{ DIY Nursing Cover }

Who doesn't love a good hooter hider, or the p.c. term, nursing cover? I didn't get one at my shower and I didn't think I'd need one. For some reason, I imagined I'd always be at a place that had a room I could dash into and nurse. A private room, by myself with soft lighting and maybe a sound machine. Lol. Seriously though, I hadn't thought about it until I started taking little guy out. Usually if I went to my family's house I'd just run upstairs to a vacant bedroom and nurse, but I felt like I was missing out on what was going on downstairs. I finally decided it was time to make one!

Since I am a fabric hoarder, I rummaged through my stash to find a few patterns that I thought went well together. The gray and white polka dot is from Joann ($4.99 a yard) and the chevron is a Mint Blossom pattern in the Down Under collection (which is also the collection of fabric I used for Baker's nursery). It's actually a fat quarter I ordered online! (I think it was a couple bucks)

You'll need the following supplies...

• 1 yard of fabric for the main portion of the cover (you'll have some left over but you can use it for another project or for the straps on the cover)
• 1 fat quarter for your contrasting fabric at the bottom & for the straps
• 14" long piece of boning
• 1 set of 1" d-rings
• Matching thread
• Pins

Okay, so first things first, let's make the straps. Take your fat quarter and cut three 3" strips from the longer side of the fat quarter (if there isn't a longer side, take it from whatever side if they're even)

-Sew two of your strips right sides together at the ends, making it 25" long. Cut the other, shorter strap to 10".
-To sew the straps, fold the right sides together, pin, & sew along the raw edge side with a 1/4" seam allowance (pic #1).
-Once you've sewed it, you need to turn it right side out. You can use a loop turner or hook a safety pin to one end and feed it through. However you do it, just get it right side out. :)
-After it's right side out, press it flat with the seam at the side.
-Fold it over 1/4" once, and then fold it over again 1/4" (pic #2). Iron it. (do this on both straps)
-On the shorter strap, take your d-rings and fold the fabric over them & pin in place (pic #3)
-Sew in place (over the area you folded 1/4") and clip strings. Take the longer strap and sew the 1/4" folds down as well. (pic #4)
-Set your straps aside for now.

- Next cut your main piece of fabric (I used the gray polkadot) 20"x38".
- Now take your contrasting fabric (the fat quarter) and cut two strips 6" wide. (see pic #1 below) Sew the two 6" strips together at the ends making one long piece with the seam in the center. (see pic #2 below) Measure and trim it so it's 6"x38". 
- I used pinking shears to cut the ends after I sewed them together to keep them from fraying, then I pressed the seam open (see pic #3 & #4)

-Now place that piece of fabric, right sides together, with the main fabric & sew using 1/2" seam allowance. (see pic #5)
-Cut the edge with pinking shears and press the seam open. (see pic #6)
- Now that the body is sewn, it's time to finish the edges. Fold the bottom edge over 1/2" press, and then fold it over again 1/2" and press again. (see pic #7) Pin in place and sew 1/4" in from the top fold (see pic #8).
- Repeat this step on the sides. (DO NOT SEW THE TOP EDGE YET!) Picture #8 shows how the bottom and side edges will look

- Now onto the top! Fold the edge of your fabric over 1/2", press, and then fold over again 1" & press.
- Fold the entire thing in half and measure 7" in from the center (pic #9) and place a pin on both sides of fabric where the 7" mark is (see pic #10).
- Sew a seam in between the two marks. Then insert your boning so it curves in towards the back of the cover. Sew a straight seam on each side to hold it in place. (see pic #11)
- Now grab your short strap. Slide the raw edge under the fold, right next to where you stitched the boning in. (see pic #11).
-Fold it up and pin in place (see pic #12)

- Sew a straight stitch 1/4" from bottom fold along the top of the cover (start on the edge of the cover, sew over the strap, and stop where your boning seam is).(see pic #13)
-Then sew another seam 1/4 from the top of the cover, again, starting at the edge of the cover, sew over the strap again, & stop where the boning seam is)
-Repeat the same for the other strap, but place on the other end of boning. (See pic #14)
-This is how the edge of your top should look after everything is in place.

Now you should have a finished cover! Go, nurse with confidence and enjoy your handiness!