Easy bibs : 4 favourite ways to make a bib for your baby

A bib is basically a piece of fabric or other material you place around your kid’s neck in the hope that you can keep his or her clothes clean from food drips, drools etc.Well, No guarantee about that, but I can guarantee that you can make your own pretty bibs quite easily.

A drooling baby is cute. We call the drool ‘honey’ around here and everyone considers it a most endearing routine of small babies. Well, not so endearing for the outfit she is wearing or for you who has to wash gazillion clothes every day.

Because of the constant drooling and the food, milk and water and whatnots they spill while feeding, the baby’s chest can stay wet day long if left alone. I do not think that is one area you would want to be wet throughout; think chest infection, fungal infection etc. So a bib is something of a necessity for a small baby.

How many bibs do you need for a baby

This depends on many things. Your personal tolerance for hygiene for your baby, your willingness to wash continuously, and also your propensity to sew beautiful things. Small babies may need a maximum of 15 -20 bibs daily if you decide to change after every feed or 2 to 4 ones if you are happy with a wipe.

Which fabric is best for making bibs

The best fabric for making bibs is any fabric that is machine washable.The purpose of a bib is to keep the baby comfortable and dry. So you need thick fabric like a toweling fabric or more layers of thin fabric.Then it needs to be soft on the delicate baby skin.

You can choose any absorbent woven or knit, like cotton flannel, interlock, jersey, terry cloth for making bibs. Another alternative is to choose a Vinyl-backed Terry ( It has a waterproof backing)

Related post: Best fabrics with absorbancy.

How to make Easy baby bibs

There are many options once you have decided to make your own bibs. I have given the best 4 and all are very easy to make

A basic bib pattern will be like this.

Mark the pattern on a folded fabric of dimension – 10 inches wide by 15 inches length.

Baby Bib sewing tutorials

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1. Snap-on bib

This bib is attached with snap on buttons on the back of the neck.

Cut out the pattern pieces ( 2 pieces – main piece and backing piece).

What is a baby bib without some embroidery? I made a small hand applique of a sunbonnet sue on the bib with some pretty lace used as the skirt. You can check out the post on sewing machine applique techniques; hand applique; applique letters for more details on doing this very attractive embellishment on baby clothes

Lay the two pattern pieces right sides up.

Now attach the snaps on the left side of right sides of both the pieces. Place the snaps some 1 inch to the inside from the handle edge.The projecting part of the snap on buttons should be on the back pattern piece.( if you are using velcro instead of the snap on buttons the process is the same)

Use several stitches to attach the snap on buttons. It is going to be used a lot. You can attach a small piece of interfacing to the back where the snaps are attached for added stability.

Keep the two pieces together, right sides to the inside.

Stitch along the edge, 1/4 inch to the edge. Leave some 2 inches unstitched.

No, the cat didnot find the bib, that is me trying to draw where you should stitch the bib.

Trim all along the seam allowance and then clip the remaining allowance.

Take the bib right side out through this hole.

Now use the hand sewing needle and thread to make ladder stitches or slip stitches to close the hole.

Press and top stitch along the edge.

2. Tie back bib

This bib uses bias binding to make straps to tie the bib on the neck of the baby.

Cut out the pattern piece or pieces. You can use one layer or two. Definitely two if you are doing embroidery.

Measure the outer edge of the bib and cut a piece of bias-cut fabric piece to this measure. Make a double folded bias binding with this. Now bind the outer edge with the double folded bias tape. If you do not know how to bind with bias tape, checkout the tutorial for bias binding

You need another bias tape; double folded bias tape to bind the neck part and for the ties. Cut out about 24 inches of bias tape for this.

Fold both short edges to the inside and press in place.

Start binding from the middle to the ends. Stitch the tie part closed as well.That is it.

3. Bandana drool bib

The bandana bibs are the most dapper bibs and they are one of the easiest bibs to make.
You can make them by keeping two fabric triangular pieces together right sides to the inside and stitch all around the edge. Leave a 2-inch portion open. Turn inside out through this place
Yes, the bandana bib is this easy to make.
Once the bib is turned right side out, hand stitch the hole closed; You can edge stitch all around the perimeter.

Attach velcro or snaps on the ends. ( I don’t like regular velcro on small babies. You need non-irritating velcro) Or Sew a button and a buttonhole.

4. Infinity scarf bib

This is the easiest of all bibs.

An infinity scarf is a fabric piece joined at the short edges. You can use the same concept and make an infinity scarf type bib. Simply join a piece of fabric at the short edges with velcro or snaps after prettying it up with some lace edges or embroidery.

Check out the post on making infinity scarves for more details on making it.

The patterns I have given are fit for small babies. But babies are so different. My eldest daughter was 3.5 kg at birth and kept her height and weight growth proportionate to her age but my youngest weighed 1.5 kg at birth; how much can you increase from this suddenly. So none of the clothes belonging to the eldest fit right for the younger one for a number of years. (Now they are the same height, which is beside the point)

So, when making the pattern, use the bib pattern given as a guide. Cut it out on a paper and keep it on the baby. You will know if it covers the baby’s neck, chest, and stomach area properly. If not, increase or decrease the size accordingly.

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