Pram liner and tutorial

When I bought my sewing machine I wanted to make a pram liner for our pram, however before I got a chance to do that Little Monkey started walking. She was enjoying her newly acquired ability to move independently so much that there was no need in a pram liner anymore.

Recently a friend of mine asked if I could make a couple of pram liners for her. We shared a flat at one stage, she was my beautiful bridesmaid, we were pregnant at the same time, her first son is only a few days older than Little Monkey, and her youngest son is oh so adorable! So how could I say no?

So, While she was sleeping, I made a couple of reversible pram liners for my beautiful friend. Here is one. Check it out!

I was pretty happy with how it turned out. Plus, it was not difficult to make.

Even if you are new to sewing, you CAN make a pram liner :) This projects will give a new sewist a chance to practice making buttonholes... Lots of buttonholes! Would you like to know how I made these pram liners? It's easy! Click Read more!


You will need:

• paper
• pencil
• measuring tape
• ruler
• fabric and paper scissors (do you know that cutting paper with fabric scissors is a deadly sin? - my husband does... now)
• fabric (I chose two contrasting quilting cotton fabrics)
• pre-washed wadding (I think mine is bamboo/cotton blend or it could be 100% bamboo. I gently pre-washed it by hand in warm water, let it dry flat, then pressed)
• thread
• pins
• seam ripper

OK, as always, I started with making a pattern. I borrowed my friend's pram seat for one night to make a pattern. Now, picture me standing there in front of a pram seat with my baking paper, measuring tape and a pencil. I first tried measuring everything - the length, the width, the distance from one strap to another, etc, and transferring measurements on paper. I looked at what I ended up with and realised I needed to think of a different way to take the measurements. I only had the seat for one night and I actually was planning on catching some zzz's as well!

"Make a muslin template before you cut your fabric" is something I hear a lot. So I thought that maybe instead of making a paper pattern and then a muslin copy, I would make a 'muslin' and use it to make a paper pattern. Twisted thinking.

So, I started all over again. I measured the length and the width of the seat and cut out a rectangle out of fabric using these measurements. Pictured liner is for a Baby Jogger City Select and it is 76 cm x 32 cm with 1 cm seam allowance included, or 29.9" x 12.6"  with  0.4" seam allowance included.

I put my lovely colourful fabric inside the seat, marked the location of each strap and loop using a pen, then took my scissors and very carefully cut the fabric along the marked lines. Doing things this twisted way allowed me to see how fabric 'sits' in the seat which allowed for a more precise positioning of buttonholes.

Then I took my 'muslin' out and transferred all measurements onto paper.

Phew! A reliable pattern!

I then traced my pattern on fabric and cut one piece out of wadding and two pieces out of quilting cotton.

Then I needed to transfer the lines onto my fabric. I am sure there is a proper way of doing it. I just don't know it. I placed one piece of fabric face up (brightly coloured side up) on the carpet, placed paper pattern on top, and used my pins to mark the beginning and the end of each line.

Next, I carefully removed pins one by one marking where they were with my pencil and then connecting them by drawing a line from one dot to the other using a ruler.

Now it was time to sew! Whoo hoo! I placed the three layers in this order: wadding at the bottom, then two layers of quilting fabric on top of each other with right sides facing (meaning, with brighter coloured sides together). Just like I did for the coffee cup cosy and electronics case.

 Pinned the three layers.

Stitched around leaving a small opening on one of the sides. I didn't even need to use a walking foot.

 Trimmed the corners.

 Turned the liner right sides out.

Then turned the raw edges on the opening towards the inside of the liner and pressed it.

 Nice!

 Then top-stitched close to the edge.

It was time to make a few massive buttonholes. Yes, those openings on the liner to pull the straps through and hook them up are nothing else but massive buttonholes! I only have a four step buttonhole option on my machine. Even so, I don't think making buttonholes is scary.

I placed the liner in such a way that the top of my future buttonhole was right under the needle and sewed along the line. 

 Ta-da :) I repeated for each remaining strap opening.

 Placed pins at the end of each buttonhole and cut the buttonholes using my seam ripper and scissors.

Done :) Super easy, super cute :) Here is a lovely reversible pram liner I made for my wonderful friend.

I think cleaning ice cream off the pram seat is going to be a much easier task now ;)

Please let me know if you make a pram liner or two using my hints. I would love to hear from you and have a look at the pictures (if you take pictures of your creations). I would appreciate a link back to this tutorial should you choose to use it.