If you have ever felt or owned anything by Aden and Anais you know how fantastic their products are. My first experience with them was about 2 years ago when baby #3 was born. I splurged and bought a package of their swaddle blankets. My daughter lived in them for several months!!! We still use them today (she's almost 20 months old). Well, one purchase led to another and so on until we now have a couple crib sheets and a couple changing pad covers. BUT, they can be pretty pricey {even when using coupons or shopping the clearance section -- which I do frequently!}.

This time around I am planning ahead. I tried my hand at making my own sheets and changing pad covers using the same soft muslin that Aden and Anais uses. The difference!?!? It only comes in solid colors... and it's WAY CHEAPER! It is also not called Muslin here in the US... that's an entirely different kind of fabric. Here it is known as cotton gauze... but it's exactly the same stuff!

I bought mine here at fabric.com. There are lots of colors to choose from and it is soft and easy to work with. Plus at less than $4 a yard it's totally worth experimenting with if you are looking to save some money! As always if you have at least $35 in your cart your fabric ships for free!

Here is how my changing pad cover turned out. I used the gauze in turquoise for this one.

{for one burp cloth}
Time: about 30 minutes
Materials: cotton fabric (at least a fat quarter)
                   cotton chenille fabric (at least a fat quarter)
                   sewing machine and thread
                   rotary cutter and cutting mat
                   pins and scissors
Experience Level: Easy

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A new mom can never have too man burp cloths... like. ever. That's why burp cloths make great gifts for new mommies. After having 3 kids of my own, babysitting, and talking to LOTS of other moms, I have come to a couple of conclusions when it comes to burp cloths.


1. The absolute best burp cloths are handmade. WHY? Not only are they way cuter, but they are generally easier to clean, and last longer. No one wants to replace their burp cloths every month or so because they are falling apart or look gross after tons of washings. With so many fabric prints out there, you could have a burp cloth for every mood you are in! ♥

2. Bigger isn't ALWAYS better. Some people may disagree on this one, but in all honesty... when you are carrying around a diaper bag full of half your baby's room {because we have all been there and know it happens} the last thing you want is a bulky burp cloth or two to lug around too. A burp cloth should be big enough to cover your shoulder and drape off a little and be long enough to catch all the spit and drool that can go down both sides of your shoulder.

3. Cotton is so  more ABSORBENT than anything other material. We all know absorbency is key to keeping our own clothes clean! Everyone knows you are a new mommy... they don't have to see and smell it too! Some people swear by minky material for burp cloths -- the only reason I can figure is because it is so soft on baby's skin. Minky is polyester... it does not absorb anything. That's why people use it to line cloth diapers, LINE cloth diapers. The liquids pass right through it to the soaker pads on the inside. Cotton on the other hand soaks up liquids like a sponge. So, if you have an especially spitty-uppy baby... cotton is a must!

I used to make a bunch of them and sell that at wholesale prices to a couple of distributors, but with my new little one I just don't have the time I once did to sit and sew as much as I would like... which makes me sad, but I LOVE spending time with my kids!

So, now that I only make them for craft shows, boutiques, for my own kids, and occasionally for my Etsy shop, I figured I would share my pattern with you guys! The only thing I ask is that you respect my time and willingness to share this with you and only use it for personal projects. If you are interested in using my pattern in your Etsy shop or to sell your products just shoot me an email {kdbuggieboutique@yahoo.com} for permission. Thanks!!!

Be sure to wash and dry your fabric before you start cutting or sewing. If you forget it won't be the end of the world, it just might shrink a little.

MATERIALS: So, what materials should you use for your bib. Personally I like to use a cotton print and a cotton chenille. However, chenille can be hard to come by and can be a little pricey... so any terry cloth or flannel would work just fine. I know some people use fleece or minky for their bibs also. In my opinion the minky and fleece are kind of tough for bibs because they don't absorb well. If you choose to use one of those for the back of you bib I suggest using a flannel or terry cloth layer (adding an extra third layer to your bib) on the inside so that there is a little extra fabric to collect those messes that we all know kids can make.

As far as the snaps verses velcro debate ... you have already read why I use snaps. That doesn't mean you can't use velcro because you absolutely can! If you have a little one who has no desire to take their bib off then by all means stick with the velcro (no pun intended, lol) because it is easier to work with.

You will need:
• 1/2 yard of your front and back materials (enough for 4 bibs)
• metal snaps or velcro
• a sewing machine, thread, scissors or pinking shears, and an iron
• a pen or chalk marker
• the bib pattern (found at the bottom of the post)


SEWING THE BIB:
Print out the pattern. It comes as a PDF file with two pages. Simply cut out the pattern and tape the two piece together. The pattern comes in two sizes as well, a long toddler size and a smaller infant size.


Cut out a rectangle piece from your two fabrics that is 17"x10". Then on one of your fabrics, trace your pattern on the WRONG side -- the one without the print on it {aka not the pretty side}. You will want to find the approximate center of your fabric. You can do this really easy by folding it in half along the width (hot dog style) and pressing it with your finger. Line up the center of the bib -- where it says "place on fold" -- with the crease in your fabric. Then using either a chalk marker or a regular pen trace around the outside of your pattern. Flip your pattern over, line up the the center again and trace around the outside of your pattern.


This is where my bib pattern differs from a lot of others. Instead of painstakingly cutting out the top piece for my bib and then tracing and cutting out the bottom piece... and hoping that they line up okay, I opt for a much easier method... DO NOT CUT IT OUT! Yep, that's it. Just don't cut it out. Take this piece with your traced bib on it, place it on top of your bottom bib fabric {right sides together} and pin them together.

No need to retrace your pattern. Be sure when you pin to mark a starting a stopping place. You need to leave about a 2 inch opening when you sew to be able to turn the bib right side out. I always leave the opening on a straight edge where possible because it makes it a lot easier to close it up after turning the fabric.

Take your fabric over to your sewing machine. If you have a 1/4" sewing foot great! If not, you will want to have a 1/4" inseam. With a 1/4" foot simply line up the edge of your foot with the traced line and follow it all the way around being sure to include the hole for the neck. By sewing on either side of the line you drew for the neck strap and hole you will create the two neck straps.



Now is the time to cut! Using pinking shears trim your sewn bib close to the traced line you drew. If you don't have pinking shears {the scissors that cut the zigzag lines} you can use regular scissors. Just be sure to clip the fabric around the curved edges so that it will lay flat after flipping it right side out.



After trimming off the fabric turn your bib right side out. You may need to use something to help get the corners of the neck straps completely turned. My go to tool is actually a crochet hook. It is small and it's not sharp so for me it is the perfect turning tool. Once your bib is all turned take it to your iron and press it out nice and flat. Good ironing is the key to a crisp look. Fold the fabric from the opening under so that it is inside the bib. Line up your two fabrics and pin them in place. This is also a good time to attach one of your tags.






*** The actual pattern piece that I use to create my bibs is in between the toddler and infant size. I traced mine onto a file folder, lining up the "place fold here" edge with the folded edge on the folder. Then I cut out the bib shape including the neck hole. Now I can trace the entire bib pattern onto my fabric without lining it up in the center and flipping it over to trace the other half.