Car Seat Canopy

I have two cousins having babies soon....pretty exciting stuff! One isn't due until the end of next month, but has to keep going to the hospital to have her labor stopped. They said after the 1st the won't try and stop her anymore. I thought I had a few weeks to get her car seat canopy/ blanket done, but when she told me that, I decided I needed to hurry it up! Melissa has made some of these so I picked her brain and checked out a few websites.

Angela and Adrienne if you are reading this and haven't received in your present in the mail yet- stop reading, haha!

Here is what you need:
2 1/4 yds of Fabric- I used some light cotton, I wanted the top and bottom different so I got 1 1/8 yd of each (Pattern for the top, Solid for the bottom)
Wide Velcro- mine was 1 1/2 inches wide- you'll need about 4 inches
Thread


After washing and ironing, cut each piece of fabric into 42 x 36 inch rectangle. If your fabric isn't quite 42 inches that is ok - it will drape over the edge a little less. You should have a strip of each piece that is a few inches wide left over- SAVE IT FOR THE STRAPS!

Place the wrong sides together and fold in half.  Place a bowl in each corner and cut around it to make them round. This will make it so that when you put right sides together to sew it up the corners will line up.

This picture was taken AFTER I had cut and sewn that is why the right sides are together...

Now put right sides together and sew around the edge (5/8 seam allowance) BE SURE to leave an opening so you can turn it right side out! My opening was about 12 inches long and it was way too big. Wide enough for your arm to reach into the corners should do the trick...

I serged around mine before flipping them right side out. Just be sure to start and stop a few inches away so that you will be able to tuck in the fabric when you are ready to close up the hole. I pinned mine so I wouldn't forget and accidentally close mine up. 

If you don't have a serger you will need to press your seams so the fabric lays nicely on the inside.

Turn fabric right side out, and press the opening and pin it. 

Top stitch around the entire blanket. Melissa did two sets of top stitching- I loved how it looked but didn't think I could do it. You know being all OCD about things...I would have ripped all my hair out before getting it just right... If you are less crazy give it a shot- it really looks fabulous.

The blanket is done, and you just have to make the straps! (It should be about 40" x 34")

Cut each left over scrap piece of fabric into a 3 x 11 inch strip twice (you should have 4 pieces total- 2 of the pattern & 2 of the solid).

The process for the straps is the same. Put the right sides together, and sew around 3 sides, turn them right side out, tuck in the 4th side, press, pin, and top stitch. They should end up being 2"x 10" or so.

Now you need to attach the velcro. I used 1 1/2 inch wide velcro. Cut a square of each (hook and loop- not sure which is which btw). The rough, scratchy piece of velcro will go on the inside of the strap- for mine it was on the solid fabric. Sew it toward the end of the strap. Sew the soft velcro onto the outside of the strap on the opposite end. I reinforced the soft piece by sewing around the edge and then sewing an "X" in the middle.


Next you have to attach the straps. All carseats are different so for yours you may need to place the straps differently. I pinned mine on and ended up moving them around 3 or 4 times until they looked right. So be sure to test them before sewing.

I laid the blanket on the table and put a yard stick on top of it standing at the bottom of the blanket (where the babies feet would touch) From the top I measured 12 1/4 inches down and put the top edge of the strap there.  You should be looking at the solid side of the straps and the rough velcro shold be at the top of the straps. My straps ended up being 11 1/2 inches in from each side with 8 1/2 inches between the two straps.
To attach the straps I pinned them, marking (with pins) where I needed to sew. I sewed a box with an "X" to attach the straps. Mine were sewn from the 16th  to 17th inch. Yours may be different.

 All done! You can add cute buttons, flowers, bows if you would like. I hadn't sewn the buttons on mine when I took the pictures. THIS website had loads of great info! She took way better pictures too. I kind of forgot half way through....sorry.