Car Seat Canopy {or my new fabric love}

I have a new love. It's pink, white, and soft. Plus its really adorable. And it has whales on it. Who doesn't love whales? What is the new love, you ask? Its fabric!

A shinny new Joann's with amazing selection and a really terrible cutting counter staff {or at least a new staff that needs some more time to learn} opened up near me. Walking around like a kid in a candy store, I was drawn in to this amazing whale patterned flannel. That's right, its soft and adorable. What isn't to love?

One of the first couples that reached out to us once we moved to Texas is expecting a little girl in February. I couldn't be more excited for them! Their spunky, too smart for his own good, loving three year old boy has been "learning" how to be a big brother by hanging out with my little miss from time to time. He's great with her! There are lots of hugs, kisses, and the occasional rolling little miss up in her blanket like a burrito.

Well with her shower fast approaching, I have been busily creating girlie items to spoil my friend and her little joy with. I'll share more about the gifts later. For now, I want to show you what I made with my new love!

For my shower {Well, really my Sip and See. Little miss showed up a bit early. But that's another story for another time.}, a friend made me a car seat canopy. The wind here in North Texas is just ridiculous, so the canopy has been wonderful!

Since this little joy is coming in February, the winds will be chilly. I chose to use a fleece for both sides of the canopy. I used a little less than a yard {only because the white was a remnant that was .9 something or rather of a yard}. That also let me cut the straps from the whale fabric. I kind of just reverse engineered the canopy I was given as a gift. 

I started by pinning right sides together. Then, I used a bowl to help me round the corners. 

After sewing, I snipped the corners to help them turn better {while annoying...this really helps!} I then turned and top stitched the whole thing. 

To make the straps, I cut two pieces 8 inches by 2 inches. I sewed a tube and then turned right side out. I then tucked in the raw edges on the short sides and top stitched the whole thing. I added velcro and then attached the straps to the canopy using three separate stitching points for each strap. I did this because those stitches were going to bare all the weight of the canopy {And if her little joy is anything like my little miss, there will be a great deal of baby tugging they'll have to endure as well.}.

I determined where to sew the straps on by placing the canopy on my car seat and pinning. I know every car seat is different, but i figured it will be close enough.

Swoon

Come party with me!