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Upcycled Grown-Up Bibs!

Posted on February 20, 2013October 20, 2020 by Bonnie

This month’s Dinner for 2 project at Hopeful Threads is all about bibs.  If you’ve been reading along, you already know that here in Florida, we’re collecting handmade bibs for the Hidden Treasures Foster Home in China.  (You can read more here:  Big Kid Bibs for Hidden Treasures.)  The project is actually called Dinner for 2, though, because over in Louisiana, Anita is collecting bibs for the residents at Grace Nursing Home!  I couldn’t let the month pass by without sewing a few adult bibs to send her way.

Remember how I said that I had collected a pile of thrifted men’s button-down shirts in anticipation of the Upcycled Men’s Shirt Challenge at Project Run & Play?  Well, guess what I did with the extra shirts?  I turned them into bibs for a few of the men at Grace Nursing Home! 

First up, the plaid dress shirt version:

Here’s the fun-loving, novelty version:

Finally, the casual flannel shirt version.
Aren’t they fun?  Using thrifted shirts in good condition saved on fabric costs and gave them a more grown-up look!  Sewing them was really easy, too.  I scaled my Big Kid Snap Bib pattern up to adult size, using my husband as my model. For each bib, I cut the front and back body from the front and back of a men’s large button-down shirt.  To add some absorbency, I also cut a hidden body layer of flannel. Before I started sewing things together, I stitched the button placket on the front shut. For the wraparound neck piece, I used coordinating fabric, cutting the same three layers. Once I stitched each neck piece to each body piece, I just followed the instructions from the Big Kid Snap Bib pattern, making the diameter of the neck about 7 1/2″. Easy peasy, right?

I had planned to just blog about these adult bibs, but I couldn’t resist drawing up a pattern for you to use. There’s still time to add to the collection heading to Louisiana! You might even want to sew them for other things, too! Wouldn’t they be perfect for the tasters at a chili cook-off or maybe the contestants at a pie-eating contest or even just for the grown-up messy eaters at home? Okay, here’s the link to the pattern: The Grown-Up Bib. This is only the pattern. For the instructions, you’ll need to go download this pattern and follow the steps I mentioned above: The Big Kid Snap Bib. UPDATE: You can now download the free Bibs in All Sizes Pattern which includes the Grown-Up Bib right here: Bibs in All Sizes Pattern.

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21 thoughts on “Upcycled Grown-Up Bibs!”

  1. Darlene Aleckson says:
    June 28, 2018 at 6:02 am

    They are called clothing protectors for adults. Bibs are for babies.?

    Reply
    1. debzu says:
      October 26, 2019 at 1:45 am

      The definition of bib is a garment worn hanging from the neck on the chest to protect clothing from accidentally spilled food. Bibs are frequently used by young children, especially infants, but also by adults and those enjoying a lobster meal 🙂

      Reply
  2. Carol says:
    July 4, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing and the free download. Nice pattern and all sizes included!

    Reply
  3. elizabeth Gault says:
    August 26, 2018 at 12:40 pm

    I get the pics but not the pattern. am I doing something wrong?

    Reply
    1. Bonnie says:
      August 26, 2018 at 1:42 pm

      Hi, Elizabeth!
      Here’s the direct link to where you can go to download the free pattern: https://www.craftsy.com/sewing/patterns/bibs-in-all-sizes-infant-through-adult-/484180
      Enjoy! Bonnie

      Reply
  4. elizabeth Gault says:
    August 26, 2018 at 12:40 pm

    I cannot see the pattern. All I get in my pdf is the pics from the website. help please. e

    Reply
  5. Margaret Taylor says:
    November 18, 2018 at 1:39 pm

    I also cannot see the pattern don’t know what I’m doing wrong.

    Reply
    1. Bonnie says:
      November 18, 2018 at 3:04 pm

      Hi, Margaret! Here’s the direct link to where you can download the pattern: Bibs in All Sizes

      Reply
      1. Dara says:
        October 20, 2020 at 2:57 am

        Nope, just takes you to the Craftsy webpage

        Reply
        1. Bonnie says:
          October 20, 2020 at 11:22 am

          Thank you for reminding me that this pattern needed to be moved back to my blog now that Craftsy is no more. If you click on the link in the post now, it will open up the pattern for you!

          Reply
  6. Teresa says:
    July 1, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    My daughter and I have been making these for area nursing homes. They are easy to make for her as a beginning seamstress. The group we make them with also adds a thin layer of vinyl, like a cheap shower curtain, to the main body portion along with the flannel in case there is a big spill. We call them dignity bibs

    Reply
  7. Toesnbib says:
    October 15, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    Bummer! The pattern is no longer at the site posted.

    Reply
    1. Bonnie says:
      October 20, 2020 at 11:21 am

      Thank you for reminding me that this pattern needed to be moved back to my blog now that Craftsy is no more. If you click on the link in the post now, it will open up the pattern for you!

      Reply
  8. Sara Bruce says:
    October 19, 2020 at 6:36 pm

    Would you make the pattern available again?

    Reply
    1. Bonnie says:
      October 20, 2020 at 11:22 am

      Thank you for reminding me that this pattern needed to be moved back to my blog now that Craftsy is no more. If you click on the link in the post now, it will open up the pattern for you!

      Reply
  9. caitlyn says:
    March 24, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    i know this is an old post, but i’m trying to make bibs for my friends 12 year old special needs son. he is pretty small so i think the adult bib would be too large, but was wondering what size the big kid bib fits? thanks

    Reply
  10. Gloria J Westerman says:
    May 19, 2021 at 3:21 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this…I want to make some for my local nursing home.?.tfs

    Reply
  11. Gretchen Brunett says:
    September 6, 2021 at 11:45 pm

    Looking for your adult bib pattern. No success. Help please.

    Reply
  12. Martha says:
    January 24, 2022 at 7:26 pm

    Hello !
    Smiles from Virginia. Is there a pattern for the neck piece? Is the shirt layered?

    Reply
  13. Josie says:
    January 11, 2024 at 7:19 pm

    Hello !
    No difficulty downloading the pdf file.
    I printed adult size. Does not says how many of each we need to cut (front of the big kid 1 or 2 ?)
    not quite sure how to assemble it …

    thanks

    Reply
    1. Bonnie says:
      January 15, 2024 at 3:59 pm

      Hi, Josie! There’s a link in the pattern that should take you here: https://www.hemmein.com/how-to-use-a-pdf-pattern/. That post will explain how to assemble my patterns. The number that you need to cut of each piece is printed on the pattern. For the Adult Big, you’ll cut 1 front, 1 hidden layer, and 1 back reversed.

      Reply

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About Me I'm Bonnie, and it's so nice to meet you! This blog is where I share my love of sewing and a bit about my life as a mom, foster mom and GiGi. Pull up a chair and visit for a while! Read more about me right here.

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