Baby Bottoms & Bib

Baby E is making his photo debut on my blog, and what better to wear than this adorable bottom and bib set! These are easy to make, a breeze to put on a squirmy babe and better yet, both comfy & stylish.

Skill level: Beginner sewer

Made from 100% organic cotton

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Materials:

• Cotton with some stretch (20% or more)
• Thread
• Elastic
• Snaps, buttons or velcro

How to Guide:
 
I do not have “ready-made patterns” for download, but these are pretty simple to create. You may have to play with the measurements a little bit to get the right length and width for your little one. You can use any light stock paper to draw your pattern, but stay away from card stock as it will make it difficult to pin to your fabric. I used loose-leaf paper and then taped pieces together to get the right sizes.

Make your bottoms pattern

• Draw the outline of your pants – the basic pattern is two parallel lines, with an upside-down ‘U’ at the bottom.
• For 2-4 months the measurements of your pattern should be about: 10-12 inches wide and 15-17 inches long, with the legs (the ‘U’ part of your pattern) accounting for about 6-8 inches of your length.
• Do make sure that the width between the side of your pants and the ‘U’ is large enough for feet to easily slip through – 4 inches should do. 
• For the next size up (4-6 months) add an inch to the width and length of each of these measurements.

*Details, including photos, for making the pants pattern can be found here: Baby Bottoms & Toque.

Make your bib pattern

• Draw a shape that looks like an open lock.
• For 2-4 months, the base should be about 8 inches long and 6 inches wide.
• The "hook" length should be at least 2-4 inches longer than the width of your baby's neck.

Count it and cut it out

• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface, right side up.
• Pant pattern – pin and cut this out of your fabric 2X
• Pant cuff pattern – pin and cut this out of your fabric 2X
• Bib pattern – pin and cut this out of your fabric 2X

Start with the bottoms

• Place your two pant pieces right side together and line up the edges.
• Pin in place.
• Sew together along the sides and inside the upside-down ‘U’.

 
Close up the cuffs

• Starting with one of your pant cuffs, fold in half, right sides together, along the length (longer side).
• Pin in place.
• Sew together along the edge.
• Repeat for second cuff.

Rolled cuffs

• Starting with one of your pant cuffs, fold in half with the right side facing out.
• You should now have a “closed circle” with a folded edge and a salvage edge.
• Repeat for second cuff.

 
Pants to cuffs

• Turn your pants right side out and give them a press.
• Line up the seam of your cuffs with the inseam of your pants and pull the cuff up the pant leg so that the salvage edges are in line.
• Pin together.
• Sew along the salvage edge.
• Repeat for second cuff.

Waist band

• Turn your pants inside out.
• Fold over the waist by about 1.5 inches
• Press down.
• Unfold the waist.
• Refold the waist by about 0.5 inches.
• Press down, but be sure to keep the first press line.
• Refold along the first press line and pin.
• Sew the waist closed, but leave a small opening.

Elastic band

• Cut your elastic to size.
• For 2-4 months the length should be about 12-14 inches.
• Feed the elastic through the opening in your waistband.

Close it up

• Sew your elastic band together at the edges.
• Sew the opening on the pant waist closed.

Back to the bib

• Place your two bib pieces right side together and line up the edges.
• Pin in place.
• Sew closed, but leave a small opening.

Flip it

• Turn the bib right side out and give it a press. 
• Sew up the opening with a hand stitch.

Button up

• Stitch on snaps, buttons or velcro.

Now copy, cut & sew, over and over, in different prints and multiple sizes. And then accessorize!

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Here are a few other ideas and inspirations: