Quick Quilted Christmas Gifts, Part 4

Hi fellow quilters,

We hope that you’re having a wonderful weekend!  Today’s gift idea is especially fun if you have a brand-new family member this Christmas.

Idea #4: Make a bib for the new baby!

How cute is this little appliqued bib for baby!!!  A real, live baby would probably be cuter for my picture, but I don’t have access to a real baby.  Luckily for me, Olaf didn’t object to posing with my “Gifted Raccoon” bib.

Start with a basic bib pattern or trace a ready-made bib onto paper to make your own pattern.  There are lots of free patterns available online if you don’t have a favorite yet.  Add a cute applique to the bib after you cut it out, centering the design on the fabric.  Ms P Designs’ applique patterns, available from our Pattern Shop, are designed to fit a 7″ square block, which is just the right size to embellish a baby’s bib.  Pick your favorites and have fun choosing fabric to coordinate with the applique design.

I decided to use our “Gifted Raccoon Christmas Elf” applique pattern to decorate this cute bib.  The bright colors that I used to make my raccoon applique contrast well with the green and white snowflake print on the bib background.  The applique edges are finished with a machine blanket stitch, so it should hold up well through multiple washings.

I lined my bib with a layer of soft, absorbent flannel and used contrasting fabric on the reverse side.  If you want to embellish your bib, you could choose to add lace, fabric piping, or rick-rack to the bib edges before finishing.  I went for a simple and gender-neutral look, and just edge-stitched around the finished bib to help it lay flat, even after laundering, and then finished the bib with an easy hook and loop closure.

Now all that I need is a real baby!  (Just kidding!  I love babies, but I really don’t need one this year.)  I hope that you’re inspired to create something colorful (and absorbent) for your favorite tiny person!

Happy quilting,

Sharon