Ribbons for Grace: Car Seat Strap Covers

We got a super deal on a convertible car seat about a month ago from Target. Unfortunately, the model we bought didn’t come with covers for the shoulder straps. My Sweet Pea is just so sensitive that the straps started to bother her immediately.

So this morning I decided to make her some strap covers. Now, a lot of tutorials I’ve seen have the strap covers in a nice easy square shape. I’m sure that this is an easy method for being successful at this project, however, I’m in the mood for a something different and decided to make mine the same shape as the strap covers on Sweet Pea’s infant car seat (we have a chicco – the strap covers are half circles). If you want to make square ones, click through on the image below for easy directions – but be sure to read this post for tips on how to make the process even simpler!

If you want to make circles, like mine, keep reading.

Materials:

Four circles cut from your choice of fabric. You could upcycle some old t-shirts, baby blankets, burp cloths, or just use some craps that you have lying around.
Edging – double sided bias tape if you’re in a hurry, or, use some of the material that you’re upcycling and make your own bias tape. You’ll probably want a bias tape maker if you choose that route.
Four circles of cotton batting… or if you’re like me and too cheap to go to the fabric store, you can use some scrap felt that you have lying around.
4 inches of velcro

Step 1. Cutting out your shapes.

I recommend you use a pattern. A big cereal bowl will probably do nicely. Fold and pin your fabric then trace your bowl. Do this twice so you’ll have four pieces of fabric. Repeat for the felt/cotton batting.

Step 2. Sewing your pieces together.

Start by pinning the fabric together with felt/cotton batting sandwiched in between, right sides facing out. It should be four layers thick. Sew three to four seams at even intervals to attach all the materials together.

Step 3. Attaching your edging

Pin the binding (or your homemade edging) to the edge of the circles the whole way around. Be sure to fold under the edge that lays on top as you finish pinning around the circle. Sew along the edge being sure to sew through both sides of the binding and all four layers of your strap cover.

Step 4. Attaching your velcro

Cut the velcro into pieces that are about 2 inches long. Sew the hooks and the loops to opposite edges of the same side of your strap cover.

Step 5. Enjoy!

Attach to your carseat, stroller, carriage, pram, or bike seat and enjoy! I hope your little ones find these to be as comfortable as they are stylish.

But wait, you say. home come your tutorial had no pictures? Haha. That because I did mine a little differently than the other tutorials online. If you are using a basic cotton fabric or upcycling a t-shirt, definitely use the directions above. However, if you happen to have a nice fleecy fabric scrap on hand that was left over from last year’s halloween costume… then by all means follow the directions below.

The EASY WAY:

Step 1: Cut your fabric out.

Use a bowl, same as above, but for this version you only need 2 circles.

Step 2: Sew an edge to keep your fabric from fraying.

Fleece is nice because it generally doesn’t fray. To give your straps a nice edge and to keep them from coming apart, sew around the edge of each circle.

It will look like this when you’re done:

Step 3: Attach Velcro

Just like above, make sure that you attach the hooks and looks on opposite edges of the same side of the circle. Yep, just sew it on. I used scrap velcro so mine are a little small, but they work great!