Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Button Down Rehab Day 8: The Button Down Bib (with free pattern!)

For day 8 of Button Down Rehab, I have something else boy-related for you. And of all the projects I've done using button down shirts lately, I think this one may be my favorite!!

Using very few materials, I came up with an adorable Button Down Bib for my little guy.
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Ready to make one (a bib that is)??
Supplies:
  • Dowload my free pattern HERE
  • Button down shirt
  • Coordinating fabric for the back of your bib
  • 1 package of double fold bias tape
  • Straight pins
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine and thread
**A quick note about buttons: Please make sure to check that your buttons are sewed on tightly to avoid a choking hazard. If you're concerned about safety, remove the buttons or use some strong glue like E6000 to secure the buttons before wear.

This is the original shirt I used. My husband actually wore this one on our honeymoon cruise to the Caribbean and 3 years later it's living a new life as a bib for our son. How crazy is that! :)


Step 1: Cut out your pieces.

Make sure your shirt is buttoned. Print out the free pattern I provided HERE and place it on top of your shirt over the pocket and button flap (see second picture below). Trace and cut out your front piece. Make sure you don't cut too close to the buttons themselves because you'll be lining the bib with bias tape and you dont want the buttons hiding under the tape.

Use the pattern to cut out a second piece of fabric for your lining. Now you should have 2 pieces:


Step 2: Add decorative stitching.

This step is purely optional, but I love how it makes the bib look! Using coordinating thread, I set my stitch length and width to 3, then zig-zag stitched along the pocket and button flap.


Step 3: Line the outside with bias tape.

Place your main fabric piece on top of your lining fabric, wrong sides together. Then, take your package of double fold bias tape and line the outside of your bib, enclosing the raw edges of your fabric inside of the bias tape. At the top of the neck line, extend your bias tape out some, you'll trim this later.

Make sure to pin it really well (I kind of go crazy with the pins, but I don't want anything to move around when I sew.)


Using your zig-zag stitch again, stitch all the way around the outside of the bib. At the neck line, snip the extra bias tape so it lines up with the neck.



Step 4: Line the neck.
Now to line the neck of your bib, cut a strip of your bias tape approximately 32 inches long. Fold the strip in half to find the middle, and then pin the middle of your bias tape to the middle of your bib with the raw edge of the fabric inside of the tape.


Enclose the neckline of the bib inside of your bias tape and pin.


Now, zig-zag stitch along the neckline to enclose the raw edges. Make sure you tuck the edges of the bias tape that you sewed on the outside of the bib into the neckline bias tape.

I stitched along the entire length of the neck to the ends of each strap I liked the look of the zig-zag stitches on the straps, but you don't have to stitch past the neckline if you don't want to.


Now you have a brand new bib made out of an old shirt, and little man is ready to eat in style!!




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Tomorrow, Rebecca of Searching Out Simple will be guest blogging with a great tutorial for a little girls' bib dress from a button down shirt.

Check out the other posts from the series below:



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Linking up!


oneprettything
Photobucket
Tip Junkie handmade projects
Sumo Sweet StuffPhotobucketBubbly Nature
Today's Creative BlogPhotobucket
Somewhat SimplePhotobucketThe Shabby NestKeeping It Simple


Show and Tell Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

12 comments:

  1. Adorable, Jen. I love the added zig-zag stitching. Really nice touch.

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  2. Jen, this is sooooo cute! I love the stitching details. I have everything I need to make one, too. Yay!

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  3. I love this! Very cute! And always happy to see the little boy crafts...I'll have my own very soon!

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  4. I love this! Would make really cute baby shower gifts too. Pinning now. =]

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  5. These are adorable! I love this take on the button-down redo.

    I found you through the party at momnivore's dillema and I'm your newwest follower. Would love a follow back if you're interested. :-) --> Carissa's Creativity Space

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  6. My girl is pg with her frist baby, Iam going to make her bibs like this.T
    hank you so much for the tutorial on how you made yours.
    God bless you and your family. re linking your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Another great idea!! You guys are awesome!!

    We host a linky party “Help a Momma Out” every Tuesday. This would be a perfect link up for mommas! Please feel free to add it  We appreciate it! Thanks for sharing!

    Kristine
    www.jandmseyecandy.blogspot.com

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  8. Hi there, here visiting from Serenity Now link party! I just loved this tutorial! It's adorable and simple enough for someone that is just starting out and doesn't have much sewing experience. I love it!
    Thanks for sharing :)

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  9. this is SOOOO CUTE and very creative:) i totally love it!!! thanks for sharing:)
    http://jaysonandashley.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello
    Just wanted to let you know that you have been mentioned on my blog. If you wish for any content to be removed please let me know.
    Thanks
    Jennifer
    www.eatcraftsow.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

    I just completed a baby bib inspired by your Button Down Bib design. I have bags full of shirt leftside fronts w/pockets leftover from thrifted men's shirts that I purchased and cut up for making quilts. I plan to use some of them to make an advent calendar someday. Anyway, when I saw your pattern, I was compelled to make one for any upcoming baby shower. To be extra safe, I decided to center the pocket on the bib, instead of including the button placket. When decided what to use for the lining, I wanted terry cloth or some other absorbent fabric. Right in front of me were some cuffed legs which I'd recently cut from some worn out grey sweatpants. I cut the lining from the sweatpant legs and serged the stretchy cuff onto the neckline of the bib. To trim the outside edge of the bib, I made a bias binding from strips of the fabric leftover from the shirt front. Honestly, I like it much better than the bibs on the mother-to-be's baby registry. I'll post a photo of it on Flickr tomorrow.

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  12. Love this idea! I've made a couple of these bibs and even had enough fabric from the back of the shirt to make a pair of baby pants to match! So cute!

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Thanks for all of your wonderful comments! I try to respond to each of them through email so please make sure you leave an email address or have your profile set up to include your email address if you want me to respond :)

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