bibs with sleeves - with tutorial

[aml]

I do have a wonderful cookbook for babies - which has only one tiny flaw. They say bibs with sleeves are only necessary once the child starts to eat on his own. They do not now my child! Without bibs with sleeves I'd have to wash her clothes after every meal.
So I started to sew some bibs of my own.




I found a tutorial on a french-german blog, which seems to have been taken down in the meantime. I can't find it anymore. The author was quite enthusiastic about the speed it would take to sew one bib: 20 minutes max! I do need more time, but then I like to embellish my bibs and finish the top with bias tape, that might account for some of the added time.

I took some pictures along the way and digitalized the pattern.

material needed:
1-2 old/cheap towels,
some cotton fabric (old shirts) for the sleeves - the material should not be to thick so the child can still move easily,
shower curtain (optional),
some elastic
bias tape or celcro or snaps for closure

instructions

1. print pattern and cut your pieces
print pattern without scaling - the square should be 5cmx5cm/2 inx2in
The pattern is quite large - but I use it for my 9 month old, too.
If you are sewing for a very small child you might want to print at 95%.
Cut you pattern pieces:
   1x front (terry cloth), optional 1x front from shower curtain
   2x sleeves
2. serge all raw edges
embellish your front, serge/zig zag front and shower curtain layer together

3. sew sleeves to front piece


4. add elastic to sleeves

I find it easiest to zigzag the elastic to the sleeves at this point, before hemming and closing the sleeve.
The proper way would of course be to a) close the sleeve first, b) hem it, c) thread in elastic
5. close the sleeves

turn bib right side up, turn upper part of sleeves down and sew bottom of sleeve close.
hem the sleeves
6. finish upper part of bib with bias tape
or add velcro/naps to close bib.
If you really want to you could add bias tape to all raw edges, I'd advise to start with the lower part of the sleeves and bib, and then add the bias tape on top.


I'll ask the mods to add the pattern
Please ask if any of the instructions are unclear - happy sewing!

[Jinjeet Phoenix]

Fantastic idea and great tute!!!

[yoopidou]

Cute and useful, you are a resourceful mommy.

[elderflower]

Great idea and many thanks for the tutorial - especially with Christmas round the corner.

[aml]

Great idea and many thanks for the tutorial - especially with Christmas round the corner.

Thank you - yeah how about some holiday themed bibs. I like how you can play with contrasts with this pattern - some festive green, red and gold might be wonderful.
While searching for a pattern I found a one-piece version which seems quite easy, but doesn't give you the option to play around with different colors or add a layer to stop moisture from sipping through to just the front. I might try the other pattern one day, just out of curiosity.

[craftADDchick]

What a clever idea! I work at a school and it seems like every year, someone is having a baby (although I haven't head any announcements yet this year!). I've decided I need to put a pile of baby items so I can have something ready when it's time for the baby shower. These look super easy and so cute!

I just have a question about the elastic on the sleeves- do you zig zag the entire elastic along the sleeve hem (stretching the elastic as you go), and then just fold the hem over the elastic? Thanks!

[aml]

I just have a question about the elastic on the sleeves- do you zig zag the entire elastic along the sleeve hem (stretching the elastic as you go), and then just fold the hem over the elastic? Thanks!

Yes, that's exactly what I do, just forgot to take a picture of the result, before I folded the hem over the elastic.
I was lazy on some of the sleeves and used the already hemmed part of shirt, on those I just added elastic on the inside without hemming again.

[craftADDchick]

Great, thanks! I think I just found a use for a bunch of old turtlenecks- I can use the sleeve material to cut the sleeves for the bibs.