Spring is here at last. Goodbye, sweaters and turtlenecks. Hello, t-shirts! Unfortunately, a familiar pain in the neck comes with the t-shirts. (Literally.) The seat belt always irritates the skin around my neck and shoulder where the t-shirt just doesn't quite cover. Does that happen to you, too? How about to your kids? I've got an easy fix for you with these clever DIY seat belt covers. This hack is sure to save your neck!
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Before I created this fix, I'd been known to stuff anything I could find between my skin and the seat belt. I'm sure I looked pretty cool driving down the road with napkins hanging out all over! My kids would just give up all together and throw the seat belt behind their backs. (I hate that, because it's not safe.) It only took a few minutes and very few supplies to fix the problem.
DIY Seat Belt Covers
Ready to get started? You're just a few easy steps away from a more comfortable driving experience!
Materials:
- 11 ½" x 6" piece of soft fabric (I used flannel)
- Sewing machine and coordinating thread
- Velcro
- Straight pins
Instructions:
- Begin by cutting your fabric to size, and then fold it in half with the right sides together. (See image.)
- Sew around the open edges (with about an ⅛ inch seam), leaving an opening to turn the fabric right-side out.
- Turn the fabric right-side out and use a pencil or other sharp edge to straighten out the corners. Fold in the open edges around the hole, and pin it closed.
- Using as small a seam allowance as you are comfortable, sew along the entire outside edge of the rectangle.
- Cut a small piece of velcro, and take your fabric and velcro outside to your car. Fold the rectangle around the seat belt and mark the edge of where the fabric overlaps with a straight pin. Use the pin as a guide to help you place your velcro on the fabric. On step number five above, you see the velcro placed on top of the fold. You will actually place the velcro in that same spot, but under the top layer of fabric. Attach one layer of velcro to the underside of the fabric and the other layer of velcro to the fabric next to the pin.
- Stitch on the velcro, and you're done!
If you wish, you can remove the seat belt covers when they are not in use. I find it easiest to leave them on the seat belt all Spring and Summer. Since they easily slide up and down the belt, they don't get in the way of retracting the seat belt. When my hubby drives, he simply slides it down by his waist so that it can't be seen. The seat belt doesn't rub his neck. Lucky!
Just be careful when you put the cover away for Winter. I swear that I put mine in the glove box, but I can't find it anywhere! Good thing these seat belt covers are easy to make. It looks like I need to make some more right away!
Now you and your kids can safely and comfortably ride with your seat belts in the correct position. Honestly, I wish I had thought of this years ago!
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Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to check out more ideas for Spring and Summer by clicking on the images below.
The images are linked to posts, so click on them!
Marcie W.
Great idea! Our son is on the autism spectrum and especially sensitive when it comes to seat belt placement. A cover like this would be a wonderful (and comfortable!) solution.
Heidi
I'm so glad this might help your son. Good luck! I hope he likes it. My girls love it!
Jacqui Odell
I would love to make this for my daughter. She hates wearing her seat belt because it bothers her skin/neck.
Heidi
I hope it helps, Jacqui. My youngest is always tossing her belt over her shoulder. This helps her keep it in place.
Marysa
What a neat idea! With summer around the corner, it will be nice to have these in the car so the seatbelts aren't bugging us!
Heidi
I lost mine over the winter, so now I need to hurry and make some more. The seat belt is already driving me crazy! (We're almost in summer weather in my area.)
Kristi
What a great idea. I think everyone needs one of these and look so simple to make, I think even I can do this one!
Heidi
Thanks, Kristi. You're right. They are really easy. I think even a beginner could handle this project.
Jessica Taylor
This is such a cute idea! I would love to make one in a floral print to match my steering wheel cover!
Heidi
Thanks, Jessica. That would be so cute! I used the leftover fabric from my daughter's school sewing project. My cover matches her pajama pants. Ha!
Amber Myers
I need to make one! My daughter complains about the seat belt uncomfortable and I'm sure this would help.
Heidi
You should try it Amber. Hopefully it would make your daughter more willing to wear her seat belt. Good luck!
Sapana V
Great post. This is a really helpful DIY. I have never imagined that seat belt cover has benefits.
Heidi
Thanks, Sapana. You must be one of those lucky people who is just the right height for the seat belt. Lucky you that it doesn't drive you crazy!
Ashley
I actually bought one for myself LOL, but I like that this one is DIY. I'll have to make one for myself in a color I like... and make one for my son too!
Heidi
Great minds think alike. Whether you buy it or DIY it, it's nice to be more comfortable in the car!
Muna Kenny
Seat belt bothers me more than anything, it just keeps moving and uncomfortable! What a great idea, I think cover won't make the seat belt as annoying.
Heidi
You should try it, Muna. Hopefully it will help you be more comfortable in the car. I love mine.
David Elliott
I have seen things like that on sale in stores. But these look a lot cuter than the ones they have in the stores. It would be a lot cooler getting to make one.
Heidi
Thanks, David. When you DIY, you can make things as cute or as plain as you want. I just used whatever fabric I had on hand. I don't think my hubby loves the bright colors, but he can just slide it down when he's in the car. Then no one sees it.
Nikki Leigh
I got into a bad wreck in my car a year ago and this would have been a great help with the seat belt burn I received on my chest. I might need to make one of these just in case I get into another accident.
Heidi
Sorry to hear about your accident, Nikki! I got burns on my wrists from the air bag when I was in a car accident on the freeway. I guess the burns are better than the alternative if we weren't wearing seat belts or didn't have air bags, right? I wonder if the seat belt cover would have made a difference at high speeds. Hmm. Maybe. That seat belt is pretty rough!
Ophelia Tang
Thanks for Sharing! Great Post! Will definitely give it a try for my car.
Heidi
Thanks, Ophelia. I hope you try it. It helps me a lot.
valmg @ Mom Knows It All
The seat belt doesn't rub my neck either, it did once and I adjusted the height of the seat belt and it never happened again. This is a simple solution to the problem but very creative.
Heidi
You're lucky, Val. You must be just the right height. I'm pretty short. I have the seat belt adjusted as low as it will go, but it's still not quite low enough. Us shorties have to get creative!
Dinesh Silva
We had a similar problem last year and tried a couple of things out but none of them held out long journeys. This looks like it will, thanks for the idea.
Heidi
You're welcome, Dinesh. I hope this works for you. Good luck!
Sondra Barker
This is such a cute idea. I can't tell you how many times I could have used this! So cool.
Heidi
Thanks, Sondra. I felt silly at first, but the comfort was worth it.
Alysha
Great post! The seat belt sometimes causes chafing, your DIY covers are perfect and so easy with your step by step tutorial, no need to suffer that nagging irritation unnecessarily! Tfs!
Heidi
Thanks, Alysha. Once I made it, I wondered why I hadn't thought of it years ago! The car became so much more comfortable!
Stacey
Very say and useful. Plus you can color coordinate and use the fabric of your choice.
Heidi
Thanks, Stacey. Making the seat belt covers out of any fabric you want is the fun part!
Sofia
This is such a cute DIY project. I have a black one in my car, reckon I'll give a go at doing my own :)
Heidi
You're way ahead of me, Sofia. I never thought to look to see if I could actually buy one. I hate to spend money, so I still probably would have made my own, but buying one just never occurred to me. At first, I thought I was the only crazy lady driven nuts by the seat belt!
Hannah Marie
This is a really cool idea! I like that it's a DIY and I can choose whatever design I want :)
Heidi
Thanks, Hannah. Choosing your own fabric (or getting free fabric from your stash) is always the fun part of any DIY! Thanks for stopping by today.
Author Brandi Kennedy
These are so cute, and I like that you can make them in any patterns or colors - to match your car interior, OR your passengers' various personalities.
Heidi
Thanks, Brandi. I think my hubby would have preferred covers that matched the car's interior, but the kids love the fun designs.
Author Brandi Kennedy
I can understand that - all the same, I'm with the kids! I want colors and patterns, lol.
Erin F
Oh my gosh! I totally need this! I always get an irritating neck burn in my husband's truck. Nothing like a floral fuzzy seat belt protector in a big manly truck, right? LOL
Heidi
Ha, Erin! I girly seat belt cover would be so funny in your hubby's truck! (You could always make it in a boring solid color to match, but where's the fun in that?)
Rosey
My granddaughter has one on her car seat. It keeps the metal adjuster from burning her and protects her from the material cutting into her skin too.
Heidi
That's so smart to put one on the car seat! I wish I had thought of that when my kids were younger. Those black and metal pieces got so hot (especially when I was living in Florida). What a smart mommy your granddaughter has (unless it was your idea--then she has a smart grandma!)!
Claudia Krusch
What a great idea! Seat belt bothers me more than anything, it just keeps moving and sometimes it hurts me!
Heidi
Thanks, Claudia. Maybe making on of these seat belt covers would solve your problem and make you more comfortable. It sure helps me.
Terri Beavers
I really love the tie dye material. I'll have to try to make this because I can't stand the seat belt on my neck.
Heidi
Thanks, Terri. That fabric was left over from my daughter's school sewing project. My seat belt cover matches her pajama bottoms!
Glenda
I agree the seatbelt does irritate our neck once we start wearing tank tops and tees. The simple seat belt cover is so neat!
Heidi
Thanks, Glenda. I sure enjoy mine. I feel so much more comfortable in the car.
Payastyle
Oh that's lovely! I will use it during my sewing classes!
Heidi
Thank you. That would be a really simple project to make in a sewing class. My daughters are learning to sew. I need to make some more of these. I think I'll have them make them instead! Great idea!
Ana De- Jesus
Those DIY covers are amazing they are giving me a mermaid meets unicorn vibe. I love the colours you used x
Heidi
Thanks, Ana. I just used the most fun fabric I could find from my scraps. My hubby has finally stopped giving me a funny look when I use the cover. I guess he's happy to not have to hear me complain anymore!
Meryland Cuevas
This seems to be so easy to make! I love it, I will see if I can make one for me using a Minions fabric :) Thanks for the DIY tip
Heidi
I bet your kids would love a seat belt cover made from Minions fabric, Meryland! (Or, maybe you're the Minons fan?)
Kat
This would be great for kids! I remember seat belts being really uncomfortable when I was younger/shorter. You could even let each kid pick out their own fabric (although keeping track of everyone's covers would be a different story :P )
Heidi
My kids always sit in the same spots in the car, so keeping track of the covers isn't hard. It would be fun to make everyone's different. Great idea, Kat.
Jessica Lee
Makes so much sense a simple yet very effective idea. Wow you nailed it girl
John A
Looks fun diy belt covers. I will try this out with my munchkins and see how it goes.
Eric R. Haney
Great idea! I would love to make this for myself. I hate wearing seat belt because it bothers my skin. Thanks for sharing this creative post with us.