Nursing covers are surprisingly expensive to purchase, and even more surprisingly easy and inexpensive to make. It’s all straight cuts and seams!
I grabbed a yard of fabric for $5 and 1/3yd of boning for $1, and I was set!
This will make a nursing cover that is about 40” wide and 24.5” long with an 11” strap.
Materials:
1yd fabric
1/3yd boning
For this nursing cover, I chose a cotton, quilting-type fabric.
Getting Started:
1. Wash and dry fabric, to avoid it changing shape when washed as a finished product.
2. Press fabric to ensure proper shape and measurements.
3. Using selvage as a guide for your right angle, trim off the ragged cut edge.
I measured the strap circumference I am comfortable with pulling over my head, before choosing a length to cut. I didn’t want to deal with hook and loop closures or D rings, but it certainly wouldn’t be hard to add them.
4. Cut:
Main cover piece: 27×42 (my bolt width)
Strap: 3×15
Strap:
5. Fold the strap piece lengthwise, rights sides facing each other. I pressed the fold to make sewing easier.
6. Sew a 1/4” seam allowance.
7. Attach a safety pin to one end.
8. Use safety pin to turn the tube right side out.
9. Press with seam in the center.
Set aside.
Main Cover Piece:
10. Take your large cover piece, and fold up the bottom long side 1/2”, wrong sides facing each other.
11. Press the fold.
12. Fold it an additional 1/2”.
13. Press the fold.
14. Sew the hem with a straight stitch.
15. Now, do the short sides: fold 1/2”, press, fold another 1/2”, press, sew. I like to trim the corners so excess fabric isn’t sticking out.
Now, for the top hem.
16. Fold the top long side 1/2” and press.
17. Fold it an additional 1” and press.
18. Fold the whole piece, wrong sides facing each other, short side to short side, so you can find the middle of the long side.
19. Measure 6” (half the length of your boning) from the fold (center) and place a pin an inch or so in from the top edge. Do this on both sides.
20. Sew your 1” flap into a tube, starting at one pin, and stopping at your other pin.
21. Slide your boning into the tube.
22. Sew the tube closed on both ends, with seams perpendicular to the hem, to hold the boning in place.
23. Place your strap, right side up, under the 1” open hem, up against the boning.
24. Fold the strap up, and pin in place in the center of the 1” hem.
25. Press the fold.
26. Stitch a box to hold strap on securely.
27. Repeat with the other end of the strap next to the other end of the boning. If you’re doing D rings, you would put your second strap here.
28. Now, go back and sew the remaining open portions of the 1” hem, from the straps to the ends.
You’re done!
Now, that was easy enough to make one for every occasion!
My Minnie Mouse inspiration is for our trip to Disneyland (and to satisfy the 1950s Lucille Ball in me)!
I made the bow using the DIY Puffy Bow Tutorial.
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