How to Make a Cover for a Child's Car Seat

Make a new cover for your child's car seat.

Making a cover for your child's car seat allows you to create a unique cover that fits your child's personality or simply covers the stains on the old seat. You can save a good amount of cash by making your own covers instead of buying a new one each time you need a replacement, and you can find all the materials you need in a local craft store.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Quilt batting
• Old cover or cover pattern
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Scissors
• 1-inch thick ribbon (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose an outer fabric for your baby's car seat cover. The fabric you use is up to you. Some parents like to use an upholstery fabric that is more durable while others like to use soft cotton fabrics that breathe. Once you know the type of fabric you want to use, choose a color or pattern you and your child like.

2. Remove all the seams from your old car seat cover until it lays flat to get a pattern to use that will fit the car seat. If you don't have an old cover to use, purchase a baby car seat pattern to use on your car seat and cut it out.

3. Lay the old car seat cover or the pattern flat on top of your fabric and trace the pattern onto the fabric. If necessary, pin the pattern onto the fabric and cut out the pattern. Cut out two patterns from your new fabric either by cutting them one at a time or by folding the new fabric on top of itself and cutting out two at the same time. Lay the pattern on top of the quilt batting and cut a pattern out of the quilt batting.

4. Place the quilt batting in between the two pieces of fabric and pin them securely together along the edges. Make sure all the edges align before you begin sewing.

5. Sew the seams of the car seat together, beginning with the ones on the innermost part of the car seat cover, working your way out. Sew them together on the backside of the car seat cover so the seams are hidden when you place the cover on the car seat.

6. Sew the outside edges of the car seat together and trim off any excess fabric. Remove all pins from the fabric before sewing it together to avoid damaging your sewing machine.

7. Fold a one-inch thick piece of ribbon over the outer edges of your car seat cover and sew it down. This step is optional, but it gives the outer edges of your car seat a nice finish.

8. Measure the distance from the top of the car seat and cut slits into the top of the cover to feed the seat straps through. Use a needle and thread to sew this inside seam together so the quilt batting doesn't come out.

References

• Unique Baby Gear Ideas: How to Make a Baby Car Seat Cover
• Happy News: How to Make a Baby Car Seat Cover