Sewing a Hooter Hider

I was given a "Hooter Hider" at a baby shower before Mandy was born. Part of me wondered "how great could it possibly be?" After all, I had somehow managed to breast feed my first child without a nursing cover. But when Mandy arrived and I started nursing her, I found the Hooter Hider to be a wonderful accessory! No more struggling to keep a blanket covering me while trying to wrestle 14 layers of clothing underneath it, all while peaking to see what I was doing. The Hooter Hider has a convenient arched opening that allows the breast feeding mom to see and everything else to stay private. For a modesty lover like myself, I am not sure how I lived without it!

The original Hooter Hider is made by Bebe au Lait and is $35. I discovered how easy they are to sew myself and have made quite a few to give as gifts. Shhh, don't tell, but the supplies cost as little as $5. I just finished sewing three and I thought I would share the easy directions for the Hooter Hider, aka Wrack Shack, Milking Moo-moo, or Titty Tent, whatever you want to call it.

You will need:

• 3/4 to 7/8 yard washable fabric
• 1/2 yard boning, 1/4 or 1/2 inch works fine
• thread
• two med. sized buttons (optional)

First, cut your fabric to 26" x 38", leaving a strip along the side or bottom from the excess that will be for the neck strap.

Use an iron to press under 1/2" and then 1/2" again to make a finished edge.

Sew the folded fabric in place with matching thread on 3 sides. The long side (the top) will require an extra step because it has the boning. 

Find the center of the fabric and the center of the boning (make sure the boning arches out) and pin the boning under the fold. Then just stitch the entire edge, making sure to sew close to the boning, capturing the edge so it doesn't move.

For the strap, I cut a piece 22" x 5" and folded 2 edges under and then in half, matching the clean edges, wrong sides together (no turning required). Sew the edges together and also the ends.

You want to cover to sit high on the chest so the tented portion does not droop. The original Hooter Hider has a ring to adjust the length of the neck strap, but I found I always used it at the same length. For directions on how to put a ring adjuster on, click here.  I sew the strap in place, leaving about 18 inches on the band (that is plenty of room to take it off over the head and still see down through the cover for nursing. Before stitching in place, try it on for size. On this nursing cover, I sewed on buttons because I think they are cute, not for any functional purpose.

The nursing cover folds up nicely to stay in the diaper bag. I think it would be convenient to have 2, one for the car/diaper bag and one to keep in the house. 

I sewed one for myself as well because my other one is crazy, wild, pink patterned. This cover will be nice for a boy, with a bit of class for mom too. Happy hooter hiding!