Do you remember that Shopping Cart Cover I was working on ages ago? Well I finished it and forgot to share the results. Here’s a photo of one of the first times Baby E sat in his new shopping cart cover. He looks happy doesn’t he?
I searched and searched for the right pattern. Some don’t have any padding, some only cover the seat, and the one that I finally chose included a pocket for storage. I used McCalls M5721. It’s a reversable shopping cart cover, but really once one side has rubbed against all the germs are you really going to use that side? I’m not. Plus the pockets are only on one side. I love the pockets. I use the pockets to hide my shopping list and pen. There are loops on either side of each pocket that you can use to attach toys. This is very handy, because if your little one is like mine he likes to drop things all the time.
I am known to alter patterns. For some reason, there’s always something that I feel needs to be changed. In this pattern, the only thing I changed was making the openings for the seat belt larger. I wanted to make a custom fabric seat belt that would be about 3 inches wide and secured by velcro. I had a shopping cart cover that had a seat belt like that and it was great. It helped keep Baby E from toppling over in the cart. My babies outgrow those infant carriers by 3-4 months old. So, sitting in a cart is challenging. The thick seat belt helps support them when sitting. By the time I finished my project, Baby E was sitting just fine so making the custom seat belt was no longer necessary.
Here’s a tip, instead of making binding for the leg openings and the top of the pockets, select a double-fold bias tape in a coordinating color. It saves so much cutting and ironing. It took me about 1 1/2 packages.
Here’s a photo of one of the pockets and one of the cover laid out on the table before I put in the elastic.
Here’s the finished shopping cart cover all folded up in it’s storage pocket.
It’s a great simple project and it is less expensive than purchasing one of the already made ones in the store. What’s cool about sewing your own cart cover is that your baby will have a cover that’s totally unique. You can pick a fabric in the color and print that you AND your baby will enjoy. I obviously chose monkeys. He loves those monkeys.
You can use this in those restaurant high chairs too! Yay for the germ-a-phobes!! Yep, that’s me.
