How to Sew a Toddler Car Seat Cover

It is difficult to keep a toddler car seat clean without being able to remove the seat cover to wash it. Making your own toddler car seat cover is an affordable way to make a neat covering that is easy to remove and throw in the wash. Use fire-resistant fabric to keep your toddler safe in the car seat and to not void its warranty.

Things You'll Need

• Fire-resistant fabric
• Batting
• Fabric backing
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Tape measure
• Straight pins
• 1/4-inch wide elastic

Instructions

Measurements

1. Measure the length and width of your car seat all the way to the edge of the original car seat cover, and make sure the tape measure lays flat against the seat area for the full measurements. Add 1 inch to each side of the fabric for seam allowances.

2. Lay out your fabric and transfer and mark the position of the measurements onto the fabric using straight pins. Cut a simple rectangle and lay it across the car seat to transfer the curved corner measurements to the fabric.

3. Fit the fabric well into the seat and smooth it out. Line up the corners with the original car seat and use straight pins to mark the line to cut the edges at the four corners by feeling the original edge through the fabric.

4. Use straight pins to mark the position of the seat belt straps by feeling the seat belt slots through the fabric.

Cuts and Stitches

1. Lay the fabric onto the work surface and round the corners by cutting away the excess fabric.

2. Lay the backing fabric right side up and place the fire-resistant fabric onto the right side facing down. Cut the backing fabric's edges to match the fire-resistant fabric front.

3. Pin the edges together and start sewing from the bottom edge all the way around, but leave a small opening to turn the cover inside out.

4. Cut little snips into the excess fabric between the edge and the stitching--but not through the stitching--around each rounded corner. Turn the toddler seat cover inside out.

5. Cut a piece of batting to the same shape as the car seat cover and insert it through the opening. Use straight pins to hold the batting in place.

Finishing Touches

1. Sew a top stitch ½ inch from the outer edge of the cover, starting from one side of the opening all the way around to the other side of the opening. Feed the elastic through this band using a large safety pin pinned to one end of the elastic until it comes out on the other side. Even out the elastic gather and sew the two ends of the elastic together.

2. Fold in the two sides of the opening, press flat and pin to close the opening. Sew a stitch across to close the cover.

3. Use a buttonhole stitch to sew two long, horizontal buttonholes through the toddler car seat cover for the seat belt straps and one central buttonhole for the seat buckle. Cut the slits open with fine scissors or a seam ripper.

4. Unfasten the seat belt from the back of the car seat and insert it through the toddler car seat cover. Stretch the cover over the car seat's edges for a snug fit.

References

• Make Them Yourself: Universal Toddler Car Seat Pattern

Resources

• RitzyBaby: Toddler Car Seat Covers
• Chic Covers