How to Sew a Cover for a Footstool

For your footstool cover, you should use a sturdy material.

You can sew a footstool cover from many types of materials including leather, denim or canvas. Since your footstool has its own special kind of "foot traffic," you should sew your cover using a sturdy material. The material should be a color that is not too light. You can choose to make a footstool cover that stays on the stool permanently or one that can be taken off and washed.

Things You'll Need

• Footstool
• Tape measure
• Fabric
• Yardstick
• Chalk
• Fabric scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Foam
• Staple gun

Instructions

1. Measure the perimeter of the stool with a tape measure to find the width of your stool cover side panel, then add 3 inches. Measure half of the height of the stool to find the height of the side panel. Measure and mark your fabric with a yardstick and chalk, using the side panel dimensions. Cut out your side panel.

2. Fold the fabric in half with the right sides facing and the short sides together. Pin the short sides together, leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Sew the seam and iron it open, pressing it flat. Fold and press a 1-inch hem along the bottom edge of the side panel.

3. Place the side panel on your ironing board, with the seam in the center, and press it with the iron, creasing the edges. Fold the side panel in half along the seam and press it again. Open the side panel and the seam and the ironed creases will form the corners of the footstool cover.

4. Measure the top of the stool and use those dimensions to mark a piece of foam with chalk. Cut out the foam and set it aside. Cut out your stool top panel.

5. Pin the unhemmed edge of the side panel fabric to the fabric of the top panel, matching the right sides and raw edges and leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Sew the top panel to the side panel. Cut the corner seams with your scissors. Turn the footstool cover right side out and press once more.

6. Lay your cut-out piece of foam onto the footstool top. Place the footstool cover right side up over the foam on the footstool and smooth it out. Turn the footstool over and fold the first corner of the fabric onto the footstool. Staple the first corner fold of fabric onto the footstool wood. Continue folding the corners onto the footstool and stapling them, keeping the fabric as tight and smooth as possible.

7. Tuck and staple any leftover fabric on the sides and corners of the footstool. Clip off any hanging strings or material.

Tips & Warnings

• You can hem the cover instead of stapling it to the bottom of the footstool, if you would like to take it off and wash it when needed.

References

• Woman's Day: How to Make Fitted Stool Covers
• Sew Mama Sew: Sewing for the Home: Easy Stool Slipcovers
• Terri's Notebook: Padded Foot Stool