The Ultimate Baby Proof Bib

My 9 month old baby is getting more and more cunning as the days go on, and shop bought bibs haven’t stood a chance against him for some time – Velcro got ripped straight off, and over head bibs just ended up flung over the shoulder or under an arm, so I decided it was time to come up with a new design!

What you will need:

A fat quarter of PUL material (or whatever else you prefer to make it in. I like PUL for this as it moves like clothes but is waterproof which annoys babies less but keeps the clothes underneath clean and dry. It is also machine washable at up to 60°c and doesn’t tend to stain or crease.

2-3 meters of bias binding

3 sets KAM snaps (or other poppers)

How to make it:

First I grabbed a bib he already had to decide on the size needed for the head hole and traced around this in the centre of a bit of wrapping paper. It was an overhead pull on bib so I just took a little off from the sides to make it fit snugger. I measured how long I wanted the bib with a tape measure from the neck line down his front then added 5cm. This is the length of the bib in total. Next I measured from underarm to underarm over the chest and added 5cm. This is the width of the bib. The width either side of the head hole is how far across the shoulders you want the bib to go. The top tab needs to be about the same width as the underarm tab. These need to be long enough to overlap by few centimetres comfortably under the arm.

Below I have drawn the pattern as a standard bib, and how to adapt it to add a pocket attached on.

Cut the shape out in PUL fabric then trim the pocket edge with bias binding.

Fold the PUL for the pocket upwards so the diagonal lines up with the edge of the bib. you can either make it so the pocket is always there, or so it tucks up behind the bib when you don't want it (always there is a little easier to make).

For one that tucks away, fold the bib so the pocket has pattern facing up, and bib pattern facing down. (like the pic)

For a pocket that is always there, fold the bib so the pocket has the pattern facing down, and the bib pattern facing up.

Make a couple of stitches at the where the pocket forms a natural corner to help it keep it's shape. (If you are doing a pocket that folds up out the way then just turn it inside out briefly for this stage like the pic). If you are doing a pocket that is always there, your bib should look this way around anyway!

So it should look something like this.

Now add bias binding around the whole bib. Start at the base of the pocket and work up and around until you get to the other side. For a pocket that is always there, sew pattern of bib up, and pocket on top. For a pocket that folds under, sew pattern of bib up, but pocket facing down.

Then attach your 3 sets of poppers, so you should have a set that pop up behind the neck and 2 sets that pop under the arms like this:

And it's finished! Here are some variations on what it might look like!

Finished bib with a pocket that folds under.

Same bib but the pocket is folded behind out of the way.

Same bib design but no pocket at all!

I'm afraid I made 2 bibs with pockets that didn't fold away then gave them away as presents before I remembered to photograph them - oopsie! Sorry guys!

Now all that is left is to pin a little person down and apply!

We hope you enjoy our tutorials and love hearing what you think so please leave us a comment or send me an email to linda@sewingbeefabrics.co.uk

Happy Sewing!