When I found out I was having my 4th boy last year I knew I needed some projects for the new baby since there was nothing to buy. A girl’s got to have a little fun getting ready for baby right?
One of the projects I came up with was to recover the infant car seat by covering the existing cover with cute fabric just because it was old and dingy and it would be fun to give it an upgrade.
Now that he is about to move to a toddler car seat I decided to recover that too.
And you might recognize this fabric. I used it for this project too. I just really love it. Plus, it should hide the dirt well.
Here’s the infant one from last year.
I’m going to teach you how to cover a baby car seat using the existing cover.
OK, first of all, this isn’t too terribly hard, but it’s not super easy either. It took me probably at least 4-5 hours of sewing and it didn’t turn out perfect. But it looks really cute when it is all done.
You are going to do this by using the existing cover and sewing the new fabric right over it.
What You Need:
Existing Car Seat Cover
Seam Ripper
1-2 yards of fabric (mine took about 1)
A couple packs of double wide folded bias tape
Replacement elastic if yours is shot in the car seat
Thread
How to Cover a Baby Car Seat:
(This works for infant or toddler seats. Also probably swings, high chairs, etc.)
**The very first thing you need to do is take some pictures of your car seat cover for later reference. You are going to be taking it completely apart and you want to remember how to put it all back together. So, take some photos to help yourself out. Just in case. I needed my pictures. :)
Here’s my before:
Then, take off the existing car seat cover and wash it and dry it.
Now, grab your seam ripper and a good movie, because the next part is going to take a while. It’s probably the most time consuming part.
Again, take a good look at how your seat cover is pieced together and memorize it so that you can put it back together.
Pick apart each and every piece of your car seat cover. This includes removing all bias tape edges and everything. Like I said, it could take a while, so settle in for the long haul. A good idea is to mark your pieces as you take them apart so you remember where they go when you are done. You can just write on them with a marker.
Take them all apart:
Next, lay and pin your pieces onto your fabric wrong side of the fabric touching right side of the car seat pieces:
Cut around them just the same size that the car seat pieces are. Do this for each piece of your car seat.
Now, zig zag each piece of the car seat to the fabric right at the edges. This just holds the fabric in place so that you can sew it all back together:
Sew all the fabric pieces onto the car seat pieces. For the seat belt slots do a button hole. I flipped it over so that I was working on the back of the car seat. Do a tight zig zag on either side of the hole, then cut the hole open.
Use your bias tape anywhere that your car seat had it before:
Replace elastic anywhere that needs it.
So basically you are just taking the whole thing apart, putting new fabric, bias tape, etc. on it and sewing it back together.
My one caution (other than making sure to remember how to put it back together) is to be sure to use the same seam allowances that your original car seat cover had. I didn’t do that super well on this toddler one and it came out slightly too small and it was a little tricky to get it back on the car seat. It worked, but next time I would be more careful.
He likes it! He started squealing with glee when I put him in!
Linking up here
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I looooooove that fabric! So cute! I’ve got a few boosters that might be getting a makeover soon. Love it.
Looks wonderful! I am going to share this with a friend, she will love seeing this.
xoxo
Heather – new follower
http://www.heatherlyloves.com
This is FABULOUS!!!! I really should try this.. Emanuelle’s car seat cover is so ”blah”!
Thanks for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!!
You have the cutest projects! My son would go bonkers over the dinosaurs! Thanks for sharing at the Pomp Party! Pinning to our Pomp Party board!
Jill @ Create.Craft.Love.
I simply love this fabric!! I have been wanting to do this for so long…She’ll probably grow out of her car seat before I get around to doing it..LOL.. Thanks for the inspiration and tutorial and thanks so much for sharing this @ Fantabulous Friday!
GREAT JOB!! much cheaper than buying a new one too!! I just love that fabric! Thanks for sharing at homemade by you!
Awesome job!! So glad I found this! We are in the process of adopting a third child and would love to make a new cover when we get out little one! Found you on 504 Main!
Amber
recipeswelove.net
You are so brave to take apart your car seat cover. It looks so cute!
I have always wanted to do this but have never been brave enough!! I love your cute fabric. A million times better than the original car seat cover! Thanks for sharing at oopsey daisy!
Wow this is amazing! I would love to recover ours but I don’t know if I’m brave enough. ;-) Great tutorial though! I’m pinning it!
this is SO cute! however, many carseat manufacturers void any “warranties” (etc.) if you alter the original cover and/or use after market products! (I know this, because I’ve contacted some in the past) Their main thing is that carseats are tested as “original” (the way we buy them).
Great project!!!
Thanking you for linking up to my craft, create and inspire linky party…..
I hope you will stop by and link up another fabulous project, this weeks party is now live.
Claire x
Www. Polkadot-Pretties.blogspot.com
i did this many times with car seats and infant seats because the covers were just so unattractive and fabric rough. makes this a fun car seat cover.
Perfect for an upgrade – congrats on gawker!
This is beautiful! Thanks for linking up on Naptime Delights!
Color me SUPER impressed! That fabric is adorable too! Thanks for linking up!
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I’m way late on this, I just found you. Adorable projects! However, recovering seats like this is simply NOT safe. It voids the warranty of the car seat, and you are covering up flame resistant material that will help protect you child in the event of a fire. You are altering the car seat from the original form that it was tested in, by doing so, you have no way of knowing how the seat will perform in a crash.
That fabric almost makes me wish I had a boy instead of 2 girls. My youngest is in love with dinosaurs. I even made her a dinosaur halter top. lol
http://www.craftybiggers.com/2012/05/halter-tops.html
love it! i wish i didnt put my babys car seat in a bin… :(
I just came across this. I have been searching for info on recovering carseats. I have 2 girls, and now have an 8 month boy. I didn’t want to have to replace the carseats I already have, but they are pink and flowery. The fumiest part is, I bought this exact same dino fabric a couple days ago! lol
Isn’t that fabric adorable!?!
I love this! I did the same thing to my daughter’s car seat to make it work for my son but I think yours came out much cuter.
Thanks so much for your directions! I just finished one for my soon to be Granddaughter! Turned out adorable!
hello! i totally love this!! Thanks for the instructions! I am planning to do my nephew’s nasty carseat! Curious where do you all buy fabrics at? Thanks1
I think I got that at http://www.hypernoodlefabrics.com My favorite online fabric store!
Love this!
I’m going to start tonight on covering the nice front facing/booster seat for my Bug Boy (some mice decided to nibble at the original cover while in storage….) with some BOY-ISH bug fabric! You have no idea how hard it is to find non- ladybug/butterfly bug fabric!
I’m really excited to try this! Is there a link where we can share our finished project with you?
There’s a facebook group where some of my readers share their projects: https://www.facebook.com/groups/385767911505508/