Updated!!! DIY Modern Nursing Shawl
I hated nursing in public. It was awkward, and I was always worried I was going to give a peep show to everyone around me. I was going to be traveling on an airplane alone with two small children though, and I had to figure out a solution. The nursing cover I had was your typical piece of fabric to cover your front, with a loop for the neck. It worked okay, but the main problem was that now I was showing everyone behind me how lovely my back fat and love handles were. With some inspiration from my friend Sarah, (thanks Sarah! xoxo) I came up with a solution to all of our nursing on-the-go needs. The Modern Nursing Shawl.
Here are the reasons why I like it:
- It doesn’t scream “THIS IS A NURSING COVER”
-It’s super soft and has nice weight to it
-It’s stretchy so your baby’s arms have room to wiggle without giving everyone a show
-You can use whichever fabric you want, but I choose black because it’s DARK for the baby. If you’re trying to have your baby fall asleep, it’s pitch black and not distracting
-It COVERS YOUR BACK
-It’s super easy to throw on and off
-It has a cute boat neck (I love boat necks!) that you can pull out and look down to check on your baby
Sewing honestly doesn’t get easier than this project, I promise! You literally cut one straight line, and sew one straight line, and you’re done.
*these make great baby shower gifts, and are really inexpensive! I made this shawl for just about $7.
*disclaimer: I’m not a seamstress. I enjoy sewing, but I’m not an expert by ANY means! I can sort of “figure things out”, but don’t even think about having me figure out a pattern! So all you crazy seamstresses, don’t judge me for my lack of sewing knowledge, vocabulary, and improper form. I’m breaking it down slowly for all the dummies like me out there!
Here’s how to make your own Modern Nursing Shawl:
1 yard knit fabric
thread to match
scissors
pins
measuring tape
The length of my fabric ended up being 30″ (folded), which was perfect, so I didn’t need to cut that side. Cut the width to be 25″. Make sure to match up the edges and corners really well (RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER) and pin the fabric together before cutting!
**UPDATE…the neck hole marking is suggested at 13″ but you may need to make that bigger depending on how it fits you…start big and go smaller as needed…like maybe 15-16″ first then adjust as needed. thank you!
A special thanks to Jenna Robert for being the hottest model ever!
Read more from Heather Mildenstein
Great idea! I was looking for a solution myself and could not think of an idea for a fabric type. Perfect!
I just tried this tutorial and it did NOT come out like the images at all. I'm not sure if the measurements are correct, but when I tried it on the arm seams were much too short. Really disappointed. :(
Hi there: What a greaat idea and a beautiful model. I guess for me, because I am a sewer, it would help in the instructions if you said whether or not its the folded edge that is 30 inches long or the salvage edge. ie fold the fabric in half lengthwise or width wise. Thanks
Joan, thanks for the question! The salvaged edge is 30" long. So fold the fabric lengthwise. Let me know if you have any more questions!
I love this idea and I bought material to make it but I am very confused on how to do it. For some reason I cant figure out what to cut and how much to sew..
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I want to make this for a friend who is very very petite. Will the measurments of this work for her?
Made it... super cute! Can't wait to actually be able to use it whenever this baby decides to come out! :-)
I followed your directions exactly and this did not turn out. Pretty disappointed.
I wanted to do a follow up to my previous post. I did a modification and allowed for a bit more than 13" as the neck opening (more like 15-16") and this seems to solve the problem. The shawl now drapes over my body instead of hugging it.
Thanks so much for sharing your insight...I think we shall go in and edit our post! xo
This is perfect. I just made it today and already used it. Covers everything without looking too obvious. Love it! I will be making more for friends. Thank you!
I haven't made this yet but I'm confused. You mention making marks, but what for...to cut? And where exactly do the cuts and marks go? A full pic that points to the marks and clarifies 'cut here' would really help.
I made this the other day and I love it! Thank you so much! I'm super modest and always worried about people seeing me when I nurse in public, so this covers everything and makes me feel secure. I did leave mine 30x30 instead of cutting to 25. Still can't decide if I'll cut it down anymore, cause it is a little big long, but my daughter is 8 months old and wiggly, so more fabric is probably better lol.