A car seat cover with elastic is great for cold or windy weather. I sell these at my etsy store (Itty Bitty Fashion) but if you want to make your own, I am happy to share the steps I took!
STEPS:
1. Cut top & bottom fabric 45 1/2" x 35 1/2"
2. Place the fabrics right sides together, place a cutting mat under each corner, take a paper plate, and cut the corners around the side of the paper plate.
Here's what the corners will look like after you cut. Stick a sewing pin in each corner to hold the two fabrics together.
3. Sew around the edge and leave a 5" opening. Seams are 1/4".
4. Cut slits into the corners (but not past where you've sewn). This allows the fabric to curve better when turned inside out.
5. Now turn the cover inside out and where your opening is start sewing 1"-1 1/2" from the edge. This is to create a pocket for your elastic so make sure it will be enough room for your elastic to thread through. Go all the way around.
5 1/2. Yes this is a half step :) I put my straps on after I did the elastic to make sure they were in the right spot, but I would suggest doing your straps at this point. See steps 10-13. Aren't you glad you can learn from my mistakes?!
6. Take your 1/2" or 3/4" elastic (I used 2 yards and then trimmed what was left) and put a safety pin through it.
7. Thread your elastic all the way around and pull it tight to your liking. I cut my elastic and ended up using about 4 feet total, just in case you're making this for someone else!
8. To connect the two ends of my elastic I used my serger. If you don't have a serger, overlap the two ends and sew through & back a couple of times to ensure it holds.
9. Now you can sew the opening. Fold in your fabrics so no raw edges are showing and make sure not to sew over the elastic.
10. Now for the straps. Fold them right sides together hot dog style (length wise). Sew around one short edge and along the long edge with a 1/4" seam.
11. Trim the corners.
12. Turn the straps inside out, fold the fabric in on the one edge you didn't sew, start there and sew around the edges with a 1/4" seam. Sew again over the short edge when you come back around to ensure a strong hold.
13. Place your straps on your carseat cover at 16" down and 12" across. I did a square with an X.
20 comments:
Thanks for the tutorial!
I suggest this site to my friends so it could be useful & informative for them also. Great effort.
thank you for the tutorial. what size elastic did you use?
I used 1/2" but you can do up to 3/4" elastic. Sorry I neglected to share that info! Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
What size fabric did you use for the straps that are folded in half? Thanks:)
The straps are 3 1/2" x 15 1/2". Hope that helps!
I just tried to make this and the placements of the straps is way off. I placed them 16 inches down and 12 inches across just like it said to and it didnt work. I am really disapointed that i wasted all that material for nothing. I have a chicco key fit 30 car seat.
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you - I sell these elastic covers and no one has ever complained that they don't fit on the carseat. However, your fabric/project is not wasted! You can unstitch the straps with a seam ripper , then place the cover on your car seat, and mark where you'd like to place them, then sew them on.
hello,
Its just awesome. thank so much for this nice tutorial.I will use it shortly.Car seat cover is so important for baby.
thank you
jyoti
if you want to put a peep hole how far from the bottom do you place it and how big? Thanks
How would you make this canopy with the elastic and having a zipper in the front?
Thanks for sharing. is this for a 22 lb car seat or a 35 lb seat
I have a friend that would like me to make one like this (elastic on the edges) but make it for over the handle with an opening to grab the handle through. Any thought on how to accomplish the opening?
Best designs and also the tips are so good regarding the sewing.
Alright- I put the elastic through before I did the straps!?!?! I don't know what I was thinking!!! Do you suggest any measurements. I used 3/4 in elastic in my 1.5 in seam.
Thanks for this! It came out great. Its really sunny here so I used canvas material. But its not really too thick. Do you have any suggestions on fabrics i could use that are tightly woven to keep the sun out but breathable.I mean there are gaps for air ventilation at the sides.
I used a cotton cover on my little one and she got a lil tan. :(
Thanks so much for providing this tutorial. Like another commenter, I also have a Chicco KeyFit carseat and found that the strap measurements were a bit off, but I was easily able to seam-rip them off and move them lower. So for KeyFit, I'd recommend placing the straps more like 19" down, rather than 16" (12" across worked great.) Thanks again.
Awesome, thank you....I made these for my babies over 20 years ago from a simplicity pattern, and these days everyone is using them (without the elastic) and the wind blows them away (pointless). The elastic makes all the difference! I also added a window to the one I made...Out of Zelda fabric...awesome, thanks again!
any ideas on how i can make this with a split in the front. I'm not quite sure how to do it, with the elastic going around the front thanks
Nice Blog, thanks for shearing. stapler sewing machine
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