Sunday, June 1, 2025

Sewing Tutorial: Charming Seat Belt Cushion

Sometimes, no matter how you position them, seatbelts rub up against your neck or shoulder the wrong way. For me, it's the ones at work (I drive school buses); for my cousin, it hits her chemo port. When I found out my cousin had cancer, I wanted to do SOMETHING to help, and a dear friend told me that her mom had used a small pillow to protect her port from the rubbing of the seatbelt. Perfect; a quick project to make things more comfortable.

In this example, the side with the hearts goes against the area you want to protect
SUPPLIES
4 charm squares
Velcro: about half an inch by an inch and a half
Polyfil
I think it took longer for me to pick fabric than make the project
DIRECTIONS
Sew the Velcro on your strap charm squares, about an inch and a half from one edge (from here on referred to as "the top"), and centered between the two sides. Repeat for the other strap.
Fold the strap charm squares right side together. so that the two edges are touching, and sew along the edges (i.e.; NOT the top or bottom). Repeat for the other strap.

Now, move that seam you just sewed so that it's centered. The Velcro should be laying flat opposite that seam. Sew the top. Repeat for the other strap.


See that seam from the last step, now in centered in the middle?
Turn both strap pieces right side out. 
Now you're going to layer all four pieces of fabric together. Lay one pillow charm square right side up. Attach the Velcro pieces to each other, and lay over the center of the pillow charm square (it doesn't matter which side is up for the strap). Lay your second pillow charm square right down, matching its edges with the first pillow charm square.
It'd be smart to pin the layers, but I like to live dangerously
Sew around the perimeter, leaving a space for turning and stuffing. The strap pieces will stick out a bit from the edges; this is fine.


Trim the excess fabric, turn right side out, and stuff loosely.


Top stitch around the pillow charm squares to close the hole and give it a nice finished look.
And you're done!