pictures. My guest/sewing/craft/storage room has a pitiful amount of natural light and the overhead light isn't much better. {I won't mention I took most of these pictures after the boys were in bed tonight, so natural light really wasn't an option.} =)

Materials

* 9x12" piece of cotton fabric (for the front)
* 9x12" piece of chenille (or terrycloth, or whatever material you want for the back)
* thread
* straight pins or quilters pins
* pen/marker/pencil/something to trace your pattern with (it will be on the inside of the finished bib, so a washable writing device isn't necessarily necessary.) Say that 3 times fast.
* sewing machine

Step 1: Place your cotton fabric (which will become the front of your bib) face down and trace your pattern onto the back of it. *Note: I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to make a bib pattern you can print out here...hopefully soon. Until then, just enjoy the tutorial (ha!) or trace a bib you have laying around the house.*

Step 2: Cut out the front of the bib.
Step 3: Lay the bib front right side down on top of your chenille (or backing material) which is right side up. (The 2 right sides of material are now together.)

Step 4: Iron these 2 pieces of material, and then pin the 2 pieces together in several locations around the bib.
Step 5: Starting at the bottom left corner of your bib (as it lays in front of you), sew around the bib's outline, stopping after you make the last turn on the bottom right corner of your bib (as it lays in front of you). Now you should have the 2 pieces of material completely sewn together, minus the bottom of the bib.

Step 6: Cut out your bib, leaving about 1/4" from where you already sewed. DO NOT get too close to your thread...it's a real pain to go back and restitch. ~~Especially after you turn it right-side out.~~ Leave a little extra material at the bottom opening. This will make tucking the raw edges and top stitching easier.

Now you should have what looks just like a baby bib. Only inside out. Make a few small cuts at the neck so it will lay smoother once you've turned it right-side out. Get close to your thread...just not too close!

Using the opening you left along the bottom, start turning the bib right-side out. Using the eraser end of a pencil, a wooden dowel, or an unopened pen, gently force the whole thing right-side out. Make sure you run your tool along the insides along all seams to make sure they're all laying nicely.

Now, press your right-side-out bib.

Using the extra material you left at the opening, fold the front and back pieces into themselves.

Keep working your folds until the bottom of the bib lays nicely. Ironing again at this step helps it lay flat, but isn't necessary. Pin the opening closed.

Oops. I forgot to keep numbering my steps.

Okay, um....Step 13-ish: Now you're going to top-stitch around your entire bib. You can use whatever seam allowance you like here...I personally use about 1/4". Start at the bottom right corner (as the bib is laying in front of you) and sew the opening closed first, and then continue around the bib. Make sure to backstitch when you come around to where you started.

14ish. Now your bib is basically complete.

Now you need to add your fastener of choice. For this bib I'm using velcro, but a snap works just as well. Totally a personal preference.

Cut about a 1" piece of velcro and find the location you want it.

I find it easier not to pin the velcro since I use such a small piece, but you certainly could if you don't feel like you can hold it in place well enough while you sew. Now, my technique is probably different than some, but I prefer to sew each side of my velcro rectangle multiple times before moving on to the next side. Basically, I start at the top right corner and sew straight down to the bottom right corner. Then, I backstitch the whole side - up to the top right corner...and then back down. Now, the right side has 3 rows of stitching (all on top of the others) while the other 3 sides have no stitching. Make sense?

Then do the same for each of the other 3 sides. (In the above picture, I've done the first 3 sides, and have just started on the 4th). At each corner, leave your needle down, lift your foot, and pivot the bib before starting the next side.

Match up where you want the other piece of velcro on the inside (chenille side) of the piece which will go around baby's neck and repeat the process.

When you're all done, it should look like this: