What's a fashion-forward mom to do about those drab car seats? Today's featured indie designer, Colleen Wilson of Chubby Baby, has the answer with her handmade car seat slipcovers in funky fabrics that are sure to spice up your ride.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work. I'm Colleen, a working Private Investigator, mom and owner of Chubby Baby. My dream since my daughter was born was to stay home but to also earn a living and contribute to our household's earnings. I started sewing baby blankets just for fun and because I love things handmade; they just mean more to me than a store bought product. I had been taught to sew by my grandmother and mother, who are fantastic seamstresses and quilters. I grew up around a sewing machine always being in a room, which led me to sew clothes for my Cabbage Patch dolls.

I started designing infant car seat covers for my daughter because she spit up so much and her car seat was a huge pain to take apart every time. I went to buy one and they were out of my budget, so because I was embarrassed and determined to have one, I went home and sat at the kitchen table for a whole week straight designing my own pattern and then sewing it all together. (Of course I took breaks in between feedings for the baby.)

So my daughter was the beginning of my inspiration and has continued to inspire me to push myself and make Chubby Baby bigger than I could have imagined.

I just love featuring fun, luxuriously soft, baby products. I strive to make durable, lasting products using only the highest quality fabrics and threads. At the same time, the artistic value of each design is equally important. All of my designs are my own creations, professionally crafted by me, that I make in a beautiful sewing studio, aka the dining room. They are designed to withstand washings and actually become softer the more they are washed.

Each little baby snuggled in their infant car seat or toddler car seat cover is truly a treasure, and my goal is for the product to reflect that. I gladly spend the necessary time to ensure each product is as special as your little chubby baby!

How did you get started as a designer? Since I was a child I have been coming up with "inventions," aka creations, of my own. I used to make hair bows and walk around my neighborhood and try to sell them off on my neighbors. Then the next week I'd go around again trying to sell something else that I made, like pictures I painted. So I guess that is when I started designing.

As I got older I started falling in love with fabrics and just started collecting them. My mom also is a quilter and has a whole room full of beautiful fabrics that she uses on her quilts; I believe my mom is my biggest influence and has been my biggest supporter.

What inspires your work? My daughter and all of my friends' children. I love super soft fabrics, so when I see a new color that has come out, I have to grab it and use it right away. Fabric inspires me too, I love color and when I see a new print I just start imagining all the new things I can do with it!

Who are your favorite designers? This is a hard one for me, I'm really simple but love nice things too. I would have to say that Martha is my favorite and then Amy Butler, next Heather Bailey. I love "unique" accessories and shop for those things only on Etsy. Etsy designers are part of my favorites too; I am always amazed at all the talent I find on the site.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? My top fashion must-haves... Spanx! After having a baby things just are not as firm as they used to be -- Spanx help, A LOT! And I'm not ashamed to tell anyone, I tell everyone! I love skirts and dresses, I always feel more "girly" when I wear one.

Beauty must-have for me is hair extensions! I hate my curly, frizzy, crazy hair. I just add my extensions and can run out the door and feel great! And of course lip glass by MAC.

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers? Just go for it! You'll never know unless you try! Don't try and do it with a friend either, it never works out from personal experience and from word of mouth from other designers. Stay true to you, don't create what you "think" is cute, just make what you like! There is always a market out there for all different looks, stay true to yourself; that is where all the joy in designing comes from!

Where can people find your work? You can find my work at www.ChubbyBaby.etsy.com.


We love all of the amazing independent designers out there and we wanted to find out more about what makes these creative types tick. If you do too, check out more of our Indie Designer Interviews.