Easy Bib and Burp Cloth Tutorial-Made from Fat Quarters-Part 2

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This post is a continuation of this bib and burp cloth tutorial. Check it out to get the beginning instructions, and for information on how to get the bib pattern!

Back to the cutting mat:

Start by cutting the excess fabric off the edges of the long strip for the burp cloth. You want to make sure it’s straight with the edge of the piece you sewed it to. Do this by lining up your ruler with the edge of the long strip, and rotary cut it off.

 

 

 

 

Next you want to cut one of the prefold diapers in half, this will make your two bibs.

 

 

 

 

Onto the ironing board:

Place your long strip of fabric right side down on the board. Spray the edges with spray starch and iron it do set the starch. Take your cardboard template and lay it straight in the middle. Starting at one end, fold up the edge of the fabric strip over the cardboard, and press it in place. You’ll want to go slow while doing this, and make sure not to burn your fingers. work your way completely down the one edge, until you get to the end (you might have to move your template down if it’s not long enough.

 

Now take the cardboard out of the fold and place it on top of the fabric, in line with the folded edge. I find it’s easier to take the template out like this, that way you don’t shift your previous pressed fold. Repeat the process with the bottom edge, making sure that the cardboard is always in line with the top pressed edge.

 

 

Pin, Pin, Pin!

Take your prefolded diaper (one of the ones you didn’t cut in half), and lay it wrong side up. There isn’t much difference between the right and wrong side, but I like to make sure that this little seam is covered up.

 

 

 

Now lay your pressed strip over the middle seams of the diaper, and get to pinning. I find the more pins I have, the straighter my strip comes out. You want to just cover the edges of the seams, but you don’t have a lot of extra fabric. You’ll also notice that your strip is several inches longer than the diaper. Just center the diaper along the length of the strip and you’ll be good!

 

 

Bib Time

You’ll want to start by laying your diaper RIGHT side up, laying the fabric piece on top of it WRONG side up, and lay your template on it WRONG side up (I prefer the closure to be on the right hand side when finished, so I put it on the left hand side when transferring the pattern). Using a disappearing fabric pen (or the super cool Pilot FriXion Clicker Retractable Erasable Gel Pens, Fine Point, Assorted Color Inks, 7-Pack (31472), they erase off of fabric using the heat of an iron), trace your pattern onto the fabric, with the band at the bottom of the bib.

 

 

Cut a piece of the one-wrap velcro to 2″. Using your fabric marker mark where you want the velcro to be. You’ll want it to completely cover (and extend past) the bottom tab of the bib, and you want the edge of the velcro about 1/4″ over the top of the tab (but not so far that it’s going onto the top tab). I don’t pin this in place, because the pins will leave holes in your velcro strip. Make sure that the HOOK side it up, so it’s away from baby’s skin.

 

 

Sew the velcro using an edging foot with your needle position 0.5 away from center. You just want to sew down the bottom edge, because you’ll sew around the top later.

 

 

 

 

It should look like this when you’re done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next you’re going place your fabric piece back on top of the diaper, and secure them by pinning together. You want to have the pins facing the inside of the bib, and place them every 1.5″ or so. Don’t skimp here!

 

 

 

Sewing Time

Since your edging foot is still on the machine, you might as well sew down the burp cloth strip! Again have your machine set to 0.5 left of center, and place the fabric edge right on the edge of the foot. You want to go super slow, to make sure your seam is straight. And remember, don’t sew over your pins! It’s not good for the pins or your machine.

 

 

 

Now switch back to a regular foot, and get your bib. Pick a side to start on (I prefer to start opposite the tabs), and sew right on the line. Again, go slow and take your time (especially on the curves). Leave a 2″ opening for turning the bib.

 

 

 

Cut it out!

Now grab your pinking shears. This part makes my hand cramp up, so take a break while cutting if you need to. Cut all around the bib as close as you can to the seam line (without cutting the seam line). If you don’t have pinking shears, just clip the curves and trim within a 1/4″ of the seam line (but I highly recommend pinking shears). Make sure to leave a little extra room around your opening!

 

 

When you get to the velcro part, DO NOT try to cut it with pinking shears. You want to pull the edges of fabric back, and trim as close to the seam line as possible using a sharp small pair of scissors. Again, don’t cut the seam line, but you want this really, really close to it.

 

 

 

It’ll look like this when you’re done.

 

 

 

 

 

Once you have the velcro trimmed, continue around with the pinking shears. Your bib will look like this, and it’s ready to be turned right side out!

 

 

 

The part with the velcro on it is pretty hard to turn. I find if I pinch the velcro with my thumb, and turn it out that it helps. Go slow and make sure you don’t tear the seam, and you’ll get it turned eventually (I promise!).

 

 

 

 

Now you’re ready to take your bib to the ironing board and press it. You want to make sure that all your seams are pushed out all the way, and I do this by pinching the seam and rubbing my fingers back and forth (Think of the worlds tiniest violin joke). This rolls the fabric seam outwards and even.

 

Next you’re going to trim the excess strip off the burp cloth. Using a ruler, line it up with the edge of the diaper, and trim the strip at 1″ away from the edge. Do the same on the other side.

 

 

 

 

Fold this cut edge over halfway towards the diaper (about 1/2″), and press it. Again, don’t burn your fingers!

 

 

 

Now fold it up over the edge of the diaper, press, and pin in place.

 

 

 

Finishing Touches

Fold the excess fabric around your opening in, and top stitch around the edge of the bib (again using the needle setting of 0.5 left of center, and an edging foot). When you get to the velcro tab, just run the edging foot right along the edge of the velcro. Trust me, you don’t want to try sewing over the velcro! make sure you overlap your starting an stopping point where the opening was, and you’re almost done with the bib!

 

 

Take the remaining 2″ strip of velcro and place it on the top tab of the bib, LOOP side up. Using the edging foot (same settings), sew just inside the edge of the velcro. Make sure to overlap your start and stop points, and you’re done!

 

 

 

The very last step of this tutorial is just sewing both ends of the burp cloth strip down. Use your edging foot, and make sure to tack your stitching at the beginning and end.

 

 

 

 

Voila!

And you’re done! You also have pieces to make 1 more bib and 1 more burp cloth, in the opposite patterns!

Thanks for reading and I hope that if you enjoyed this post you’ll share it!