Baby's Bib ~ A Vintage Reproduction From 1885

I'm a daily blogger so it bothers me when almost two days go by and I haven't written anything. The truth is that for the past few days, my lower back has been having a nervy spaz and has been making my normal activities challenging. I seem to be on the mend though and I'm ready to show you my latest endeavor.

I'm working on getting a first generation picture for you, but for now, I'll show you the beginning of my 1895 Baby's Bib. The project pictured here is not finished yet. There is still an edging that needs to be added. I think there is enough done for you to get an idea of the general look of the bib.

When I was picking out my next pattern to work on, this vintage baby's bib just kept attracting me. It's so sweet and only in 1895 would a bib be made from lace with scalloped trim. I also like it from a practical point of view. When my boys were little, I hated the bibs with hook and loop fasteners because I'd always forget to close them before washing and then I'd take the bibs out of the dryer to find them clinging to and damaging the fabric of other garments. The bibs that went right over the head were among my favorites, but if it was a particularly messy meal, you had to be mighty careful removing that bib. Of course there were those that snapped and tied and I guess that's the bib camp to which I belonged.

That's a lot of thinking about bibs isn't it? *giggle* Hey, this is important stuff for at least a couple of years! So I like this design because in addition to having a cool vintage appeal, it also provides nice coverage and is easy on and off. The original bib was made with silk bows on the shoulders, but I'm going to exchange them for crocheted bows that can double as ties. There are just too many kids out there who would happily pull off an untied bib. I also want the finished piece to be practical enough to throw into the washer and dryer; a consideration not had by most households in 1895.

Well that's what I've been up to while nursing my achy back. I'm sort of struggling with the right language to use to talk about these patterns I'm making. The verbs transcribe and reproduce don't always feel accurate. Although my goal is to have a finished product that looks as much like the original as possible, I find myself making so many changes as I rework these patterns. Maybe that's the word for it "rework". I'll figure it out.