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Sewing: Chenille Bib {Pattern & Tutorial}

Chenille? Chenille Cut? Slash Chenille? Heirloom Cut Chenille? Faux Chenille? Fake Chenille? What ever the name is, it is basically slashing a few layers of flannels between the parallel stitching lines, fray the raw edges to make the “caterpillar” piles that give the warm and smooth look that we want to touch and feel. Making chenille is fun and looking at how beautiful the raw edges fray is exhilarating!!! Imagine how we used to hide our ugly raw edge by overlocking it and/or hem it with various kind of seam techniques…. Now, we expose it and feel proud of it!!!!

Initially, I planned to make chenille blankets for my kids but after seeing a drooling baby, he really needs a super absorbent wonder bib urgently, so, I adapted the chenille technique into the bib and made some for him I used cotton flannels (flannelettes) so that it is not so warm, yet, able to absorb ounces of saliva.

Get the details on how to sew this chenille bib after this jump:

Materials (to make 1 bib):
(Pre-wash all fabrics before sewing)
1. Top fabric (cotton) (10″ x 14″)
2. White Muslin (10″ x 14″)
3. 3 pcs. of coordinating color cotton flannels/flannelettes (10″ x 14″), I used 2 white and 1 blue
4. Snap button or Velcro fastener
5. Bib pattern

Tools:
1. Sewing Machine (best with 1/4″ presser foot)
2. Matching color sewing thread
3. Sewing essentials
4. Chenille Cutter or Slasher (able to slash on 1/4″ slot), or blunt point scissors

Trace your own bib pattern from your kid’s favorite bib or print this letter size pdf pattern. Don’t scale the printing otherwise the size may not be right. The size is suitable for baby 6-12 months (the drooling age).

Stack, pin and sew the following (from Top to Bottom):
1. White muslin, draw a 45º diagonal line (top left to bottom right corner) at the center as a guide
2. White flannel,
3. Blue flannel,
4. White flannel
Sew parallel straight lines diagonally across the pile, 1/4″ apart (use 1/4″ presser foot as guide). Accuracy is not very important but don’t get them too close to each other otherwise your slasher can’t go in.
Insert the slasher into the “tunnel” with 3 flannels on top and a muslin at the bottom, since we are only going to slash the flannels and not the muslin.
Hold the corner firmly and push the slasher along the way to cut through the layers of flannel.
Repeat until you have finished convert all “tunnels” into “canals”.
Carefully clear your slasher’s blade if there are excessive lints caught in there.
A closer look on the flannels after the slashing. If you don’t have chenille cutter or slasher, you can always use a pair of blunt point scissor to cut.
If you wonder how a chenille cutter or a slasher looks like, they are similar to rotary cutter but with a protruded guide attached to it. Use the guide to slot into the “tunnel” and slash whatever is above the guide. Or click here to view the product.

Trace the bib pattern onto the wrong side of the top fabric. Remember to flip your pattern to the back if you are tracing on the wrong side with fabric erasable marker.
Now, place your top fabric onto the chenille with right side down.
Pin and sew. Leave a 2″ opening at the bottom for turning the bib right side out.
Trim the bib with about 1/4″ to 3/8″ seam allowance. Clip curve (snip on concave and notch on convex).
Turn bib inside out through the opening. Stitch up the opening.
Smooth out the curve and seam line. Press.
Top stitch near to edge. Install snap button or velcro fastener.
Throw the bib into washing machine, wash and fray it!!!! The caterpillar look chenille is formed. You may need to wash another 1 or 2 times to reduce the lint produce from the fray.

I made some and given away to my friends. It is the one of the quickest gifts I have ever made and it is great as baby shower gifts too. As you may have noticed, I have made some with binder edge too. I am hoping to come out with the bias binder tutorial soon. So, stay tuned!

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