Arctic Carseat Blanket #3

WOW...this is so much fun!!  This is my THIRD carseat blanket...and it is sooo special....I loved making it.  But now I'm officially done.  I am moving on...

This creation happened because last week, while digging on t-shirt mountain, I found a Jones of New York velvet winter coat with a wonderful metal zipper...and a beautiful fur collar. I have no idea why I bought it -- but the price tag was $3.45.

Sorry for the terrible picture -- but note the beautiful zippered pockets, too....

AND IT WILL BE A FABULOUS arctic carseat blanket. The zipper is genius!!

All I have to do is cut off the sleeves. But, at this point, I made a mistake. I pinned the sleeves shut, then I stitched a straight line and cut the sleeve off. Which left exposed raw edges on the outside. It would have been a lot easier if I'd pulled the sleeve inside the jacket and THEN sewed...

So you can learn that lesson from my mistake...

I love the fur collar -- the label says Jones of New York...

This is the t-shirt I'll use to make the new, much thinner back...

After I cut out the original back of the coat -- here's the new t-shirt back.  You can see how the slits work...You can also see those raw edges I had to deal with...

I used two layes of t-shirts for the new back.  The outside is pink striped, the inside has these words...

When you lay the blanket in the carseat -- the harness pulls through the slits...

So the baby is COMPLETELY HARNESSED UP....

And, at that point -- you just zip up the coat!!

To make the slits -- I just did a straight stretch stitch in a box around the line.  Then I cut it open.  DUH!  It's t-shirt fabric -- it is very stretchy, and it's not going to fray.  LOTS of advantages...

After Warren tried on the blanket -- I decided it needed a little pink velour hood.  I cut up a little jacket from the mountain.

When it was time to make the fold-up piece, I used the black velvet sleeve for one side -- and two layers of a cashmere sweater for the other side...

Yes, I know what you're thinking -- THIS RECYCLING THING IS A LOT MORE WORK THAN JUST CUTTING A PATTERN OUT OF NEW FARIC.

Hey -- YOU'RE TELLING ME??   But where's the sport in that??

One day soon, I hope to have a picture of the adorable baby girl who will be using her new black velvet carseat blanket.  Ross put her picture on our refrigerator several months ago.  She is the third daughter for his high school friend, Lisa....SUCH A CUTIE...