DIY: Baby Car Seat Tent/Cover/Canopy

10:19 PM

DIY: Car Seat Tent/Cover/Canopy



This is so easy to make!

I meant to make this car seat cover as a Christmas present for my sister and her new baby girl. Alas morning sickness took over my entire life and crafting became a thing of the past.

Today was a day that I never thought I would see again in my entire life... I did something crafty. As dramatic as this might sound to some of you out there, I truly felt that I would never feel like myself ever again. I know there are a few of you women who can sympathize with me. As I held my rotary cutter in one hand, and smoothed out the fabric with the other I sighed a sigh of pure joy that I had finally hit my 16 week mark in this pregnancy of mine, and that I had FINALLY caught my second wind. Thank the heavens above. And now enough of my babbling and lets make ourselves a car seat tent/cover.


I couldn't believe how easy this was! I whipped it up during my son's 2 hour nap today, no pattern no nothing. I know there are probably a ton of ways of doing this.. but this is my way. Hope it helps!

*You'll need a yard of fabric for the topside and a yard of fabric for the underside.
*About 1/4 a yard of a solid color of fabric for the trim/ruffle that will be sewn all around the entire tent.
*thread to match
*something to cut with
*a dinner plate
*Velcro
*any other embellishment of your choice


Here we go..

1. Lay out your two separate pieces of fabric (each a yard). Place them on top of each other matching them perfectly right sides together. (Obviously I didn't put right sides together in the picture... but I suggest doing this to avoid extra steps. Basically I wish I would have done that fist off. Sorry it's been awhile.)

Measure about 4-5 inches off the top and cut straight off. These cut off pieces will be perfect for the straps to hold the tent to your car seat.

2. Get you dinner plate. At each corner slide the dinner plate as far as you can and cut excess fabric to form a rounded edge. Do all four sides this way.
(See right sides together... just the way you want it!)

3. Put this fabric to the side and get out 1/4 yard of solid fabric. Cut this fabric into 2 inch strips.

4. Sew each strip together to form a really long strip.
5. Take the long 2 inch strip and fold it in half like a taco so the fabric becomes one inch thick. Iron the fabric so that it stays put. Now you should have a very long 1 inch thick piece of fabric. One edge should have the two raw edges touching.

6. Gather the solid fabric to create pleats or ruffles. Pin this in between the large top and bottom pieces. Be sure that your top and bottom pieces are still right sides together. All raw edges should meet up. The folded edge of the solid strip should be facing in between the fabric, kinda like a sandwich. (Does this make sense?? Click here, Check out my flirty apron tutorial. I did the ruffle the same way here as I did for this car seat tent. If that doesn't help email me!!!!)7. Sew all along the entire perimeter of the car seat tent leaving a small opening to pull the fabric through so that the right sides will show.
8. Iron flat! Tack down the small opening that you fed the tent through as well.

9. Now for the straps. Simply use the left over strips from earlier. I trimmed them down a bit. Sew them together, and press with an iron.

10. Each car seat's handle is slightly different. I assembled the tent and straps with pins on the actually car seat to get it just right.

Sew the straps on the car seat cover

Glue or sew Velcro on the edges of the straps.

Velcro your new car seat tent/cover on your car seat! Your done!! Now you can take your cute little baby all over town in style and safe from all the elements!

Oh, and if you want you can embellish the straps however you like. I decided to keep it simple... I mean this was my first crafty project in about 4 months. I gotta ease into this stuff. :) Now for a nap..




-Megan

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16 comments

  1. I should have paid you to make one. I bought one (on sale HA!) for like $40ish bucks... ouch. I would have sewn one but watching me sew is entertainment. Probably should make a movie. Yours looks fabulous!!

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  2. Love it. I've been planning on making one, now I'm just that more motivated, and you made it look easy enough! Thanks!

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  3. I am so glad you posted this on facebook. I really wanted to make one of these for my baby. I don't remember anything like this just a few years ago. With your tutorial I think I might actually be able to pull it off. It won't be as cute as yours but it will function properly. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. About a week ago, my mom was mentioning that she had seen these and wanted to make them, but didn't know how. I sent her this link, and she's already whipped out two - one for me and one for my sister-in-law who's due in a month and a half. :)

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  5. I'm glad you posted this. I could have ended up spending quite a bit on Etsy. Thank you from a frugal mommy :)

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  6. Plate for rounded edges = genius. Oh thank you! :)

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  7. Just finished one for my fourth granddaughter due in January! It turned out beautiful. Added some embroidery to the one side.

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  8. Just a note, I learned the hard way: If your pattern goes vertically you will want 1 and a 1/4 yards so you have enough to get the 42" the other direction. Thanks for the instructions!

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  10. I Love the directions - I have been looking at them - And didn't want to spend the $ - No I can do it myself... Any suggestion on how to add a slit down the middle for an opening?

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  11. when you say "right sides together" u mean inside out? and also the step about measuring 4-5 inches from the top and then cutting I don't quite understand that step. I am obviously not a pro sewer

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  12. What Amanda said above..plus what did Melonie mean about vertically? Thanks..

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  13. What Amanda Berry said and what did melonie mean about more Fabric? Where? Cut how? Thanks!

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  14. Another tip: Many women tend to carry these car seats in the crook of our arms. Spread the velcro tabs apart a bit in order to leave enough clearance for your arm to fit through. I like to make these as shower gifts and pair them with "Arm Saver Pads" in a coordinating fabric. If you make a pad to go with your canopy make sure to leave enough room between your tabs for that as well. =)

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