How to Make Dining Room Chair Covers

Removable Dining Room chair covers are one way to keep your look fresh and fun. Easily removed for laundering, they are a great idea for use with children. Parties and seasonal decorating are as simple as tying on the decorative cover!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• News or craft paper for pattern making.
• 4 to 5 yards of fabric for 4 chairs, depending on the width of the fabric and design features
• Thread that matches or contrasts with the fabric.
• Rolled batting, a stuffing material that comes rolled up in sheets. Pillow stuffing is too lumpy for this purpose.
• Ribbon and or trims, optional.

1. Trace the shape and size of the chair seat onto the paper. Add a 1/2 in seam allowance all the way around. Without this, the chair cover would bee too small after stitching the edges together.

2. Using the pattern cut two pieces of fabric per chair. They can be of the same fabric on both sides or different fabrics so the look can be varied by flipping the cover over. Cut one piece of batting for each chair.

3. Pinning to hold all layers in place and with the right sides of the fabric facing each other and the batting on top of all, begin to stitch 1/2 inch away from the edge with the sewing machine. The cover can be stitched by hand if you wish, but care should be taken to keep the stitches uniform and tight without causing the fabric to pucker. The hand stitch should be between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch and close on one side of the fabric. On the opposite side, the stitches will be spaced and small. This will help to "lock" the stitches so the thread can't get pulled, gathering the fabric into a messy bunch.
   
   Begin the stitching at one of the back corners and sew down one edge, across the front and up the other side. DO NOT SEW ACROSS THE BACK YET.

4. Tie a know in your thread or backstitch to prevent unraveling. Flip the cover right sides out and iron the seams flat being sure the fabric is all pushed out to the seam with the edge of a ruler, finger tips or similar or the cover will not look big enough or shaped properly.

5. Cut two lengths of ribbon long enough to tie around the posts for the seat back. Pin them in the correct spots and fold over the seam allowance, pin and stitch shut being careful to do several anchor stitches to hold the ribbons in place. Tie onto the chair and step back to admire your handiwork!

Tips & Warnings

• You can add more style to your cover by adding a "skirt" that goes all the way around the pad and hangs down over the edge of the chair. Styles can vary from a three inch ruffle to a straight tailored four piece skirt with slits at the corners of the seat or even a luxurious floor length skirt.
• Use ties made of the same or complimentary fabric. They can be thin, or wide. Or, instead of tying, you may want to button or snap the loop around the corner post. A nice look for Holiday decorating is one wide tie that goes around to the back of the chair with a big bow.
• Instead of rolled batting, you can recycle using old blankets or towels.
• This project does require some skill in measuring and sewing. It is a great beginner's project if you want to learn how to sew, but you should learn about your machine and practice with inexpensive fabric first.
• Patterned fabrics require care in cutting so the pattern looks good on the chair. Small scattered prints are less particular than a fabric with a large flower pattern. You may need more fabric so as to be able to place one flower at the center of each cushion. Plaids or strips should run straight or on a true 45 degree bias.
• One you have experienced success, you may not be able to stop making covers for your chairs which will begin to deplete your available closet space.

[starlet67]

on 5/31/2009 Great detailed steps for making dining room chair covers!5*