How to Make a Straight Back Chair Cover

A straight back chair cover should coordinate either with your chair's seat or the decor in the room the chair will go in. This cover works best for a chair that has a straight edge along the top of the seat back. It is quick and simple to make and can be created with purchased fabric, recycled linens or an extra panel from your room's curtains. Use formal luxurious fabrics for dining room straight back chair covers or inexpensive washable cottons for everyday kitchen chairs.

Things You'll Need

• Straight back chair
• Measuring tape
• Newspaper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• 1 yard decorative fabric
• Straight pins
• 1 yard muslin
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Hand sewing needle and thread

Instructions

1. Measure around the chair seat back at the widest span. This is especially important for a chair back that tapers in at the bottom. Add two inches to this total to accommodate the seam allowances. Divide this total in half for the width of your chair cover. Measure from the bottom rear of the chair back, up and over the chair back and down the front to the seat top. Add two inches to this total to accommodate the seam allowance. Divide this total in half for the length of your chair cover.

2. Spread a sheet of newspaper on your work table. Draw a pattern using the chair back width and length measurements. Cut out the pattern. Place a yard of your chosen decorative fabric on your work table. Fold the fabric into two layers with the right sides together. Pin the pattern to the fabric and cut out. Place a yard of muslin on your work table. Fold the muslin into two layers, with either side together as muslin does not have a right or wrong side. Pin the pattern to the muslin and cut out.

3. Place the two decorative fabric pieces together with the right sides facing. Pin the long edges and the top edge together. Sew the pinned edges together using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Clip the corners at the top of the chair cover to eliminate bulk. Separate the seams and press them open. Pin and sew the muslin pieces in the same way, leaving a three-inch opening in the center of one long edge for turning. Clip the corners. Separate the seams and press them open.

4. Turn the decorative fabric chair cover right side out. Insert the cover into the lining piece. Line up the side seams and match the raw edges of the chair cover bottom. Pin the raw edges together. Sew around the bottom opening of the chair cover using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Turn the straight back chair cover right side out through the opening in the lining's side seam. Hand sew the opening closed. Press the cover flat. Topstitch around the bottom edge of the chair cover a 1/4-inch from the edge.