How To: Sew Your Own Infant Car Seat Strap Holdbacks

Ok, I had a hard time naming this post because I wasn't sure what to call these little gizmos. All I know is that I hate when I go to put Lincoln in his car seat and the buckles are in the way. So I end up sitting him on the buckles and somewhere in the process of pulling the buckles out and around Linc it never fails that they get all tangled up. Argh!!! Anyhoo... So that's when I decided to do something about it. I remembered awhile back I saw a product that would hold the harness straps back but for the life of me I couldn't remember what they were called or find them on the Internet anywhere. That's when I put my thinking cap on and set to work to design my own Infant Car Seat Harness Strap Holdbacks. The end result came out better and easier to use than I had originally planned. See below how you too can make your own Infant Car Seat Harness Strap Holdbacks. Once you have them you'll wonder how you ever got by without them.

What You Will Need:

(Qty 2) 10" x 4.5" Fabric Piece

(Qty 2) 16" x 2.5" Fabric Piece

(Qty 2) 2" x 2" Sets of Hook & Loop

(Qty 2) Buttons (approx 1" dia)

1/4" Elastic

Thread

Safety Pin

Sewing Machine

Scissors

Measuring Tape

Step By Step:

- Fold your 10" x 4.5" Fabric Piece in half lengthwise with the wrong side of the fabric facing out. 

- Sew a straight stitch 1/4" in on the long open side.

- Turn your fabric piece right side out. With the seam in the center iron your fabric piece flat.

- Fold one of the open ends in 1/4" and then fold another 1/4". Iron the folds flat and seal closed with a straight stitch. Repeat with the other side.

- Using a straight stitch sew the loop side of your Velcro on the right side of the seam side of your strap. Sew the hook side of your Velcro on the left side of the non-seam side of your strap. Set your strap aside.

- Fold your 16" x 2.5" Fabric Piece in half lengthwise with the wrong side of the fabric facing out. Iron the fabric flat.

- Attach a length of thread to your safety pin. Attach the safety pin to one end of the fabric so that the thread lays along the entire length of the inside of the fabric fold.

- Refold the fabric and sew a straight stitch 1/4" in on the long open side. Trim off the extra fabric.

- Turn the long tube right side out. To do this fold the end where the safety pin is in slightly to get it started. Then pull on the thread to work the ready of the tube right side out. Remove the safety pin.

- Attach the safety pin to one end of the elastic strip. Using the safety pin thread the elastic all the way through the fabric tube.

- Remove the safety pin.  Line the elastic up with the end of the fabric tube.  Taper the fabric around the end of the elastic.  Sew the end of the tube and elastic to the back side of the loop.

- Cinch the fabric tube up while keeping the elastic loose (don't pull the elastic tight).  Now measure 9" down the elastic and mark with a pen.  Cut the elastic at this point.

- Create a 1" loop at the end of the elastic and tuck the end into the end of the fabric tube.  Make sure to tuck a 1/4" of the fabric in too so that you have a clean edge.

- Sew the end closed with a straight stitch (make sure you're sewing into the tucked in fabric as well as the end of the elastic).

- Sew the button over the top of the elastic stretchy tube.

- Repeat with the other strap.

Voila!!!!  You're done!!!!

How To Use Your Infant Car Seat Harness Strap Holdbacks

Using your holdbacks is very easy.  Just velcro your holdbacks around the each side of the handlebar with the loops facing inward.  You have two options on how to hold your straps back.

1. You can take the elastic loop off of the button, loop the stretchy band around the harness strap, and then attach the elastic loop back onto the button.

2. You can just loop the stretchy band around the buckles without taking the elastic loop off of the button. (This is what I do because it's faster... although less secure).

I hope your Infant Car Seat Harness Strap Holdbacks help to make life a little easier when transferring your little one into and out of their car seat.  I've only been using mine a couple days now and I love them!!!  Feel free to post pictures of your creations on my Facebook Page so we can all see them.  It's always fun to see how these tutorials are being used.  Till then, keep checking back every Monday for more "Make It Monday" projects.  I've got lots more planned.

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