Thursday, September 30, 2010

Booster Seat Makeover (Costco)


Buying a new car made me realized one thing...our booster seats need serious TLC!

I know sometimes my boys will step on the booster seat (of course with their shoes on!!) to climb over to the back seat or to the trunk area to get something they dropped. I never really paid attention how dirty the booster seat covers were until I was trying to transfer everything from our old minivan to the new one. There were unidentifyable stains everywhere and it was just very nasty looking. Especially in the new car, those car seats looked so out of place.

I washed the seats and disinfected them while I threw the covers in the washer.
Guess what, those covers were still dirty looking even after the wash...

That's when I decided to make booster seat covers! One booster seat is from Costco, and the other one is from Graco. The Costco booster seat cover is just flat and looks very simple to make, and the Graco one is a little bit more work.


I will share what I did...

1. I made patterns first...



2. Cut out the top fabric, batting and backing by using the pattern. This costco one had tabs. I used vinyl (the kind that is used for table cloths and such) to make tabs. Lay the right side of the fabrics and batting together, and insert three tabs in place and pin. Using 1/4" seam allowance sew the one side together.
When you turn it inside out, the tabs will be sewn in.


3. Line up all three edges that are not sewn and flatten the fabric. Sew on the layered fabric to stablize them. I did 4" apart between the lines, this gives a quilt effect.

4. Sew bias tape on all three sides.


5. Make holes with an awl on the tabs and bottom of the cover. When I created the pattern, I also marked them on the paper to make things easier.

6. Done!



I love it! I couldn't use flower print (my boys would refuse to sit on it if I did), but I am happy that I got to use the fabric I already had and it came out better then I expected. I am working on the Graco one now, it is a little more work, but I can't wait to see them side by side in my mini van. :) Oh, before I forget, since I used vinyl for the tabs, I will not be able to put it in the dryer. I just realized this as I was writing this post. So use something else for the tabs, and if you find any better material for that, let me know! :)

31 comments:

  1. is so beautiful!!!
    what a great job!!

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  2. its looking really nice..fabric print is also decent...great tutorial...

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  3. Wow - great job! I am scared to take off my carseat covers and see what lies beneath!

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  4. Great job! I love the personal touch/designer look it has. Could you not reuse the original tabs since they don't show? I will have to do the same when my daughter needs to use the old booster seats here for her daughter.

    I recovered a carseat for my granddaughter here: http://itwasbroughtonbylove.blogspot.com/2010/05/sweet-project-reveal.html

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  5. Really good job. I like the fabric choice. I need to do the same thing.

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  6. That is so cool!!! I soooooo need to do this with my booster seats! Thanks for the step-by-step!

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  7. Instead of vinyl use PUL. It's commonly used in cloth diapers, it's a little pricey, but since you wouldn't be using very much at all it would be perfect, plus, it washable, and cryer safe (on low). I love it! It also works great for wet bags, reusable sandwich/snack bags, rain coats, ect.

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  8. I have the same seat in our van and I've been thinking about doing the same thing. Thanks for giving the tutorial!

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  9. i keep meaning to make a new cover for our car seat because it's been washed so much and the sun has faded it and I never really liked it in the first place. *sigh* maybe I'll get around to it when my kids are old enough to not need it anymore. Yours looks awesome!

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  10. When I needed do the tabs I used the same fabric with a stablizer and did smal round button holes in it.... worked wonderfully!

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  11. Love the fabric - Great Job! Please post the other one too! Do you have a pattern for an infant seat?

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  12. Sachiko-

    How did you make your pattern? Did you cut apart your original and then traced and added your seam allowance?

    I tried to make a car seat cover and it was a flop! It doesnt stay one quite right, and I've been wanted to try again!

    allthingsfee@gmail.com

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  13. Very cute! Could you use a thick anvas type material or denim? Thanks for sharing!

    Heartamz1@aol.com
    Debbie Chapman

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  14. Awesome job! I wish my car seat was that cute.

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  15. What a wonderful idea! I love the print on the fabric:)

    (Oh, and it looks like we have the same floor too :) lol ).

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  16. Ooooo! I LOVE that! Are you going to sell these covers?
    PLEASE say yes!!! :)
    ~Shelley Smith
    houseofsmiths.blogspot.com

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  17. Ooooo! I LOVE that! Are you going to sell these covers?
    PLEASE say yes!!! :)
    ~Shelley Smith
    houseofsmiths.blogspot.com

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  18. Wonderful idea!

    And yes, boys cant be caught dead sitting on a flowery-girly booster seat.



    Just Better Together

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  19. Great work. I love that fabric!!!

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  20. very nice redux. You could wash the cover and air dry it. I would personally use fabric with stablizer like Beth suggested but I would use heavy vinyl like upholstery type. I found it in remnant bins but you can also cut up an old purse or boot top.

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  21. Hi everyone! Thank you for your nice comments about this project! I also really appreciate the tips and ideas some of you shared with all of us. Thank you so much!

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  22. I did something similar for a friends booster seat and for my tabs I used a thick braided "ribbon"? like they use for the belt buckles in walmart carts or the end parts of back pack straps? it worked out great!

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  23. I've been wanting to do this forever. Thank you for not making me have to think it out.

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  24. SO cute!!! You've got the classiest toddlers around!

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  25. I love that! I think I'll make over mine before I even use it!

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  26. I love the fabric you used!!! I attempted to make a car seat cover too, I feel like I got too ambitious with it, but I guess for a first try its not so bad. Would love to hear what you think:

    http://everything-under-my-sun.blogspot.com/2011/06/seat-cover-for-boys.html

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  27. there are very nice information for the car seat cover .
    really very nice design of car covers, i like it and looking for Custom seat covers

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  28. Great!! really informative and useful post. I will be look forward to reading your more post in future. Car seat covers Oshawa Ontario
    Boat seat covers Oshawa Ontario

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