Weekend Projects ... Part two... and a custom slip cover "how-to".

Covering a chair is actually easier than you might think. I'll be recovering another chair just like the one I did for market. I will do an in depth tutorial with pictures of each step when I do that, but for now, this is a brief explanation of how I made this simple cover. The fabrics I used for this are from my Country Lane collection, and I used the curtains from my booth (which is Kona Crush in Natural from Robert Kaufman) as both the skirt for the chair and the skirt on the table. 

This is an office chair from Target. I just treated it as if it were a regular chair, ignoring where the seat curved in toward the back (see bottom of post for before photo). In other words, for the back of the seat, I used the same measurement as the width of the top of the chair even though the seat actually curves inward and is narrower.

To create a pattern for the back (which is plastic and therefore, I couldn't just pin fabric on it) I literally placed the chair with it's back down on my desk on top of a large piece of paper. Starting in the middle of the back, I traced the curve of the top of the chair to it's end and around the curve. I then folded the paper in half and cut along the line to get the shape and added the length from the top of the chair to the seat. Then I added seam allowances of 1/2" to the pattern piece. I cut two for the back and front of the chair. I made ties for the back of the chair so that when you sit on it, it doesn't slip forward too much. Then I sewed the front and back pieces together with the ties sandwiched in the seams.

For the seat, I pinned the fabric onto the chair, nicely centered on the grain with the pins where a seam would go. I then traced the seat shape adding 1/2" seam allowance with chalk and cut out the pattern piece. Then I sewed the seat piece to the front of the chair back piece. 

For the skirt, I measured around the seat front pattern piece and the back piece and added the numbers together. Then I added nearly half of that number so I could gather it.

After gathering the top of the skirt, I pinned it onto the chair top, leaving half inch at each end. I started sewing and finished sewing around the skirt at those half inch marks and then simply sewed the seam shut using a 1/2" seam allowance. Then I sewed trim on.

That was it. Pretty simple and much prettier than the ugly green chair this was ... eeew. 

Stay tuned for another tutorial coming soon which will include draping the fabric on an upholstered chair and putting in a zipper. 

 

Comments

[Tace]

1.

Oh wow!!!!!!! You just made an office chair look ADORABLE!!!!!!!!! In awe...and eyeing our own office chairs here with a speculative gleam in my eye...I know it's the internet, and you can't see it, but trust me, it's there....

[molly]

2.

what a great re-do! my office chair desperately needs a makeover - think I'll put this project on my list for January! thanks for the inspiration

[Carmen (Country Mouse)]

3.

Love this! You make it seem so simple that I'll have to give it a try!

[Jennifer]

4.

That is just so yummy looking that I keep coming back just to look at it. I can see something like for my sewing chair and I'm already thinking about what fabric I have that would look good - or should I head to the fabric store and indulge myself? I love that kind of decision!

[andrea]

5.

oh-it's so pretty!i need to do something like this with my chairs!

[Lola Nova]

6.

Great guide and inspiration! Just discovered your lovely place here, I'm off now to poke around a bit. I really enjoyed the photos of your studio too.
Have a grand evening.

[tina]

7.

Bari Woman--- You are a liar! I know for a fact that your sewing room is ALWAYS picture perfect, ready for a shoot AS WELL AS clean, orderly and uber chic. Yup, I know this to be true b/c mine is TOO! (snort)

[Peppermint Pinwheels]

8.

That is an awesome chair makeover! My ugly sewing chair occasionally becomes more bearable to look at when it's stacked high with fabric that no longer fits in my stash closet...but then I have to move it in order to sew...

[eileen]

9.

darling chair!! very nicely done and your garden tea party quilt is just such a fun and wonderful idea. have to try both of these sometime

[sandrine]

10.

waw.... very nice !
I want to do mine. And you give me a good example...
good job !
Sandrine