Highchair Cover {A Pattern Review}

I have to admit it, I'm one of "those Moms". You know the type: the one who doesn't like to deal with germs, keeps hand sanitizer in every bag, stroller, and vehicle, and refuses to let her child touch anything that looks like it might have something {albeit microscopic} growing on it. So before my son was born, I had made a shopping cart cover for him and long before he was able to {or needed to} sit in a restaurant highchair, I had also made a highchair cover. I've actually made a total of five of these: two for myself and three as gifts.

Truthfully, I own two different patterns to make a highchair cover: McCall's 5721 and Simplicity 4225. I've never used the McCall's one and have always used the Simplicity one. I like the ease and look of the Simplicity one just a little better and have actually gotten to the point where it takes very little time at all for me to cut it out and put it together. After making so many of them though, I've started adding my own modifications:

• Instead of making the toy loops with Velcro, I've just started making them into true loops and adding the toy rings to make attaching toys easy.
• From experience, the "ruffle" that covers the sides of the highchair {not on the shopping cart one - it's long enough} needs a couple of extra inches. On this one, I added about four inches of length to the ruffle to make sure that it covers {and then remains covered} the sides of the highchair properly.
  

  
  

• Because the raw seams are exposed on the seat portion, on several of the ones I've made {particularly the ones that are gifts}, I've covered and reinforced the seams with grosgrain ribbon. Once I get my serger however, I'll just serge the edges and be done with it.
• The pattern calls for interfacing on both pieces of the seat. I've NEVER done this - I've always just used one layer of cotton batting and then used a quilt basting spray.
  
  

This particular one that I made, however, was the first time that I used cotton fabric and not cotton flannel... I highly recommend using cotton fabric! I was afraid that it wouldn't be nearly as soft, but after it was finished, I realized that it probably was the best choice overall. I need to make a new one for myself {my son's current one is dire need of a replacement} so I'm planning on making his new one with some fun cotton fabric that I found!