As I was mass producing baby bibs I decided to snaps some shots for a little tutorial. Not that there is any shortage of baby bib tutorials out there, but they are all just a little different. So here's my take on the Pullover Towel Toddler Bib. Thank you for teaching me how to make these mom!!
I had a lot of left over towel pieces from making Hooded Baby towels. These bibs can also be made from small hand towels also sometimes called fingertip towels, which are already finished on the edges so you don't need to bind them.
Looking for a different version of a pullover toddler bib? Check out these other posts.
Pullover Towel Toddler Bib Tutorial
Let's get started! Gather your materials
For 1 bib you'll need:
- Towel fabric- 11" X 15" - I just purchase a towel to cut up
- Knit ribbing- 2 1/2 " X 11" - choose ribbing that has at least 50% stretch meaning if you have a 10 inch strip of ribbing it will easily stretch to 15 inches.
- about 2 yards of double fold bias binding. Buy it or make your own (there will be leftover)
- applique fabric and fusible web for front as desired
- coordinating thread, of course.
Cutting instructions
Use a cup to trace a curve on the corners of the towel. For the neck hole use a 5 inch diameter circle and position the circle in the center, 1.5 inches down from the top of the bib. Trace the circle and then cut on all tracing lines.
Pullover Towel Toddler Bib Sewing instructions
Apply the bias tape around the edges. I don't have the energy to go into all the details about bias tape. Thankfully Dana from Made has done such a great job of describing this that I'm going to refer you to her tutorial on sewing on bias tape. I use the cheating method. 🙂
Next take the ribbing, fold it in half, and sew the short edges together.
Then fold it in half lengthways so the seam is on the inside, with the seam finger pressed open.
Next, Pin the ribbing to the towel. To do this, first divide the ribbing in 4 equal sections and mark them with pins or a marking pen. Then divide and mark the neck hole in for equal sections. Match up the markings and pin them with raw edges together. Stretch the ribbing to meet the neck hole and pin as needed. You should get something like this.
Now using a serger, or stretch stitch on a regular machine, sew the ribbing onto the neck hole. Stretch the ribbing as you go to match up the raw edges. If using a regular machine, zig zag stitch around your raw edges after you've sewn it to minimize fraying.
The front side should look something like this.
Next, use fusible web to apply your desired fabric and zig zag around the edges.
And there you have your Pullover Towel Toddler Bib!
If you use this tutorial to make a towel toddler bib please link back or leave me a comment to let me know that you did. I'd love to see what you made!!
Happy Sewing!
this is cute… 😉
this is cute… 😉
this is cute… 😉
very cute! what age would you say this fits? i'm concerned about my kids' mega heads not fitting through the hole because the terry won't stretch! 🙂 lisa
very cute! what age would you say this fits? i'm concerned about my kids' mega heads not fitting through the hole because the terry won't stretch! 🙂 lisa
very cute! what age would you say this fits? i'm concerned about my kids' mega heads not fitting through the hole because the terry won't stretch! 🙂 lisa
That's a good question. I made them for my kids when they started solids and they used them all the way till they were 3 years old. My kids have big heads too compared to other kids. The opening is a circle which means it will stretch on the bias sides of it. The trick to allowing it to fit over their heads is making sure you don't get the ribbing too tight. After you cut the knit ribbing and sew it together to form a circle, Try it on over your child's head to make sure it goes on nicely. You can also put the terry cloth hole over their head before you sew it if you are worried, just to make sure it goes over easily as well. Good Luck and let me know how it goes.
That's a good question. I made them for my kids when they started solids and they used them all the way till they were 3 years old. My kids have big heads too compared to other kids. The opening is a circle which means it will stretch on the bias sides of it. The trick to allowing it to fit over their heads is making sure you don't get the ribbing too tight. After you cut the knit ribbing and sew it together to form a circle, Try it on over your child's head to make sure it goes on nicely. You can also put the terry cloth hole over their head before you sew it if you are worried, just to make sure it goes over easily as well. Good Luck and let me know how it goes.
That's a good question. I made them for my kids when they started solids and they used them all the way till they were 3 years old. My kids have big heads too compared to other kids. The opening is a circle which means it will stretch on the bias sides of it. The trick to allowing it to fit over their heads is making sure you don't get the ribbing too tight. After you cut the knit ribbing and sew it together to form a circle, Try it on over your child's head to make sure it goes on nicely. You can also put the terry cloth hole over their head before you sew it if you are worried, just to make sure it goes over easily as well. Good Luck and let me know how it goes.
That's a good question. I made them for my kids when they started solids and they used them all the way till they were 3 years old. My kids have big heads too compared to other kids. The opening is a circle which means it will stretch on the bias sides of it. The trick to allowing it to fit over their heads is making sure you don't get the ribbing too tight. After you cut the knit ribbing and sew it together to form a circle, Try it on over your child's head to make sure it goes on nicely. You can also put the terry cloth hole over their head before you sew it if you are worried, just to make sure it goes over easily as well. Good Luck and let me know how it goes.
I love this tutorial, and can't wait to make some!!! Thank you!
I love this tutorial, and can't wait to make some!!! Thank you!
I love this tutorial, and can't wait to make some!!! Thank you!
I love this tutorial, and can't wait to make some!!! Thank you!