Nursing Cover/ Car Seat Canopy Tutorial

I'm baaaack! Did you miss me?

After having my sweet baby I realized that I needed a nursing cover* and car seat canopy. Then I thought "why not combine the two?"  My awesome sister-in-law did a tutorial about a year ago on her blog for a "hooter hider"/nursing cover and I had another tutorial for the canopy in mind. They both give great tutorials and I'm going to just restate what they said to help with the combining.

What you are going to need:
1 1/3 yards of fabric for the body of the canopy/cover
1/2 yard of fabric for the accents
coordinating thread
fabric marking pen/pencil
sew on velcro
1 (1/4 " wide) 16 inch piece of boning
2 metal "D" rings

All seam allowances are 1/4 inches. The parts for the canopy are in blue and the parts for the nursing cover are in green.

STEP 1:
Start the body of the canopy/cover

  • Cut the body to have the dimensions of 35 inches wide x 42 inches long. My fabric had a right side up so make sure that you pay attention to if yours does as well when you cut.
  • Press a quarter inch seam around each edge and fold over and press again. 
  • Sew left, right, and bottom edge of the body.

STEP 2:
Make the straps-
  • Cut TWO 6 inch x 9 inches strips
    • fold in half long ways (with patterned sides touching) and sew up the long side and along one short side
    • turn right side out making sure to poke out the corners with a pen or chopstick (as was used in the other tutorial) and press with seam on side.
    • Fold unsewn edges in an sew
    • Sew around each edge (a quarter inch in)
    • Sew Velcro onto strips so that when piece loops around the handle they attach to each other.
  • Cut ONE 4 1/4 inch x 38 inches strip
    • cut 12 inches off 
    • fold in half long ways (with patterned sides touching) and sew up the long side. On the long piece (piece A) taper one end. Cut excess fabric. See step three here.
    • Turn right side out, making sure to poke out the corners/tip with pen or chopstick and press with seam in middle of the back.
    • Sew around each edge (a quarter inch in)
    • Thread 12 inch piece (piece B) through D rings and fold piece in half. Sew under D rings. See step two here
Nursing Cover straps. Note the tapered end of the longer piece. 
The edges of the straps for the canopy.
STEP 3:
Sew straps on
  • On the top edge measure 9 inches from the center and mark.
  • Line up the center of the straps(for the nursing cover) with the marks, tuck under the pressed seam so that the straps are pointed toward the bottom of the body, and pin in place.
  • Sew the entire length of the top seam
  • Thread boning into place between the straps.
  • Fold the straps up and pin in place.
  • Sew around the edges of the straps.
  • For the canopy the straps need to be 19" from the top, 11 1/2 from either side, and have 5 1/2 inches between the straps. It should be about 21" from the bottom. I had to tweak mine a little bit because my car seat is a little different. I would suggest pinning the straps and seeing how they fit on your seat. 
Final view of the cover straps. 
Boning
The finished product.
Final product on my car seat. Isn't it cute? Please ignore my ugly flooring.
 This was a fun and east project that I'm sure I'll get lots of function out of! Oh and I forgot to mention the fabric is an adorable Mother Goose Toile I got at Hobby Lobby.

*My amazing friend crocheted me a beautiful nursing cover I want to keep at the house so it doesn't get all yucky!

15 comments :

Love Sweet Love said...

That turned out ADORABLE!

Jordan McCollum said...

This is so brilliant!

Just Jaime said...

This is really smart. And yes, we missed you around here!

Tracy said...

This is so cute and useful :)
If only someone had come up with this when I was nursing my daughters (16yrs ago). I had to use just a receiving blanket. This is so much cuter.

They call me grandma said...

Well done. It turned out so nice.

And, I think your floor is a nice neutral that is functional and easy to clean. That being said, just call when you are ready to put down the wood.

Love you :)

Heather Landry said...

I think it's super cute! I always just threw a blanket over mine but your way is so much more fashionable. I love it!

Ashley said...

I gave you an award! http://jaysonandashley.blogspot.com/2011/07/liebster-award.html
go check it out!:)
xo
ash

Abby said...

Super cute idea!

Jill said...

Pretty AND useful! Great project!


Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a great week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

Jami said...

What a clever idea! Love the fabric you chose! Thanks so much for linking up to the Tuesday To Do Party!
Smiles!
Jami

annies home said...

how very cute great idea

Ashley said...

thank you so much for sharing and linkin up with tell me tuesday!!
you rock!
xoxo
ash

Vanessa @ {nifty thrifty things} said...

Clever idea and it turned out really cute!
Thank you for linking this up to {nifty thrifty sunday} last week as well!
xoxo,
Vanessa

Ashlee Marie said...

What a great idea to combine the two! I'm featuring this tutorial tonight! Thanks for linking up again to Topsy Turvy Tuesday's! I'm now debating making one for myself!

N said...

Brilliant!! That is one less thing to put in the diaper bag. :)

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