in preparation...

We've got some serious drool to contend with from this little punkin' but have I also mentioned that she's started eating solids?

I've been trying to fatten her up.  A little banana here and there, and rice cereal are now a part of Mia's diet.  Bibs are suddenly more than just 'pretty little things' ~ and I need lots of them.

So... in preparation for the ruffle bib tutorial (which will be here within a few days) I looked back at some of my fave bibs I've made over the years:

1. french general ruffle baby bib, 2. ruffle baby bib patch, 3. handmade patchwork "schoolhouse bib", 4. rocket boy bib, 5. little apple bib, 6. eat up baby bib, 7. handmade bib for miss o, 8. more oranges, please!, 9. strawberry picnic bib, 10. linen and patchwork baby bib, 11. blue bib, 12. baby j, 13. pretty baby bib

And I thought about materials I like to use:

I mean, besides my huge supply of quilting cotton, these are my favorites and all can be used in any combination:

1. Chenille.  It gets softer and fluffier once you've washed it.  I've used it tons and seen how it lasts wash after wash.  Love it ~ I get mine from JoAnn's but you might find an old bedcover made of this stuff in Grammy's closet and I bet she won't miss it.
2. Knit.  This particular print is Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic that I found in a shop, but JoAnn's has a small knit selection and you have a ton of it in the form of outgrown tops and tshirts, even dresses.  I love to re-purpose material this way.
3. Gauze.  Okay, so this stuff is hard to find ~ it's usually from Japan (expensive) but comes in the cutest prints and is soft and light as air.  Just perfect for baby things.  I've mostly gotten mine from Superbuzzy, but you can search it on etsy, and every once in a while a friend might send you some as a gift (wink wink, Annie).
4. Flannel.  Of course, you can find tons of this stuff at JoAnn's and online but if you happen to receive one too many flannel blankets at your baby shower, you might just cut up one of those and repurpose it.  Easy peasy.
5. Terry cloth.  I got mine from, yes, you guessed it... JoAnn's.  It may look matted and unappetizing in the store, but once you get it home and wash it... aah, soft.  Or you could cut up an old towel ~ just sayin'.

So, you might wonder what I've left out.  Well, I don't care for laminated fabric, I haven't loved how linen looks after a lot of wear, and I am not a fan of minky (not absorbant) ~ to give you a few examples.  I think my favorite combo is gauze and chenille, like these burp cloths I just made: 

They're oh so buttery soft.  But since gauze is kinda costly, I think quilting cotton and chenille is my actual real fave combination.  Last week I made this bib with prints from Tasha Horsley's new line, "The Simple Life"...

I also made a ruffle bib, but it's going to be the star of the tutorial that's taken me eons to write for this blog.  Sorry.  I'm off to a soccer game!  Oh and here are my recent flickr faves:

1. Stars, 2. Happy Chair: flower applique pillow, 3. New blue & green floral fabrics, 4. wool, 5. silver caddy, 6. pretty florals, 7. mug mat houses, 8. Untitled, 9. IMG_0582, 10. Bag!, 11. 8 looks I love, 12. bird wings for halloween, 13. Spring flower

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Have a great weekend and check back in a few days for the ruffle baby bib tutorial!

xo amy