Alrighty, are you ready to dive in to sewing our bib together? If you put together the bib pocket with me yesterday, then this putting together the actual bib will be a total breeze as we go through very similar steps!
When you are ready to get to sewing your bib, flip to page 3 of your instruction booklet and we will get started!
We will start today by attaching our two straps to the right side (RS) of the back bib fabric. Make sure you place the edge of your straps 1/2” (1.3 cm) away from the side edges.
If you are at all nervous about catching your straps oddly in your bib corners, feel free to scooch them over an additional 1/8" (0.3 cm).
Baste in place.
Working with one bib at a time (or you can do both simultaneously like I decided to do!), pin your bib with the basted straps to your bib lining pieces with right sides together (RST) along the sides and top edge.
Tester Tip: If you'd like your bib to lay really flat, try trimming off 1/8" (0.3 cm) from the 3 sides of your lining fabric. By making your lining slightly smaller than your main bib fabric, you will not only keep your lining fabric from peeking out, you will also be allowing your main fabric enough room to lay completely flat!
The top edge is the edge with your basted straps (back bib only) and the bottom edge has double notches in the center.
Sew along these three edges, making sure you don’t accidentally catch your
straps in the side seams!
I like to add extra stitches to my corners, especially if my material is somewhat fragile. This adds more strength and stability to an otherwise weak point.
Clip your corners.
Turn your project right side out and poke out those corners for a nice sharp point!
Now is the time to make a choice on how you are going to finish up your bib in a way that keeps the lining from sneaking to the front by either understitching or topstitching.
I chose to understitch my bib for this particular pinafore. Basically, what you are doing is sewing the seam allowance to the lining fabric along the edge without catching the main fabric. You won’t be able to get all the way into the corners, but you can get pretty far! (If you worked on the bib pocket yesterday, this should look familiar!)
I like to stay pretty close to the edge of my seam, but you can make this stitching line a little bit wider if you'd like! Just make sure you catch that seam allowance!
Press your newly understitched bib so that it's crisp!
Baste the bottom, raw edge of your bib’s main fabric and lining together.
Repeat these same steps with your second bib if you haven't already done so.
Whew, we are making some progress on our pinafores, aren't we? And on tomorrows agenda we have Part 4 - Waistband!