How to Reupholster a Chair Cushion

A seat cushion in a bold stripe or floral that includes green would update this chair.

Give new life to an unattractive flea-market chair or a worn piece from your own rec room by changing out the cushions -- seat, back or both. New fabric can be put on a chair without additional upholstery in any color or pattern. A chair that has fabric on its frame can be updated with coordinating fabric for a cottage or eclectic look, if you don't have access to any of the original fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Upholstery fabric
• Covered upholstery cording in a coordinating fabric
• Scissors
• Seam ripper (optional)
• Sewing machine
• Measuring tape
• Thread
• Foam cushion form

Instructions

1. Remove the old cushion from the chair. Measure the height, width and depth of the cushion.

2. Carefully rip the seams of the old cushion with a seam-ripper tool or scissors. The pieces serve as the pattern for your new cushion. When the material is in poor condition, piece it together as best you can to measure it. Measure 3 inches larger with your new material than the one you are replacing. Cut two pieces of fabric for one cushion. Cut the four depth pieces too. You end up with two face pieces for the top and bottom of the cushion and four striplike pieces of fabric, each the height of the cushion.

3. Cut the foam to the correct size with a straight-edge razor blade and should be slightly smaller than the cushion measurement. Make sure you allow for the depth of the cushion when selecting this foam.

4. Pin the cording onto the right side of the front and back pieces. The cording should run around the perimeter of the fabric, starting in the center of one edge, with the fabric flange of the covered cording out and lined up with the edge of the cushion fabric. Run it all the way around the cushion, turning at the corners and allowing a slight overlap at the point where the two ends meet. Sew the cording in place with a sewing machine. Sew as close to the cord as possible.

5. Sew three of your side pieces end to end -- right sides of the fabric together -- leaving a 1 1/2-inch seam allowance on each end. Align the side pieces with the top and bottom pieces, leaving one side open.

6. Pin the top and bottom to the side piece around three sides -- fabric should be right-sides together. Sew, along the same stitch line as the cording, making sure the cording stays in proper place. Put the foam on one of the sides of the cushion and carefully turn the cushion cover right side out around it.

7. Put the last end piece in place and pin so the seam allowance is turned in. Hand stitch the piece in place, using tiny whip stitches.

Tips & Warnings

• You can cover your own cord if you want it to perfectly match your fabric.

• Add a zipper along the last seam if you want your cushion cover to be removable.

Resources

• University of Kentucky Extension: Decorative Cording