How to Make Your Own Nursing Poncho

There are many benefits to breastfeeding. Mother's milk contains natural antibiotics, which seem to protect the infants from various viruses and infections. Breastfeeding is also less expensive than formula and is more convenient. Nursing your baby is something you can do almost anywhere at anytime, but sometimes it may be challenging to adjust your clothing. In just a few hours, with some basic sewing skills, you can make a nursing poncho that can help preserve your modesty when nursing in public.

Instructions

1

Cut a square piece of fabric, 36 inches wide by 36 inches long. Use a measuring tape to measure a strip 2 inches wide along one of the sides of this square. Mark this strip using tailor's chalk. Cut the strip off the fabric and set it aside for the neckband.

2

Turn over 1/2 inch on the two shorter sides and one of the longer sides of the square and pin in place. Press with an iron. Remove the pins and turn the edges over another 1/2 inch, so the cut edges of the fabric are tucked inside the rolled hem you are creating. Pin in place.

3

Stitch around the three sides using a straight stitch on a sewing machine. Sew close to the edge of the rolled hem.

4

Sew a line of gathering stitches along the un-hemmed side of the fabric square, using a long straight stitch on the sewing machine. Pull gently on the ends of thread from this line of stitching so the fabric begins to gather.

5

Keep pulling gently on the gathering threads until the edge of the fabric measures 18 inches in width. Fold the fabric in half and mark the mid-point of this gathered edge.

6

Fold the strip of fabric set aside for the neckband in half, so the short ends meet, to find the mid-point of the length of the strip. Mark this mid-point by inserting a pin in the spot.

7

Lay the poncho on a flat surface with the right side facing you. Lay the neckband strip along the gathered edge of the fabric square, aligning the cut edges and midpoints, with the right sides facing each other. Pin in place.

8

Stitch the neckband strip to the poncho with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Fold over 1/2 inch along the long edge of the strip, toward the wrong side of the fabric. Pin in place. Press with an iron. Remove pins.

9

Fold the neckband strip toward the wrong side of the fabric so the edge is aligned with the seam that attached the strip to the poncho. Pin in place. Stitch close to the edge of the strip.

10

Measure 12 inches on each side of the center-point of the neckband and cut the strip at that spot. Join the two cut ends together by overlapping about 1 inch and folding the cut edge to the inside of the overlap. Stitch in place, forming a loop to be thrown over your head when nursing.