Sewing a baby bandana bib: What can you sew for babies? Obviously: A practical triangular bib! With this guide and downloadable pattern, even beginners can do it with ease.
The most important points at a glance
- Bandana bibs or reversible bandana bibs for babies are great to sew from many different fabrics. There are almost no limits to your creativity
- The triangular bibs for children can be made from one or two sides of different fabrics
- You can easily sew triangular bibs with a sewing machine or an overlocker
- In this post, you will learn which different fasteners can be used
- In this sewing tutorial, I will show you how you can sew a bandana bib for children yourself
- My matching sewing video will guide you through the entire sewing process
- Sewing level: Beginner
- Sewing time: approx. 30 minutes
Why should I sew a baby bandana bib myself?
Baby bandana bibs are extremely popular with young parents. These stylish bibs are great for soaking up little drools. Perfect when babies are teething. :)
They also keep the neck and chest nice and warm and complete any baby outfit. They are not only practical, but can also really spruce up the little one's wardrobe.
And: Finally, the most varied fabric scraps can be put to good use . And in the spirit of sustainability, it is a good (and inexpensive) idea to sew with fabric scraps anyway.
So, grab your box of fabric scraps and let's get started! :)
Can I sew a baby bandana bib as a beginner?
If you are a sewing beginner, a cute baby bandana bib is exactly the right thing!
Why? It is really very easy to sew and you can practically not go wrong.
Small mistakes are hardly noticeable, and at the same time, you have important sewing basics under your belt that you will always need. Especially if you want to sew stretchy fabrics more often in the future, a baby bandana bib like this can be a good entry point.
The basics you learn when sewing a bandana bib include, for example:
- Sewing curves
- Sewing fabric pieces together right sides together
- Turning projects inside out through a turning opening
- Sewing a topstitch
- Attaching snap fasteners
In this uncomplicated mini-project, there are some very elementary sewing skills that you can master right away with this opportunity.
Perhaps you would like to sew a baby bodysuit next? Or a cute handmade baby shirt?
Then you will practically learn everything you need to know while sewing the bandana bib. :)
Which fabrics are suitable for baby bandana bibs?
Actually, all of them! From jersey, French terry, fine corduroy, or fleece. You could even use oilcloth for the children's bandana bib. Or, of course, completely normal cotton fabrics (woven fabric).
Since you are sewing two pieces together, you can also sew both sides using different fabrics.
For example, sew one side with a soft terry cloth and the other side with smooth cotton. The combination possibilities are truly endless.
The great thing is: With two beautiful sides, you can even use the bandana bib as a reversible bib. And simply turn it around when one side is messy or simply because the design goes better with the outfit.
Also a good idea: choose a warmer fabric (e.g., teddy plush) and a cooler fabric for the two sides of the triangular bib. You see: There are no limits to your imagination. :)
Tip: Whatever you choose – make sure that the fabrics are skin-friendly. Organic cotton or fabrics printed with organic dyes are very well tolerated and simply the best for sensitive baby skin. Because they are in direct skin contact.
Fabrics that lint heavily or are even scratchy are not suitable. The lint will quickly end up in the face and mouth. And scratchy fabrics cause an unpleasant feeling when worn. And we definitely don't want that! :)
I recommend organic fabrics for children's clothing. Very suitable, for example, are:
- Single jersey and interlock jersey (curls less than single jersey because it is double-knit, which is cool for beginners!)
- French Terry & Sweatshirt fabric
- Elastic terry fabrics
- Ribbing fabric
- Muslin
- Corduroy
It is important that you wash and iron the fabrics before using them. This way, you remove residues of dye and finish and optimally prepare the fabric for sewing. Another plus: pre-washed fabric will not shrink anymore. :)
All fabrics used here come from the Nähcafé am Wasserturm*.
Reading tip: Wash fabric before sewing
What accessories do I need to sew a baby bandana bib?
- Jersey snap fasteners
- Vario pliers
- A small piece of iron-on interfacing (e.g., Vlieseline H250)
- Alternatively: Velcro tape to sew on (i.e., 2 cm soft loop tape, 2 cm hook tape)
- Marking pen
- Sewing thread
- Measuring tape
- Rotary cutter & cutting mat (read my review of cutting mats!)
- Fabric scissors
- Iron and ironing board
- Fabric clips
You will also need the pattern for the bandana bib.
Which fastener for a baby bandana bib?
You have a choice between snap fasteners, magnetic clasps, or Velcro. That is really a matter of taste.
In this guide, I will show you how to attach jersey snap fasteners. However, you do this only at the very end. Here, I will explain the pros and cons of the individual types of fasteners again:
- Jersey snap fasteners: It also depends a bit on which fabrics you use for your reversible bandana bib: If you only use jersey, then jersey snaps are a good choice. They hold better in the soft knitted fabric and are made specifically for this. They consist of metal and the top is a ring. You can get them in different sizes and colors. They are attached with Vario pliers. I will show you this again in the video.
- Plastic snap fasteners: For woven fabrics, you can also use plastic snaps for the baby bandana bib. They are sometimes also called KamSnaps or Color Snaps* (those are the brand-name parts from Prym. If you don't want to skip plastic snaps, definitely choose brand-name snaps; they are much more durable). The good thing about plastic snaps: They are available in many colors. They are attached slightly differently than jersey snaps, are not iron-proof, and usually not particularly durable. A point that, in my view, speaks against them. They are made of plastic. Therefore, they are out of the question for me. Keyword "sustainable sewing", you know... ;)
- Metal snap fasteners: You can also buy sew-on metal snap fasteners* to sew on with a needle and thread. They consist of two parts and have small holes on the side. They are very durable and you don't need any extra tools for them. Metal snaps are suitable for any fabric type.
- Magnetic clasps: Another alternative: magnetic clasps*. These are also available for sewing on and are a tool I always have on hand because I love working with them.
- Velcro tape: Unlike snap fasteners, Velcro tape is sewn on with the sewing machine. If you sew it on before you join the two pattern pieces, you won't see the Velcro seam on the back of the fabric.
What must my sewing machine be able to do?
For the baby triangular bib sewing project, you only need a straight stitch. That is actually sufficient. If you like to serge your fabric cuts, your sewing machine must also have a zigzag stitch program. This is suitable, for example, for muslin fabrics or fabrics that fray easily.
Read more here about sewing with muslin and sewing with cotton fabrics.
Also think about the right sewing machine needle.
If you want to sew jersey, you should use a
- Jersey needle
- a stretch, or
- a super stretch needle
These needles have a rounded tip, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. It prevents these fabrics from being damaged during sewing.
My experience has shown that there are many beginner sewers who always use one and the same sewing machine needle and also don't replace it.
That can go well for a while. But often it goes thoroughly wrong. Sooner or later, it is necessary to change the needle. Sewing machine needles can not only break but also become dull and notched. Read everything here about sewing machine needles and their use.
Can I sew a baby bandana bib with an overlocker?
If you can sew curves with an overlocker, that is no problem. However, the tight curves on the sides of the baby bandana bib are a challenge even for advanced users. Therefore, for starters, I advise you to sew the bandana bib with the sewing machine. :)
It is also more for connoisseurs to sew the seam before and after the turning opening nicely with the overlocker. By the way, I don't always manage to get it so flawless that the seam allowance of the turning opening can then really be folded cleanly inward. And that is exactly what matters when sewing a baby bandana bib.
Even if you use the overlocker: For the finish, you definitely need your household sewing machine. At the end, the bandana bib is completely topstitched once with a straight stitch.
With this, you not only stabilize the shape but also close the turning opening at the same time. And you do that, of course, with the sewing machine. Because you cannot topstitch with the overlocker.
I will show you a way in the video, however, how you can sew the reversible bandana bib completely with an overlocker.
What is the best way to cut the fabrics?
You should cut your fabrics best with fabric scissors or with a rotary cutter.
If you don't have any experience with the rotary cutter yet, then rather use scissors. If you want to learn more about working with a rotary cutter, you can find out more in my blog post Everything about rotary cutters.
Keyword measurements: How big is a baby bandana bib?
Here you go by the neck circumference of the baby. If you make the reversible bandana bib a little larger, you can also attach several snap fasteners so that the baby bandana bib can "grow with" them.
You can use the pattern for the baby bandana bib for all ages.
- Sewn without seam allowance, it is perfect for babies from 0-6 months
- with a seam allowance from 7 months to preschool age.
- You can also enlarge the bib by adding 2 centimeters of seam allowance.
YouTube video: How to sew a baby bandana bib
Bonus: Baby bandana bib with the overlocker
I already wrote above that it is not that easy to sew a baby bandana bib with an overlocker. But it is certainly possible.
I will show you how to do this in the video. It is important that you sew slowly on the curved sections and lift the presser foot of the overlocker. The two fabric pieces of the bandana bib are sewn left sides together with this method.
To get a nice seam start, I lift the presser foot and needle and push the fabric directly to the blade.
On the curves, I turn the fabric while I lift the presser foot a little bit again and again. That can be a bit tricky and requires some practice.
The seam is often not as even on the tight curves as on the straight sections.
Conclusion
Well? That was done in no time, right?
And I bet that from now on, whenever you cut out a sweater, pants, etc., for the little ones, you will also think about a chic and matching triangular bib for babies! A little scrap is always left over and goes into the "bandana bib" category. Because you really don't need much fabric for such a sugary sweet little piece (which you don't even have to cut along the grainline!).
The baby bandana bib is really sewn quickly and the result is sooo cute!
Oh yes, and the most important thing: It's really fun! :)
Happy simple sewing
Simone & Sabine
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