Baby bib – quick DIY school spirit shirt and tie

I’m showing you how to make a baby bib that has school spirit flavor. I wanted to make a team bib for my grandson Duke and give it a little prep flair with a button-down and tie look.

Supplies for school spirit baby bib

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You will need 3 coordinating fabrics, thread, buttons, and Velcro for a school spirit baby bib.

• Pattern
• Tracing paper roll, 18 inches wide
• Polyester/cotton blend fabric in 3 coordinating fabrics
• Size 14 sewing machine needle
• I used a zig zag foot, but a straight stitch foot will work
• Matching thread
• Pins
• Scissors
• Sewing marking pen (or chalk)
• Two tiny buttons
• Velcro or snaps

Instructions for school spirit baby bib

• Choose 3 coordinating fabrics for vest, tie, and shirt.
• Wash and dry all the fabrics and press if needed.
• Trace the pattern onto tracing paper. The pattern uses ¼ inch seams. You may want to make your traced pieces larger for ½ inch seams.
• Pin the pattern pieces to the fabrics and cut. Be sure to line up the grain arrows. The collar and pocket welt should be your “shirt” fabric (4 collar pieces, 1 welt), the tie on your “tie” fabric (2 pieces cut on the bias), and the bib on your “vest” fabric (2 pieces cut on the fold).
• Sew the main bib pieces together and turn right side out. Press.
• Sew the tie pieces together. Clip the corners. Turn right side out. Press. Pin the top edge of the tie to the top edge of the bib, aligning centers. Baste together if desired.
• I made the collar differently from the pattern directions. Sew three sides of the two collar pieces together, leaving the neck edges free. Trim the corners and turn right side out. Press. Press the seam allowance of the neck edge inwards.

  

  

  
  
• Carefully make a snip at the center of the neck edge of the bib and tie to ¼ inch. The pointed ends of the collar pieces go in the center.
• Place one collar piece over the raw edge of the bib, lining up the pressed in seam allowances. Topstitch in place. Repeat with the other collar piece.
• Starting at the back edge of the collar, fold in half, making the collar look nice in the front. Sew Velcro strips to the back to use for a closure.
• Sew the pocket piece together wrong side out along the long edge. Turn right side out. Press so that the seam is centered on the back. Press in the seam allowances on the two short edges. Topstitch in place on the left front. Make sure it is placed lower than the collar point.
• Sew tiny shirt buttons to the collar points through all layers of the collar and bib.

Resource links

• http://www.vanillahousedesigns.com/p189-dude-babies/
  • Dude Babies bib pattern from Vanilla House Designs
• http://saidosdaconcha.blogspot.com/2011/11/quilts-quilting-how-to-make-quilters.html
  • Quilter’s knot directions from Constança Cabral
• http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog/sewing-2/absolute-easiest-way-to-sew-collars/
  • Collar sewing technique from Nancy Zieman
• http://www.sew4home.com/tips-resources/sewing-tips-tricks/stitching-and-cutting-corners-correctly
  • Stitching corners from Sew 4 Home
• http://www.sewingfreebies.com/babybibpatterns.html
  • A nice bib roundup from Sewing Freebies