Free Baby Bandana Bib Pattern to Sew with a Serger

Do you have a baby or grandbaby who is teething? Teething babies drool a lot, which wets their little outfits. Make adorable bandana baby bibs with our FREE PATTERN and your serger or sewing machine.

Annette is babysitting one of her great-grandchildren and needs some bibs.  I noticed purchased bibs were made with a simple serged edge of the bib and thought I’d make similar bibs for Annette to use.

This simple bib pattern makes a perfect gift for a new mom.  Use our free patterns for bandana baby bib, burp cloth, changing pad, crinkle tag toy, and reversible bib, and package the perfect baby shower gift basket with baby accessories.

Our bandana bibs stitch up super quickly with a serger and can be made in about a half hour. Cut out two pieces of fabric, serge them together, add snaps, and you are finished. This is an easy sewing project to make with your serger and will give you practice going around tight corners.  

If you don't have a serger, don't worry; you can still make these baby bibs using a sewing machine and the zig-zag stitch.

Kam Snap Closure

These bibs use a Kam Snap closure.  Kam Snaps are fun and colorful plastic snaps used in many sewing projects. 

Placing two snaps on each side of the bib makes it adjustable to fit almost any baby. Different combinations of snaps can make the bib smaller for younger babies or larger for older babies. So, it’s a one-size-fits-most bib.

If you don't have Kam Snaps, scroll to the end of this tutorial to find links to purchase starter packs of plastic snaps.

Alternatively, you could use small pieces of velcro instead of plastic snaps.

FREE PATTERN!

The first thing you will need is the Free printable PDF pattern. You can get the bandana bib pattern by scrolling down to the end of the page, past my signature. There, you will find a link to the FREE sewing pattern.

If you prefer an ad-free printable PDF version of this bandana baby bib tutorial, please click the link below to visit our Etsy shop. Your purchase will also include the free pattern. Purchases from our Etsy shop support our small business and help us keep making more videos and tutorials like this.

For a step-by-step video tutorial, click the link to our YouTube video, or keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to make the bandana baby bib.

WHAT YOU NEED to sew a bandana baby bib

• Free Baby Bib Pattern is available at the end of this page (look after my signature!)
• 1/2 yard each of two Fabrics - Flannel, Fleece, or Knit (At least 12" - 15" to fit the pattern piece)
• Serger Cone Thread
• Kam Snaps, Pliers, and Awl
• Scissor
• Iron
• Straight Pins

Step-by-Step Tutorial to make a DIY baby bib

These instructions will show you how to make this bandana baby bib using a serger sewing machine.

If you don't have a serger, use a regular sewing machine's zig-zag stitch to make these bibs. Instructions are included below in Step 4b.

STEP 1: Selecting Fabrics

Look in the nursery section of a fabric store for cute fabric. There are many knit and flannel fabrics for this adorable baby bib. Use a flannel on one side and ribbed knit or fleece fabric on the other, making the bibs soft. Some other fabric options are terry cloth or cotton fabric.

The two layers of fabric help absorb the baby's drool.  

I found it easier to serge these bibs using a flannel on one side.  I made one bib with two stretchy knit fabrics, and the stretch made it harder to go around the tight corners. So, the best fabric is one flannel layer and one knit.

STEP 2: Get the Free Printable Pattern

The FREE bandana baby bib pattern is available at the end of this tutorial.  Scroll past my signature to the links with supplies for this project.  The free pattern link will be there!

Open the pdf sewing pattern file and print the two pages with the pattern pieces. Select 100% or the actual size when printing.

STEP 2: Cut the fabric

The two pattern pieces are for the front and back of the bib. The front piece is a little larger in the neck area, creating the fold in the bib by the neckline.

Fold one of the fabrics with the wrong side together.  The folded fabric should be large enough for the bib pattern piece.  Place the straight edge of the pattern piece along the fold.  Pin the pattern in place and cut along the solid curved line.  Do not cut the side with the fold. 

Cut out one front and one back piece for each bib similarly.

The photo above shows the two pattern pieces cut out.  Note that the side with the fold was not cut, as shown in the image below. The pattern also includes suggested placement for the snaps.

STEP 3: Place Front and back together and pin

Unfold the two fabrics and place them with the wrong sides together, matching the point through the neck arm.

Pin the pieces together from the point up to the neck arms.

There is extra fabric along the neckline.  This is to make this fold in the finished bib. Carefully pin the neck by matching the raw edges of the fabric.

STEP 4A: Sew the bib using a serger

Note: If you want to sew this bib with a sewing machine, look below for Step 4B.

Set up the serger for a 4-thread overlock stitch.  A 3-thread overlock could also be used for this project.

The normal serger tension and stitch length settings can be used.  If you are sewing two layers of knit fabrics, you may need to adjust the differential feed to correct a wavy seam.

Start sewing the bib from the point, removing the pins as you sew.  The serger will cut the pins, which can get caught when sewing the overlock stitch. 

As you sew, cut off 1/8" - 1/4" of fabric. This will clean up the edge as it stitches the overlock.

Go slowly around the curve.  As you stitch, stop with the needles down, lift the foot, and turn the fabric as needed.  You may not trim fabric when going around the corner.

Continue stitching around the neckline.  Be sure not to catch any of the extra fabric in the seam.

Finish sewing around the other neck arm and back to the point.  Hold the starting thread tail and let it cut off the tail as you finish the stitch.  Stop 1 - 2 stitches past the end of the point.

To secure the stitches of the seam, lift the presser foot and flip over the bib.

 Then, sew back across the point of the bib. Just catch the tip of the point.

Sew a few extra stitches and cut the thread, leaving about a 1/2" tail.  Pull on the thread ends to knot the threads.  Trim off the ends.

Step 4b: How to Sew the Bib with a Zig-zag Stitch

You can still make this project if you don't have a serger. The steps are the same, except use a wide, short zig-zag stitch on your standard sewing machine. With this method, no seam allowance will be trimmed.

Go slowly around the corners. You may need to put down the needle, lift the presser foot, and turn the fabric to get around the corner. Finish the seam by back tacking at the beginning and end.

STEP 5: Iron the fold

Lay the bib flat on the ironing board. The extra fabric along the neckline should create a natural fold.  Iron the bib and the fold.

STEP 6: Add Kam Snaps

The last step is to install the Kam snaps, as shown in the photo below.  Two snaps are installed on each arm.  Install one set with the flat cap facing up towards you.  The 2nd side will be installed with the flat cap facing down. Install both studs on one side and the sockets on the other side.

The pattern has two marks indicating the suggested placement of the snaps. Mark the snap placement on the bib arms.

Two snaps are placed on each arm, allowing the bib to be adjusted for different-sized babies. Use combinations of the snaps to adjust the fit from small to large.  

Pick out the colored snaps and use the awl and Kam snap pliers to install the snaps. If you are unsure how to install Kam Snaps, click the link to see our full tutorial.

Select four caps, two studs, and two sockets.

Make the holes with an awl at the marked spots.

Install the snaps with kam snap pliers.

For the snaps to work correctly, install the snaps on one neck arm with the snaps facing down and the other side with the snaps facing up.  Also, install two studs on one side and two sockets on the other.

If you make a mistake when installing the Kam snaps, see our tutorial on how to remove Kam snaps.

The bandana baby bibs are ready to be used.

Below is a closeup of a bib.

The photos below show the bibs on a couple of stuffed animals.

We hope you enjoyed learning how to make a bandana baby bib with a serger sewing machine.  Scroll down to get the FREE PATTERN!

Click the link to browse some other baby sewing patterns.

Happy Sewing!
 

Other Baby Sewing Projects you may be interested in are:

• Simple & Easy Baby Quilt Pattern
• Baby Play Mat from Alphabet Panel
• I Spy Quilt Pattern