flour sack bib

Flour sack cloth is highly absorbent and soft. When sewn with multiple layers, it makes a protective bib for babies. You can add some batting in-between the layers for even more soak-proofness. 

This was a quick project! 

You can buy bib patterns at the fabric store or make your own. I traced a store bought bib onto poster paper to make my own template.

Layer two or three flour sack towels, pin your pattern to them and then cut to size. 

Next, prepare the appliqué. 

Potential appliqué designs surround you! Once you start looking for them, you'll see them everywhere. 

Using a baby gift bag for appliqué template inspiration, I traced giraffe designs onto Wonder Under fusible web. Fusible web is transparent - be sure to trace on the paper side. 

Keep in mind that the design will be flipped horizontally when you apply the webbing-side-down fabric for fusing.

Next, cut out the fusible web shapes and iron them onto the wrong side of your appliqué fabric. (Be sure to follow the instructions provided with the fusible web.) Prewashed cotton fabrics, especially from the quilting section of the fabric store, offer some really cute designs. Choose a tiny print if your appliqué is narrow or small.

Allow to cool before cutting appliqué on the lines.  Peel the paper backing off the cutout fabric. You can scratch the paper with the tip of a pin or your scissors and stretch the fabric to make the paper pop off the surface.

Flour sack towels are pretty similar on both sides.  Just choose one side as your "right" or "finished" side. Then follow your fusible web directions to iron the appliqués onto the right side of the bib. 

Stack the fabric so the appliqués are inside & in-between layers. Pin edges and sew, leaving an opening for turning. 

Once you turn the bib inside out, you can stitch the opening closed and topstitch. Topstitching is really important!  Bibs get a lot of washing and drying-topstitching will keep the layers from shifting.

I used a snap closure for the back of this bib. I sewed a fabric leaf and used it as a base for applying the snaps.

Other bib fasteners could be fabric/ribbon ties, Velcro or knit trim (for pullover bibs).

To help the iron-on appliqués withstand multiple launderings, I topstitched along the edge of each appliqué. I used a straight stitch. A zigzag or buttonhole stitch could also be used.

(For a subsequent flour sack bib, I experimented with the edge treatment. Instead of stitching, leaving an opening and then turning and topstitching...I triple straight stitched the edges and left a little margin of fabric to fray and curl with time.)

Now, go feed that baby!