How To: Quilted Bib

When we were in Seattle over Christmas, Trav's mom pulled out this darling quilted bib that her mother had made for one of her children. It was so cute I thought I'd try to re-create it. Mine is a little bit different, and by way of a disclaimer, I just made this up as I went along so if you happen to be someone who is a very accomplished seamstress, and you are asking yourself, "Why on earth did she do it that way when there is such a more sensible way to do it?" then I am sorry for wasting your time.

Ok so you will need:
2 cute fat quarters or scraps at least 10 "x 10" (or as big as you want your bib to be)
10"x 10" (ditto as above) piece of cotton batting (cotton being a natural fiber is more absorbent and it is a bib after all)
1 package of double fold bias tape in fun coordinating color (you can make your own...but don't, or do-- but it will take lots longer)


First, draw a bib-ish shape on some sort of paper. I used wax, but a paper bag, newspaper-- anything paper-- really will work. I folded it in half to make sure its symmetrical. This is first grade stuff here. If you are not so great at visualizing the shape, you can trace a bib you might already have to get the general shape. mine was about 10 inches long and about 9.5 inches wide and fits my 8-month-old perfectly.


Moving on. So cut out your pattern, and then pin it to your fabric and cut out. Pretty simple. Now you will repeat this for your other fabric as well as your batting. You could be crazy and do all three at once, but I wouldn't recommend it if the pattern in your fabric has any kind of design that needs to be centered. You don't want your stripes to be wonky. Unless you do.


So now you make a little quilt sandwich: first fabric, batting, second fabric. That makes sense right? You want the right sides of both fabric facing out. Now pin it all together making sure both sides are smooth.


Now, we quilt. Here you can do whatever you want. I just did four straight lines about 2 inches apart. Because this is such a small project you can just do it right in your sewing machine...no special foot needed. Just make sure the whole project goes through together, so one layer doesn't bunch, but if you pin it well it should be fine. You can really play around with your quilting. Whatever design you see fit.


Aren't you excited by how fast this is going? Almost done. Now unfold your bias tape and pin it so that the raw edge of the bias tape is up against the raw edge of the bib, right sides together, along the outside of the bib only (we'll do the neck in a minute). Sew in the crease (fold) of the bias tape (not the center one...the one closest to the raw edge).


Now turn the bias tape over the raw edge and pin it down on the other side (leaving the raw edge of the bias tape folded under this time). The trick to having a smooth curve is using lots of pins. Sorry, there is just no way around it. Now edge stitch the bias tape as close to the edge as possible. Its looking good right?


Now cut a piece of bias tape long enough to comfortably tie around your little cherubs sweet neck. I cut mine 38 inches, and it is plenty generous to tie a nice sweet bow. OK so fold it in half lengthwise and find the center. You can mark it or just eyeball it and remember. So open the tape just like in the last step and place the center on the center of the bib neck and repeat the pinning process. Sew the tape to the neck leaving the ties alone for now. Now fold the tape over the raw edge like before and pin like before. Only this time, also pin the ties together as they are already folded. Starting at the end of one tie, edge stitch the tie shut sewing towards the neck. when you get to the neck, just keep sewing along the edge to secure the tape. When you get around the neck keep sewing up the other tie till you get to the end.


And that's it! Done. With time left to vacuum.