What's A Boppy?

Maybe you have been living a quiet, sheltered life like me and have no clue what a Boppy is?  I had never heard of one until 5 months ago. My pregnant DIL informed me that a Boppy is a U-shaped pillow designed to make nursing your baby more comfortable for both you and the baby. I checked it out and saw that there were tutorials to make covers for them.

 

  The replacement covers that they sell are a bit cheesy and are not made of the highest quality fabric. Their aesthetics are just OK. So aren't you happy when you discover that your published, award winning, quilting MIL can make Boppy covers??? Would love to make Boppy covers for her upcoming grandson?? And you, as the Mother to be can pick out high quality quilting fabric with a design that you love??

 

It's a WIN-WIN.

 

After perusing a bunch of blogs where young mothers are making Boppy covers, I bought a Boppy - a naked one to use as my test subject (and to give to the Mom). The women make their own using the pillow for a pattern. For insurance, at the same time I bought the Boppy, I bought a waterproof liner to use as a pattern.  But then I saw that Simplicity had a pattern.  Normally $15.95, the patterns were on sale for $1.00.  How could I go wrong?

 Call me naïve.  I thought if you bought a Simplicity sewing pattern, that you were assured of success - especially if it were a Sewing For Dummies pattern. 

 

Even at my age (LOL), you learn something new all the time.  Don't they have pattern testers???? Do they think that no one will make the item that they are making the pattern for??? I made the cover using their directions.  It was simple as pie.  I even added rick rack to stick out in between the top and bottom. It was so cute.  How many do you want, I asked my DIL?

 

 That was until I tried to put the cover onto the pillow.

 A struggle ensued and then I heard the seam ripping. Grrrrr.

 

Since I ordered the waterproof liner, I decided to actually use it as a pattern to make my own templates.  The first thing I noticed was the gusset for the inside curve.  I thought this might be the key to success (and it was.).

 

  I measured and partially deconstructed the liner and made paper templates.

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The original Bobby covers have a zipper that goes across the back (not perpendicularly like the Simplicity pattern) and I thought that was the best way to go, but I used Velcro instead. 

The first one I made, I used cotton for both the front and the back, and lo and behold, it fit!

 

Then I decided to try minkee.  It’s a stretchy fabric that is so soft and gives a nice tight fit. A word of caution – minkee is very slippery so use lots of pins when sewing the top and bottom layers together.

 

Minkee on top

Cotton on the bottom

Once I had my own pattern, it did not take long at all to make the covers, three in all.  I would definitely recommend a stretchy fabric for either top or bottom to get a nice tight fit.