Bandanas aren't just a fashion accessory, they can also be extremely useful for soaking up your baby's drool, and there are many reasons to adopt them.
A friend's child tends to drool a lot, so I was asked to sew bandanas to absorb the moisture so he wouldn't soak his clothes.
To update it a bit and make it "cool", I opted for an easy to sew bandana style bib made of absorbent fabric. You don't have to be an experienced seamstress to make these. I will explain to you through this article how to make your own easy to sew bandana bib.
Make your own easy to sew bandana bib.
Materials needed:
- A printed fabric
- An absorbent fabric
- Thread
- Scissors
- Needles
- Pins
- Button clips
- Bandana Bib Pattern
Easy Sew Bandana Bib - Fabric Selection
There were two criteria for bandana bibs - they had to keep her clothes dry and they had to be absorbent.
If not, the bib is not absorbent enough, making it cute, but worthless. I suggest choosing terry cloth, muslin, flannel or cotton fabrics, all of which are absorbent and easily washable.
Instead of buying new fabrics for this project, I chose to use an old baby towel and a child's t-shirt, both of which were destined for the trash or donation.
DIY: your homemade bandana bib step by step!
Either way, whether your fabric is new or you choose to recycle like I did, start by folding a fabric so that the entire pattern fits on the folded section. Line up the edge of the pattern along the folded edge of the fabric. Cut out the pattern on the 2 layers of fabric.
If you have done this correctly, you will open the fold and have a bib that looks like this.
Repeat with your second fabric. Or if the second fabric is tricky to fold like my t-shirt, just lay your first piece of bib on top and cut around it.
You should now have two pieces of your future bib bandana in the same size and shape.
Next, pin the bandana pieces with the right sides together. Starting along one of the bottom edges, use a 6mm seam allowance to sew almost all the way around the bib. Stop about 5-7cm from where you started, leaving room to turn.
Turn the bib right side out. Fold over the edges of the space you left to turn, and use a hot iron to press the seams.
Now you'll use a 3-4mm seam allowance to cover the majority of the bib. You can go all the way down, but I prefer to leave the top edge a little softer because that's where it's going to be in contact with your baby's face.
If all goes well it should start to look like this:
The final step is to add some sort of attachment to the ends. Velcro or an actual button and buttonhole are great options. If you choose velcro, be sure to sew the loop side in so the hook side doesn't scratch your child's neck!
Attach your fasteners to opposite sides of the fabric so that the ends overlap.
Congratulations! You've just sewn your first homemade (DIY) bandana bib! Once you realize how easy it is, I doubt it will be the last time.
Perfect for little boys or girls, I love that these bibs are as much a style statement as they are useful and practical.
As with all baby clothes, wear bandana bibs with care - only use them on a child under direct supervision, and never leave them on a sleeping baby.
If you're short on time or would rather buy a cute bandana bib, you're in luck! There are several adorable styles available in our store:
