Fingertip Towel Bib Tutorial

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fingertip towel bibs!  Why?  Because they cover more than most bibs, they pop on easily AND Snacks can't get them off!!  At least not as easily as bibs with snaps or velcro anyway!  And my little guy seems to be able to manhandle his way out of just about anything!  Fingertip towel bibs are quick and easy to make and there are lots of cute towels out each season, so pick one up and give it a try!  You'll also need some ribbing fabric, but a 1/4 yard will make lots of bibs!

I saw these at Joann's already 50% off in November and snatched them up!
HO HO HO - Snacks is going to look so cute in these when we're out during the holidays!

You'll need to cut a hole toward one end of the towel for the head.
I measured a hole on another bib and cut a template I can use over and over again.
Make your circle slightly smaller than the hole you used because it will increase in size when you sew it.

Trace your circle on the back side and cut it out.
I use washable marker - GREAT sewing tool!!
Drop everything and go get one right now if you don't already have one.
They're that awesome!

OK - with my hole cut, it's now time to do some cipherin'!
Hopefully you didn't sleep through this part of math, but if you did, multiply your diameter by pi (3.1415 . . .) to get the circumference or the distance around the outside of your opening!
If you don't have a calculator, then take a piece of yarn and go around your circle. 
Then measure the length of the yarn :o)

My diameter was approximately 4 1/4" so my circumference was about 12 1/2 "
You will need your neck ribbing band to be smaller than your circumference.
Ribbing is very stretchy, so I cut a band width of about 9"
I wanted my finished band to be about 1 1/2" wide so I cut my band 3"

Sew the short sides of your band together.  You can use a straight stitch for this.
Fold in half lengthwise with your seam to the inside.

On the FRONT side of your bib and on the RAW EDGE of your ribbing band,
use your washable marker to mark halfway points at top and bottom.
Do the same for the sides of the circle and band as well.
Begin by stretching your band and pinning your marks together.

Continue stretching and pinning between these pins until your neck band is pinned all the way around.
The more pins you use, the easier it is to sew - really!
Your bib will appear gathered onto your ribbing at this point.
Sew the raw edge of your band to the raw edge of the circle using an overcast or zigzag stitch.
If you have a serger, that would work even better (alas, I do not!)
You will be stretching your ribbing to make it lay flat against the bib while you sew.
This can be tricky, so I like to go around twice.  Once with the pins, then again without.

Voila!  One DARLING Santa bib!

I told you he was going to look uber-cute in this!  Merry Christmas!!