Adventures at Naptime- Nursing Pancho

I saw this on Pinterest last time I was nursing a baby- and wanted to buy it.  But could never find the original source of the photo to purchase it!  

So, I'm pregnant again.  

And I refuse to succumb to terrible nursing covers with terrible backfat/boob coverage any longer. 

 I thought to myself, "I will make that elusive nursing cover myself.  And I shall call it The Nursing Pancho."

Here's how I did it.  Please.  Do not judge my sewing skillz. I work more from an image in my mind than by directions or dimensions.  Plus I'm working on very limited time, as it is naptime here and I have approximately 1.5 hours to get crap done + this.  :)

K, buy 2 yards of a jersey cotton on clearance.  I paid $5/yard for this gray at Joanne's fabric.  

Fold it in half horizontally. 

Or, for you stuck in Kindergarten like me- "Hamburger Style."

Now measure your wingspan.  

OK not really- measure from the middle of your collarbone to where you want it to fall.  

I wanted it a little below my elbows.  No particular reason.

Fold your fabric so you have this length doubled up on itself. 

My "extra" leftover is on the right.

Whack that leftover fabric off.

This folded closed edge will be the top of your pancho- where your neckline will be.

Now pin where you want your seam. Notice my "closed" top edge is at the top- this is where your shoulders and neck will be.

(Note: you could totally skip all sewing steps and make a seamless pancho.  But then you still run into some boob/backfat coverage issues.)

Don't make your pancho too tight- we don't want to smother a perfectly content nursing baby.  

I pinned my seam about 4 inches from the edge- you can ALWAYS sew a new seam further in if yours ends up too baggy.

Notice my little perpendicular pin at the top for a pseudo-sleeve. 

Get to work-

Whack off the excess - but don't cut too close to the seam!

Now repeat for the other seam on the opposite side.

Hint: try to match the arm seam placement from the other side. :)

Now, here's where it gets real scientific.  Chop off a neck-hole. 

You could get all over-achiever and fold your shirt in half to ensure a symmetrical neckline. :)

Be careful not to cut too much- this is the size I made mine, and my neckline turned out really large.  

Which is fine so you can watch that baby nurse. 

Here's an attempt at a final outcome picture- I will have someone snap a shot of me actually nursing a baby under it in about 5-6 weeks!