materials needed:
bib pattern (see below for options or online)
fat quarter of cute fabric (or a piece at least 9X11.5)
1/3 yard fleece or chenille fabric, burp cloth, or terry cloth for back (this sould make 3)
a few scraps of coordinating fabric (for initial)
a couple of 3x2" scraps of fusible interfacing if you are going to make initials
narrow sew-on velcro (only need a 1" piece for each bib)
coordinating thread
Okay, so the bib project could have gone better! by the time i got to working on these, my brain was apparently fried. Meaning - I made some funny, silly mistakes!
I started with two different bib pattern options: option one was posted on a cute blog (Handmade by Jill). She calls it a Baby Bib
and option two was from another blog called happythings.typepad.com (although I cannot seem to get to it now).
One seemed big, one seemed small. I ended up making the bibs using the first blog's pattern (the handmade by jill pattern). The seem pretty small all said and done (I think adding a 1/2 in to each side might make it a good size), but we'll see. I made these for a couple of friends who have small children. I'll see how well they fit and let you know about a change in size.
I printed the pattern onto a piece of normal computer paper. I layered the pattern and a couple of pieces of fabric (the cute green and the cute blue) and pinned.
I then cut the fabric by following the edges of the pattern.
I did the same for the fleece that I used for the backing (I think the handmade by jill blog had used chenille and that looked very cute, but I think you could use any "absorbing" material for the back.)
IF YOU ARE GOING TO PLACE AN INITAL ON THE BIB, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO! (can you tell this was one of my brain-fried moments. I added the initial after I had sewen the pieces together - which meant the topstitch looked silly on the back)
so....
you can also add the initial of the wearer. I used graph paper to draw out the letters I needed and eye-balled the size I thought would look best. You could be more precise and find the font/size in your word processor and print your pattern too.
I took a 3"x2" scrap of fabric and stuck it to my "steam a seam" interfacing, attached pattern to top using straight pins, and cut. I placed the initial as desired and ironed to keep in place.
I then chose to topstitch around the letter using a coordinating brown thread.
I placed right sides together of cute fabric and fleece fabric. Pinned well. Then sewed using 1/4" seam allowance. ****except for a 3.5ish inch opening at the bottom of the bib. Leave it un-sewen so you can turn your bib.
Clip corners of bib and snip - cut small relieve cuts (edge of fabric to stitched seam) on the larger corners of the fabric - do NOT cut through the stitching you just completed. This will help the bib lay flat after turning.
turn bib right-side out. (I used the blunt edge of a mechanical pencil to help me get the corners turned). I like to turn, then put my hand back inside the opening to help me make sure the seams are completely to the edge.
fold the bottom opening in at a 1/4 seam on each side.
I iron the seams at this point - including the 1/4 seam you just created at the bottom.
topstitch around the entire bib (this will close your opening at the bottom & help keep the layers in their place after washing the bib). I used a brown, coordinating thread for this, but you could use a matching thread so you do not see this as much.
Almost there...
Velcro closure: take a small piece of sew-on velcro (to size I just held up against the small section where it was to go. I made it a little smaller than the actual width of fabric. One piece of velcro will go on the fleece fabric, the other on the cotton fabric. Sew on velcro - making sure to backstitch the beginning and end points (I usually just make a square/rectangle around the outside edge leaving about a 1/8ish inch allowance - sewing around the edges of the velcro, but I have also seen others sew it on by using an X in the middle, a zig-zag stitch along the outside, etc). DO NOT USE STICKY BACK VELCRO. I have used sticky velcro before on projects, in the era before sewing machine, and it just comes off in the wash. I thought I would try using sticky back velcro with my machine once too - only makes a mess, makes it difficult, and causes you to need a new needle and a good machine cleaning!
VOILA, done with a cute bib that may or may not fit an infant. Again - I will get back to you about the size thing.
***Update:
I also made a bib from the bigger pattern that I found. It seems big! I wanted to have one of each to take to my friend to try on to see which would be better. I still haven't given them to her, but I thought I would post pics of both sizes.
-Sew Sane Jane
(Posted using BlogPress from my iPad)
No comments:
Post a Comment