My sister in law has the most handy little nursing cover, Udder Cover, Hooter Hider…whatever you want to call it, it’s one handy dandy contraption. She bought it when she had her first son 9 years ago (yikes how time flies). Well, she’s expecting another little one and her old nursing cover is a tad boring for this fabulous and uber chic Mama. So I figured out how to make her a new one. They make for fabulous baby gifts for the nursing Mom and are super easy to sew so I thought I’d share this simple tutorial with the masses.
HERE you can see one being used.
As you can see they retail for around $35.00
I made this one for under $5.00 (That’s right!) and only about an hour of my time.
You will need:
1 Yard of darling fabric
1 16 inch piece of Boning
2 Metal D Rings
Coordinating Thread
Water Soluble Pen
Step 1:
From your fabric cut:
One rectangle 27x 38 inches (for the main body)
One strip 4 1/4 inches wide by 38 inches long, then cut off 12 inches from that, leaving you with two strips (for the straps)
Step 2:
Take the 12 inch strap and press in half with right sides together. Sew ¼ inch away from raw edge.
Turn tube right side out. Iron flat with the seam going down the middle like so…
Now top stitch both of the long sides.
Slip both D rings onto the strap folding it in half. Sew a line across the strap, directly under the edge of the rings to keep them in place.
Step 3:
Now take the longer strap and press in half with right sides together. Sew ¼ inch away from raw edge. When you get about 3 inches from the bottom of the strap, start curving your stitch inward like so…
Now cut off the extra fabric
Leaving you with this
Turn the tube right side out and iron flat with the seam going down the middle just like you did with the short strap.
Top stitch all of the way around.
Set straps aside for now
Step 4:
Take the main body and fold over the shorter sides ½ inch and iron flat. Fold over a second time and iron flat again. (So there is no raw edge with strings for baby to get tangled in).
Top stitch together
Now do the same for the bottom edge. (pay attention to the fabric pattern so it’s not upside down)
3 sides of your nursing cover should be completely hemmed now leaving just the top edge raw
Step 5:
Fold over the top edge ½ inch, Iron flat. Fold over again, Iron flat.
On the wrong side of the fabric, at the top edge, mark 10 inches from each side with your water soluble marker.
With wrong sides together, pin the long strap to the mark on the left, lining up the center of the strap to the mark you just made. Do the same with the short strap on the right mark you made.
Make sure the raw edges of the straps are tucked nicely under the casing like so…
Step 6:
Sew a perpendicular line across the casing, where you drew your mark at the shorter strap on the right. This will keep the boning in place.
Step 7:
Sew the top casing like you did on the previous 3 sides (staying close to the edge so you have enough room to thread your boning through.
Thread your boning through the open end of the casing (left side). Be sure that the curve of the boning is facing outward.
At your mark you made on the left, sew another perpendicular line through the casing again, securing the boning between the straps.
Step 8:
Flip the straps up now and top stitch around the very top of the entire casing running over the straps as you go so you have a nice straight line on the other side and your straps will now stay in place. (Boning is sewable so don’t worry about running over it)
Step 9:
Take the longer strap and pull through both D-rings, then back through one. Slip over your neck, adjust as needed, and nurse away.
I also made her this darling matching burp cloth from a cloth diaper and the extra fabric from her nursing cover. Lined in satin ribbon of course so it’s oh-so-soft on baby’s skin.
Happy sewing everyone and let me know if you have any questions!
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