How to Make an Infant Carseat Cover

Update a car seat cover with this basic sewing pattern.

Making a new car seat cover can update an old, stained cover or prepare a car seat for a new baby boy or girl, if the old color does not fit your new nursery patterns. With a moderate amount of sewing skill, you can have an up-to-date and chic cover for your child's car seat.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Tissue paper or tracing paper
• Safety pin
• Pins
• 3/4-inch wide elastic

Instructions

1. Measure the length and width of the car seat. In order to allow for enough fabric to wrap around the seat, add 10 inches onto each measurement.

2. Lay tissue paper or tracing paper on the floor and draw the measurements on with a pencil, marking the sides, top and bottom. Connect each mark with a curved line, making a circle.

3. Cut out the pattern.

4. Fold your fabric in half, right sides together, so that the pattern or front of the fabric is folded together. Lay the pattern on top, matching the edges.

5. Pin the pattern onto the fabric, and cut the fabric along the pattern edge.

6. Sew three sides of the cover, using a 5/8-inch seam allowance.

7. Turn the fabric right side out and sew the last side, leaving a one-inch hole open.

8. Fold the edge of the fabric one inch under and sew. This will create a casing for elastic. Leave the one-inch hole open.

9. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and push it into the hole. Continue to push the pin around the casing to pull the elastic all the way around the fabric.

10. Sew the elastic on one end of the casing, so you can pull it tight. Stretch the elastic by pulling on the unsewed end, and sew the other end of the elastic. This will allow the seat cover to tighten down on the seat with the elastic.

11. Cut openings for the seat buckles and reinforce openings by stitching around the holes.

Tips & Warnings

• Use thread that matches the fabric.

References

• Happy Living Magazine: Carseat Cover

Resources

• Make them Yourself: Free Patterns