Baby Bibs

What is cuter than a bright eyed baby with a big smile and strained apricots all over her face, her highchair and bib? The baby can be bathed, the highchair can be hosed down, and the bib can be laundered. The gorgeous white crocheted lace dress that has been handed down for three generations from your husband’s family, however, would have wound up in the ragbag if it hadn’t been for the trusty baby bib!

Yes, baby bibs, those innocuous little heroes, have been with mankind since the dawn of time, ever since a cave parent wondered how to keep the brontosaurus gravy off little Ugg’s new rabbit swaddling clothes. There and then was born one of humankind’s greatest inventions that we, to this day, use every time a spoon of food goes anywhere near baby’s mouth.

The humble bib can be fabricated out of just about any cloth (and a lot of other things in a pinch). There can be fancy bibs, like Icky Baby’s toile print soft bibs for newborns in sweet colors and print. Perhaps you would like to try making your own baby bib. Free patterns abound on the internet, particularly at craft sites. Free baby bib sewing patterns can lead you into all kinds of self expression. Baby bibs made with towels don’t even need a pattern, and they are marvelously absorbent and can take a big spaghetti night in its stride. Try using holiday themed towels and you’ve made a lot of Christmas presents.

But getting back to the free baby bib sewing patterns: you can make a baby bib personalized with the baby’s name, zodiac sign or something cute about their mommy or daddy. Baby bib sayings right now are quite in vogue. My grandson has a bib that says “chick magnet” and I don’t know if I ever saw anything cuter than he and that bib covered with strawberry yogurt.

If you are clever with a hook, why not try a baby bib pattern to crochet a baby bib? You could do a custom made baby bib that would be to pretty to use at dinnertime. Try a military baby bib, and just for fun, do a baby bib with a peace sign. That will surely generate a lot of spirited mealtime conversation.

When your baby becomes too old for a bib (probably about tenth grade, just joking) be sure to put the towels that hold your best memories away in your hope chest or wherever you save the family heirlooms and archives. It’s funny what memories a little piece of cloth can conjure.