When our little boy was born, we bought a cargo bike, for all kinds of practical reasons. Our bikes were the fastest means to get to and fro, and with that cargo bike, we could add baby seat and all. At that time, I still had a company car, but sometimes weeks went by that I didn’t use it.

One and a half year later, I changed jobs, and this time, no car was included. We used the cargo bike even more (and for those trips that are just too far, we either take the train, or we book a car through Cambio car sharing). Our little boy grew out of the baby seat, and into the toddler seat. It pretty soon became clear that toddlers are not that much in favour of sitting, so the seat suffered.

Worn. That’s the least you can say.

I decided to make a new cover for this seat. Turned out, it wasn’t even that hard to do.

I took the original seat apart, and I traced the filling.

I added 1.5 cm to the basics, to make sure the filling would fit, since it’s pretty thick.

I also added 1.5 cm seam allowance. Most likely, 1 cm would have done the trick, but better safe than sorry.

If you have a seat like this one, I’m sharing the pattern and instructions below.

What you need

• 1 meter oil fabric
• 2 pieces of rope or shoe lace that are approcimately 50 cm long
• Zipper foot for your sewing machine
• Pdf pattern

Assembling the pattern

1. Print the pdf on A4 paper, without scaling.
2. Make two rows with the pages you printed: first row from 1 to 4, second row below that from 5 to 8.
3. Make sure the pattern lines fit each other nicely.

In this pattern, the seam allowance is included. The outer line is the cutting line, the middle line is the sewing line, and the inner line is the folding line.

Cutting your fabric

Use oil cloth, so you can easily wipe that seat down. Cut the parts as indicated in the pattern: 4 wing parts (part A), and 2 back and seat parts (B and C, cut as one piece).

Sewing

Start with the wing parts (parts A):

1. Put two wing parts on top of each other, good sides facing each other.
2. Sew the seams, leaving the short side open.
3. Clip the corners, and clip all around. If necessary, clip the seams.
   
4. Turn the wings.
5. Add the filling.
6. Repeat for the second wing.

Next, sew the back and seat (parts B and C)

1. Put the two parts on top of each other, right sides facing each other.
2. Add the wings in between, so they are facing each other point to point.
3. Add 1 of the strings on 1 side already, underneath 1 of the wings. Make sure the string is in between the big parts as well.
4. Sew the side seams with the zipper foot (so you can easily get past the wings), leaving the short side at the bottom open.
5. Turn. Prepare for a bit of a fight while you do so.
   
6. Add the filling for the back.
7. Sew underneath the back part, using the zipper foot, on the bottom sew line for part B.
8. Add the filling for the seat.
9. Fold the bottom seams for part C inwards. Add the second piece of string on the opposite side of the first one. Sew closed, using the zipper foot.
10. Fold the seat, so that the back is standing up straight, as are the wings. Sew the wings to the seat part. I did this for the front parts only, leaving a slit, and less room to collect crumbs and such.
    

And yes, indeed, the text on the fabric is upside down. Just so I’d be able to read it when I’m riding the cargo bike 😉

How about you? How do you get around in this world?