DIY Car Seat Cover

When Hensley was an infant and it was cold outside, I'd just cover her up with a blanket all the way up to her chinnie-chin-chin and out we'd go. Daycie will have nothing of the sort, however. Since the day we brought her home from the hospital, she has thrown a fit if I covered her arms with a blanket and ended up kicking off the blanket after a few minutes.

We had quite a chilly winter here in SC this year (we even got snow!) so I found myself with a dilemma...don't go anywhere or find a way to keep my pumpkin-butt warm.

Obviously I chose the latter solution and went to work trying to find a cover to keep her snuggie in her car seat. First I got one of these...

...and didn't even get out of the store before returning. I should have known she would still throw a fit (HELLO, MOM! My arms are still covered up!).

So then I decided I would just buy her one of those snap-to-the-handle covers that are sold on Etsy and Ebay and stuff. That would solve my issue...except for the fact that they're an arm and a leg! Yeah, this frugalista would NEVER pay those prices! So I decided to make my own...with absolutely NO instructions whatsoever.

I bought some GORGEOUS fabrics and sat in my sewing room and thought and pondered and tinkered with laying the fabric until I decided that I would just simplify the whole thing as much as I could and see what I came up with.

Here's the fabric I decided to use...

GORGEOUS!!!

Here's what I did:

1. I put the handle of the car seat all the way in the "upright" position (how it would be if I were carrying it).

2. I measured from the center of the handle to where I wanted the cover to end, on both the front and the back.

3. Then I measured from the center of the handle over to the sides of the car seat...again measuring where I wanted the cover to end.

If you're using a Graco SnugRide Car Seat (what I have), then you can just use my measurements if you want yours to look like mine. Here is the car seat I have...

Want to compare your car seat to see if the dimensions are the same? Click here to be taken to the Amazon.com page with info about the SnugRide.

Here are my horribly rudimentary Paint sketches with the measurements. NOTE: Below stated measurements DO NOT include hem allowances. ADD HEM ALLOWANCES!!!

I added 1" hem allowances to all sides of my fabric, and then cut my pieces. You're going to essentially make a blanket with your two fabrics. I used a paisley print for the outside and a white microfurry fabric for the underside. So I placed them RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER and sewed them together, leaving a 4" section unsewn so I could turn it right side out. After doing that, I tucked that section together, sewed it closed, and then sewed a seam as close to the edge as I could get around all four sides. I call this "sealing" the blanket, but I'm sure that's not the right name. : )

Ok, that part is all finished. Now you'll need to make the pieces that will snap together around the handles. Guess what? You're going to do it nearly the same way you made the blanket! I have typed and re-typed instructions on how to measure for these two pieces, and I keep deleting what I've written because it is confusing. Instead, just use my measurements. ; ) Even if you're not using a SnugRide, this part shouldn't change. Here is yet another horribly rudimentary Paint sketch:

You will have to add your own hem allowances to those measurements as well. I used 1" for all sides. I used my outer fabric to make the snap flaps, but you could use a coordinating fabric or the underside fabric. Get creative! You'll construct them basically the same way you did the blanket part. Put right sides together, sew three sides, flip it right side out, and "seal" it.

Sewing them to the blanket can be a little tricky. In the Paint sketch above that shows the whole blanket, I placed the flaps generally where they'll need to go. They will be closer to one side than the other. The best way to do this is to lay the blanket on your car seat and kind of fit it all together with pins. Here's another Paint sketch showing you where your flaps should be...generally.

Once you've got them placed where you want them, you're going to sew them to the blanket part with three stitch lines, like this...

The last step is to apply snaps or velcro (or closure-device of your choice) to the flaps so that it stays put on your car seat. A word to the wise, put your cover on the car seat and wrap the flaps around the handles...the handles of the SnugRide car seat are wider on one side than they are on the other, so you're snaps aren't going to be perfectly even. I'd use a fabric marker or a washable marker to mark some reference dots.

I used snaps for Daycie's cover because Snap Pliers are inexpensive and easy to use. Here are the ones I have...

You can pick them up just about anywhere. They'll be cheapest at a Superstore, though. I think I paid $7.99 for mine.

After you apply snaps or velcro (or safety pins, if you don't have either of those), you're all done! Put it on your car seat and enjoy!