Photos for today’s post are courtesy of Emily! Awhile ago, my father called to ask me if I had any use for a bunch of his old jeans. “Sure, pass them along! I’m sure I’ll think of something… Hmmm….” Turns out it was a large box full of several different pairs of jeans, and the box sat around for a few months while I churned different ideas of what to do with them in the back of my mind for awhile. While I was in the middle of feeding Clara one afternoon, it came to me! Baby bibs!! And these are so easy to make! I can get about 1 dozen bibs from a single pair of jeans!
To make your own baby bibs from a pair of jeans, cut the legs off of the jeans, and cut next to the inseam as shown. This will give you a single layer of denim.
I made my own pattern from a bib that Clara already had. This one is the perfect size. If my scanner were working properly, I would upload a pattern for you to download, but sadly it is yelling at me… something about an incompatible ink cartridge. Blecchh! Anyway, pin your pattern to the denim and carefully cut it as shown.
Pin some ribbon along the bottom. I found several beautiful spools of ribbon at Big Lots for $1! Scraps of ribbon is really all you need to dress up the bib a bit. Once it is pinned in place, sew along both edges with a zig-zag stitch.
Flip the bib over, and trim any excess ribbon and thread.
Pin the bias tape along the outer edge of the bib as shown. Sew this with a straight stitch. Go slowly to prevent the bias tape from having any creases. I used wide single fold bias tape that I found on clearance at JoAnn for $0.97!
Cut a 24″ length of bias tape and fold in half to find the mid-point. Attach the midpoint to the middle of the neckline of the bib. Pin in place as shown. Starting at one end of the bias tape, sew a straight stitch all along the edge of the tape, along the neckline of the bib, and down the length of the other side of the tape. Knot the ends of the bias tape to keep the edges from fraying.
Here’s a close up of a finished bib.
I’ll be making plenty of these for Clara, and for baby shower gifts!
Now the fun part, one lucky reader will win one of these adorable bibs! Leave a comment with your color preference (indicate for a boy or girl) and be sure to include your email for a chance to win this fun giveaway. Giveaway ends Wednesday, July 8th @ 6:30pm EST. Winner will be chosen by random.org…. Good luck!
Don’t forget, tomorrow is the last day of the Caption Contest. Click here to submit your entry for a chance to win a $10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card!
Valerie you are so creative!!
I would love to win a cute girly bib for a friend of mine's daughter. =)
Ally (mommylove05@gmail.com)
So so creative! I wish I could sew so that I could make beautiful things like you do!!!
I would love to win a boys bib!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Sylvia
So cute! I would love to win a boy one for my little boy or my new nephew! Do you have any tips for keeping the bias tape from bunching/folding when you sew circular patterns? No matter how slow I go it seems to do that. It seems to me that it is a matter of too much fabric on the inner side of the circle needing to go somewhere, so it would be hard to avoid.
Thanks!
Great idea! And they're not too heavy? I may have a use for some of my hubby's retired constructin jeans…you know the kind with holes in random places! If I win, I would like a girl bib!
Very cute! Have to admit that bias tape intimidates me . . . :>) I have a nephew that will soon be eating solids – you can never have enough bibs at that stage! Thanks for the chance!
@ Sheri — Bias tape really isn't as difficult as it looks, but it does take just a little practice. My first attempt had lots of creases! I found that if you pin it in place well, go slowly, and keep your fingers close to the presser foot (keeping the bias tape in place), helps to avoid all the bunching and folding.
@ Amelia — I found the denim works really well and with just one layer of denim, it's not too heavy. The stains don't show up so easily, and any stains it does get aren't so hard to get out. Denim definitely has its advantages!
Those are adorable!
Those are adorable! I would love a boy bib for my brand new baby boy!
I never would have thought to turn jeans into bibs, but it makes a lot of sense and yours turned out so cute! I tend to avoid bias tape, but it's probably a phobia I should overcome…
what a great idea. i also have a bunch of old jeans that are waiting to be repurposed…. we would love a boy's bib. thanks!!!
elana (goralelana@gmail.com)
so cute!!! I don't partecipate, cause i'm in italy and i dont' wont the delivery will be complicated for you 😉 thanx for the tutorial!
Very cute. I make my own bias tape since I have a hard time finding it cheap and then I can get just what I want. I would love a boy one.
Very clever!! I wish I was as creative as you!
rcdchan@yahoo.com
Those turned out SOOOOOO cute! I love them! Great job!
Val
How clever! My mother-in-law made me a really cute cleaning apron out of an old pair of jeans. She left the waist band in tact, cut off the front and the legs, and left the back pockets in tact. So the button is in the back (it fits loosely as the jeans were big) and then I can use the pockets in front to stuff a rag or a small spray bottle in them. She sewed some ribbon the trim to add some decoration. I've never worked with bias tape though. Perhaps I'll get some courage up and try it. 🙂
how cute. I think I've got some old jeans, in the get rid of bag. Will have to check. I know several babies that will be here in the next few months.
so cute! I would love a boy bib!
This is so cute and such a good idea! I would love to win a girl's bib 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway! Happy 4th of July!
Jamie (sekacamam@gmail.com)
Valerie,
I'm so happy to have won the caption contest. My husband amd I are wondering what book you recommend I should use the gift card on? Thanks!