"Seamingly" Thrifty Sewing - Part 2

"Sew" what did I do with the rest of that Ikea duvet cover? I made a shopping cart cover of course! I'd never been around a shopping cart cover, but my dad swore it was a lifesaver and the husband said EVERYONE has them. Well, then, if everyone has them, mcNugget and I can't be left out in the cold as outcasts, can we?? (The shame we would feel!) I didn't even know we were missing out - I hadn't thought to register for one.

Anywho, since I'd never experienced the glory of a shopping cart cover in person, I needed a pattern. None free online - well none useful to me who couldn't understand the darned thing without seeing one in person. So off to the store I went to buy a fancy-schmancy McCall's pattern and some elastic (I had all the fabric at home).

The cover is actually 3 layers. Top, bottom (aka the 'contrast') and batting in the middle. Well guess what, I didn't have the batting - or rather I probably do, but I couldn't find it - so I used thick fleece instead.

I cut out the rounded square (a squoval?) from all three fabrics, stacked them and stitched them together inside out, and then turned them right-side out. The pattern did a pretty good job of walking me through cutting and what to layer where (though I made an error in judgement of layering and had to unstitch the whole darn ring... whatever, practice makes perfect.) I even sewed up the edging and got the elastic in the band without any problems.

When it came to finishing of the leg holes, however, the pattern confused me, so I jimmy-rigged it. No one will be looking that closely to that part anyway. I also nixed the fancy pockets and belt straps to save myself time. Heck, I didn't even register for a cart cover in the first place- why does it need bells and whistles?

Here's my finished product. Isn't it awesome? Bonus, it's "green" from that reclaimed material, cost me a pattern and under two yards of elastic (I shelled out a whopping $10). I already had the 'contrast' (underside) fabric and the fleece for the 'padding'. It took me 2 evenings - one for cutting and the other for sewing. Now that I understand it, it would probably only take 1 night for me to make another.

Seriously, this was magical fabric. What else do you know that can turn from a bed comforter cover to a boob cover and a germy shopping cart cover in the course of 3 days? I am totally taking this to the store this weekend to see how it fits in their carts.