Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Carseat Canopy

You probably already follow Char's blog: Crap I've Made.
Her header says: sometimes it's amazing, and sometimes it's just crap.
I feel the same way with my projects, and unfortunately, a good idea that could have been amazing, today is just crap. 
But I'll show you anyway in case you want to fix the problems to make an amazing canopy for yourself or a friend.  I'm just too lazy and it's functional so we'll just be sporting around town in a crappy carseat cover, which is fine by me.  Keeps the elements off my baby and hopefully the weird stangers that just reach in and touch your infant too.

There are many carseat cover tutorials around, but the two I mainly used were from:

My canopy is made with a dandelion flannel print, and just white broadcloth on the bottom.
My great idea that stunk it up was to have a dandelion applique in one corner.

But first here's the whole thing laying flat.  I made a white ruffle around the border to try to make it girly since it's a baby blue.
Then the handles in the center close with velcro and have decorative white buttons for show.
You can see after I washed it, the two layers didn't lay flat anymore, the flannel is all baggy.  Both had been prewashed, but must have still had room for shrinkage I guess.  So that was problem #1.

Now for the crappy dandelion applique.
My first problem was trying out the reverse applique method for the stem, where I sewed the shape through both layers and just cut off the blue flannel to leave the white beneath.  It became distorted and the white center is all baggy and lame.  I should have just kept with a regular applique adding it on top.


I did like the buttons in the end for the globs at the ends, but too bad the rest looks like bonch.

But it works.  Maybe from a distance you can't tell how bad it is.


18 comments:

  1. Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this is totally cute!!

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  2. This is adorable!!! who is that says handmade is allowed to look handmade! The dandalion is so adorable! Its a very forgiving item anyway, it never really has to lay flat! I just LOVE this! I need to make one for the babies that came into our family recently! Fabulous JOB!! I am a huge fan of yours!

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  3. lol you are funny jess. I love the ruffle! I think it's super cute! Bowen was my first baby with one of these and it's the best thing ever! No more worrying about blankets falling off.

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  4. I like this very much Jess...don't worry about the dandilion, as someone says, it won't be laying flat. Do you mind if I borrow the canopy idea for my granddaughter to be? I won't use the same fabric or applique, but the canopy idea is so practical for all the reasons you mention and I believe my daughter would love it.

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  5. I think you are being more critical than you need to. I like to bunching, because the applique has more dimension to it. The buttons were genius. I wish I'd seen an idea like this when I had my babies.

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  6. its really cute, ya goober!
    don't worry about the imperfections- its stuff that only 2% of the population would notice- i love the ruffles and the buttons at the ends of the dandelion poof :O)

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  7. Jess, I think it's adorable - fabulous job! the hooks over the handle are genius! Thank you for all your inspiring ideas - i just got a sewing machine for Christmas and I'm excited to use it - if I can ever find the time :) i'm amazed at how much you fit in with 2 kids - mine's just 8 months!

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  8. What a great idea and I think that it looks great! It is "whimsical"!

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  9. I think it's really great! It's not meant to lie flat so no one will notice the shrinkage. I absolutely LOVE the dandelion - the buttons are adorable. If it really bothers you a quick fix might be to stuff the center (white part) and make it look intentional - 3D! But otherwise - I'd totally be proud to sport it around just the way it is :)

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  10. It looks lovely !!!
    but if it drives you bonkers I'd go with Jo's idea and sneak in a tiny marshmallow of stuffing :0)

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  11. I think it is very cute..... I don't need a car seat cover for a baby, my boys want cae seat covers for their trucks (17 and 22) I do not think they would go for the dandilion applique though!

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  12. I know exactly how you feel - but I think you are being too hard on yourself! Looks great and it's a one of a kind.

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  13. I think it is really cute and such a great design. If the center of the dandelion really bothers you, its not to late to fix it. Just place an applique circle over the one you have or even better you could make a strip of ruching out of the white broadcloth and swirl it in the circle that is already there. Either I think would work and look like you intended it to be. Let us know if you decide to do either of these. If so, I would love to see another photo.

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  14. Consider it dimensional. It is very pretty really. Dandelions add such whimsy - such a cute design. I have noticed when doing a larger area on reverse applique is is good to use a heat bonded (onesided) interfacing on the back side to add stiffness.

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  15. Huh-what? This is crap?? I think it's adorable!!!

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  16. I love the fabric you used and the buttons on the dandelion are ingenious. i love it!

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  17. I don't know what "bonch" is, but that flower is adorable!!!!

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