DIY Barstool Slipcovers

Custom-made slipcovers will fit barstools with one leg or four legs.

Change the look of your barstools without recovering them. Make slipcovers with a drawstring edge that will fit securely on most round bar stools. Use these slipcovers to cover tattered barstool seats or to change the fabric on the stools to match your decor. Brightly-colored slipcovers add an eye-catching accent to a plain room. Use slipcovers in a neutral color to cover barstool seats that clash with a room's colors.

Things You'll Need

• Large paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Fabric
• Tape measure
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• 1/8-inch cord or 1/4-inch ribbon or tape
• Small safety pin
• Straight pins

Instructions

1. Lay the stool upside down on a large sheet of paper. Trace around the seat. Remove the stool. Draw a line 1/2 inch from the circle all the way around to create the pattern for the top of the stool. Use it to cut a circle of fabric.

2. Measure the circumference of the seat and add 1 inch. Measure from the top of the side of the stool to the outside edge of a leg. Add 1 1/4 inch to this measurement. Cut a rectangle with these measurements for the sides of the slipcover. The extra length is for the seam allowance at the top and the casing for the drawstring at the bottom. The end of this piece will extend as far as possible underneath the seat of the barstool.

3. Zigzag stitch one of the long edges of the rectangle to create a finished edge. Fold down 3/4 inch on this edge and stitch 1/2 inch from the fold to make a casing on the bottom edge of the sidepiece.

4. Fold the rectangle in half with the short sides together and the right side of the fabric on the inside. Stitch 1/2 inch from the short edges, starting on the unfinished edge and ending just before the casing.

5. Cut a length of 1/8-inch cord or 1/4-inch ribbon or tape 16 inches longer than the casing. Use a small safety pin to thread it through the casing. Knot the ends of the cord or cut the ends of the ribbon at an angle to prevent fraying.

6. Pin the raw edge of the side piece around the edge of the top piece. Sew 1/2 inch from the edge. Clip the seam allowance of this seam every 1/4 inch all around the edge. Turn the slip cover right side out. Pull it over the stool. Pull the cords of the drawstring to tighten the slipcover around the legs of the stool. Tie the drawstring in a secure bow. Tuck the bow up into the inside of the slipcover so the ends don't show.

Tips & Warnings

• Add extra padding to your barstool by cutting a circle of foam the same size as the top of the stool. Place it on top of the stool before you take the measurements.