Quilted Baby Bib Tutorial with the Fly Away Pattern

This simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com

In this quilted baby bib tutorial using the Fly Away quilt pattern I give you a free bib template, my favorite fabric recommendations and show you step by step how to make this simple project. Why not make a bib that's almost as adorable as the baby wearing it?

If there's a special baby in your life, you know there's really no such thing as too many bibs. Any parent will tell you that the laundry is full of cloth bibs, especially during teething! Need a quick baby shower gift? Or maybe you want to expand your collection of bibs for your sweet drooly kiddo?

The Fly Away quilt blocks give this bib a vintage heirloom look. Don't you think? What new parent wouldn't love a handmade bib just like this? Suzy's daughter Joanna sure does!

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Quilted Bib Tutorial Fabric

This sweet little quilted baby bib is scrap-friendly so you probably have enough fabric already and can make one right now!

​I used a lot of scrap fabric, but here are some links to what I used to make the ones seen here:

Trending patterns!

To make my bibs soft and light, I used cozy fleece for the backing and batting. The front of this patchwork bib features a Fly Away quilt block made from scraps of Liberty of London, chambray, shot cotton and crinkly double gauze.

As with any item you intend to wear and wash, I recommended prewashing your fabric. As someone who loves a good quilt crinkle and rarely prewashes my quilting fabric, I actually always prewash any fabric that I use for garments.

It is no fun to put in the effort to make something beautiful just to have it shrink and not fit! You also want to make sure to wash off any chemicals or sizing on your fabrics before putting them on sensitive baby skin.

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

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This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Quilted Baby Bib Materials

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial
This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Step 1: Make a Fly Away Block — or Four!

Because the Fly Away quilt pattern is scrap-friendly you could even make a Fly Away baby quilt and use leftover scraps to make a matching bib! You may find yourself having so much fun making these blocks, you end up with more than one bib. That’s how I ended up making four bibs for this tutorial!

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

When it comes to making a patchwork bib, soft cottons are the ideal fabric of choice to absorb drool and feel soft against a baby’s delicate skin. Dig through your cotton scraps — the scrappier, the cuter!

Step 2: Cut Out the Bib Pieces

The Fly Away Bib Template makes a finished bib front approximately 8 1/2″ long by 8″ wide, with two size options for neck openings. Each size includes snap placement guides so that the bib size can be extended.

The Size A neck opening ranges from 3″ to 3 1/2″, and Size B ranges from 4″ to 4 1/2″. Keep in mind that you can also adjust your snap placement as you see fit.

Download the Fly Away Bib Template here! Or you can follow these same instructions using a different bib pattern of your choice.

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial
This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Sew a 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of background fabric (or use scraps!) to a Fly Away block. This will extend the size of the Fly Away block so it fits the patchwork bib template. Press the seam open so it’s nice and flat.

Place the bib template on the right side of the pieced block, then trace around the template using a water-soluble pen or marking tool. Don’t forget to mark the snap locations!

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Use fabric scissors or a rotary cutter to cut around the inside edge of the marked template. Trace the template on the wrong side of the backing fabric and cut. 

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial
This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Step 3: Sew the Bib Together

Pin and sew the front and back bib pieces right sides together with a 1/4″ seam, leaving about a 3″-4″ section unsewn. I used a walking foot to help push the thick layers of fabric through without any bunching.

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial
This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Using fabric scissors, clip small notches out of the fabric around the round arms. Be sure these notches do not extend beyond your seam! This helps the curve stay rounded once you turn the bib right side out. 

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Turn the bib right side out through the opening, and use a point turner (or chopstick!) to push the seam toward the outside edges of the bib. After I use a point turner, I find it helpful to gently roll the seam edge with my fingers to really get that seam outward.

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial
This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Fold the unsewn 3″-4″ section under 1/4″ (or enough so that it is even with the surrounding seams), then press the entire bib.

Starting at the top arm of the bib, topstitch around the perimeter of the bib with a 1/8″ seam allowance. I like to increase my stitch length to 3 for a more finished look, but it would be fun to topstitch with a decorative stitch, contrasting thread color, or even hand-stitch!

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Step 4: Add Snaps to Your Quilted Baby Bib

Now to add the finishing touches! I used metal size 16 snaps for these bibs, but I have used plastic snaps on bibs as well. Follow the directions included with the snaps you have.

The stud piece of the snap (the part with the little nipple that snaps into the socket) should go on the underside of the bib arm, and the socket piece of the snap should go on the topside of the bib. You can add more than one snap socket to allow for different sizing options on your bib.

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Apply the snaps to the areas indicated on the bib pattern.

If you feel the urge, you can add some embroidery or hand quilting at this point. Here is a tutorial with video on how to hand quilt - How to Hand Quilt.

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial
This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

Step 5: Use Your Quilted Baby Bibs!

You’re finished! Make one patchwork bib or a set to gift to a new parent or keep for yourself. These sweet bibs have the potential to be passed along to generations of babies in your life, so sit back and feel warm and fuzzy about that. So much wet drooly chafing was prevented because of you!

Have you ever made a baby bib? Would you make your bib scrappy or crisp ‘n coordinated? Let us know in the comments!

This fast and simple quilted baby bib tutorial uses the Fly Away pattern and fabric scraps to make something beautiful! suzyquilts.com #babybib #sewingtutorial

16 thoughts on “Quilted Baby Bib Tutorial with the Fly Away Pattern

  1. Linda Maglione says:

    Oh I love these bibs! Thank you! Just got 2 grandsons within a month this summer!! So excited and more bibs coming up!!! <3

  2. Maureen McGraw says:

    Love this. I just used Mermaid fabric to make a patchwork quilt for upcoming great granddaughter. Will ise this pattern and mermaid fabric to do co-ordinating bib. Thank you.

  3. Linda Powell says:

    In April, I dumped myself off a bed in our motorhome and got a really bad concussion as a result. I am just now beginning to think and feel like myself again. So when your email came today, I said that since I have a great grandson coming (they peeked early) , I can start making some bibs which will be needed soon. So thank you for the tutorial which I will be able to follow even with a bit of a headache still. You are great and a real help to those of us who need a “kick in the pants” every once in a while.

  4. Cheryl says:

    Your fabric is wonderful. I’d love your advice on fabric and quilt design. I currently am working on a bird quilt I am trying to design

  5. Karen says:

    Hi Suzy, what size squares do you start with to make your HST? I bought the flying geese pattern and for the baby size quilt you use 6 inch square. Which is cut into 8 triangles. Will those finished HST be the correct size for the bib? Or should I start with a larger square to make the HSTs? Thanks

  6. Joy says:

    The flying geese bib is delightful! After reading about, I thought my two older granddaughters might want a new dress with similar technique used on the bodice. Just because there’s a new baby on the way, we can’t forget the big sisters! Thanks for sharing your tutorial & design, it’s truly appreciated ❤️

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