Wrap Around Bib (and snap) Tutorial

Before Pretty was born, a good friend of mine gave me 2 big bibs for at my shower. Besides being super cute, they were good sized and fastened with a snap. I love it when baby things are done up with snaps, they are so easy!

Anyway, they were perfect, and I always meant to get more, or make some more myself. I just asked my friend where she got them and it turns out she got them at a one time boutique. She found the website for the boutique show, but it hasn't been updated in a year... and the maker of the bibs doesn't seem to sell them anymore. So I went ahead and traced the bib and made this trio for my cousin, whose baby girl should be coming any day now!

They have washcloth backing, so they are cute and functional.

I made a pattern for them that you can download, and put together this tutorial for you to make these too. They sew up super fast. I was only planning on making 2, but still had time and supplies... why have 2 when you can have 3?!

Supplies (per bib):

• Bib Pattern piece
• 1 fat quarter for front (you can get two bibs per fat quarter)
• 12x12 washcloth, or terrycloth, or the like...
• extra wide, double fold biased tape
• pearly snap closure
• snap tool
• hammer
• coordinating thread
• common sewing supplies

First, print off the pattern piece and match up the edges where the stars are. Don't overlap the stars, just the lines, and tape it together.

It doesn't matter which direction you make the neck piece face, my originals go the other way than the ones I made (snapping on the left shoulder instead of the right). Either way, cut out one from the fat quarter and one from your washcloth. My washcloths came in a pack of 18 for $2 at WalMart on sale. If you are using washcloths, you will have to piece it together a bit.

Cut out the body and as high as you can up the neck curve.

Overlap the washcloth by 1/2 and cut out the remaining part of the pattern.

Pin and sew together on a half inch line. Remember to make the seam face toward the inside.

Lay the washcloth with the seam up, trim off the overhangs from the seam. Lay the seam open.

Lay the front of the bib over the washcloth with the right side facing up.

Pin the two together and sew all the way around as close to the edge as you can. There is no turning, so don't leave any opening.

It should look like this:

Next is the biased tape. If you want to know how to put it on properly, Homemade by Jill has a great how-to near the end of this tutorial. I cheated this time and just sandwiched the biased tape around the two layers and pinned it on. Start at the tip of the neck curve and go all the way around. When you get back to the beginning, leave it unpinned and cut it roughly an inch longer than you would need.

Sew the biased tape on, close to the inner edge of the tape. Make sure that you are sewing through the back as well (this is where doing it the "right way" is good for, making sure that back side is secure).

When you get near to the end, fold over the extra amount,

and pin it so it overlaps the starting edge. Sew to the end, backstitch to line up with the starting sew line. Turn piece and backstitch in line with the start.

The finished line should look like this. Basically make it all secure.

The last step is to attach the snap closure. Remember my first time putting a snap in? Rather than repeat that nightmare, I went and bought a snap tool, and also had a person at JoAnn's show me how to use it, just to make sure I knew what I was doing.

Any snap tool or snap pack that you buy will have pictures on the back for you to follow, but I thought, where I had such issues my first time, I'd show you all how I do it now.

First, on the body part, use the spiky circle with the hole. The snap marks on the pattern are a rough estimate spot, so don't stress about being right on.

Poke it through both layers from the back side.

Place the male part of the snap on top of the spikes. See the snap tool in the bottom corner? It has that hole in the center to make sure  you don't smash the snap flat!

Place the snap tool over the snap.

Use a hammer, it only takes 2 good hits, and it's secure!

On the tip of the neck curve, place the pearly top (with the spikes) on the front side of the bib.

Poke the spikes through.

Center the female part of the snap over the spikes. Follow the picture on your packaging carefully to make sure you have the right side up (I , of course, had to do two tries the first time, ruining a pearly top...).

Notice that I have the snap on top of the bib this time, that's because I've also cracked the pearly top before! Use the bib as padding to protect that cute pearly top, use the snap tool and hammer it on.

And the snap is on!!

Which means the bib is completed!!

You can't even see where I pieced together the washcloth!

Pretty was not in the mood for pictures, but this at least shows how big it is.

It was such a quick project, and now that I know how to properly and easily put snaps in, I love using them!! Happy sewing all!!