Make slipcovers for dining room chairs.
Dining room chair slipcovers create a functional or elegant look for chairs, depending on the type of fabric chosen. Choose a medium-weight washable fabric for a functional slipcover or medium-weight decorator fabric for an elegant look. Sew a sample slipcover out of low-cost muslin fabric to create a pattern and work out sewing problems before cutting the higher-cost slipcover fabric. This will save you time and money when making slipcovers for your dining room chairs.
Instructions
1. Calculate the length and width if the dining chair seat, the height and width of the dining chair back and the total height of the dining chair from the floor to the top edge of the back.
2. Create a sketch of the measurements on paper to give you a visual for cutting fabric. Include the four pieces of fabric: two pieces for the back, one piece for the seat and one piece for a skirt around the legs.
3. Add 1/2-inch seam allowances to the measurements for all four pieces. Cut the pieces out of a muslin fabric to create a test slipcover and pattern pieces.
4. Attach the two back pieces together by laying the two pieces with together and pinning the long sides and top edge. Sew around the three sides of the chair back slipcover to make a pillowcase shape. Turn the pillowcase right side out and smooth the seams and corners.
5. Attach the seat section to the back slipcover by pinning the back edge to the front edge of the slipcover with right sides together. Sew a 1/2-inch seam.
6. Hem the skirt sides by folding 1/4 inch of fabric to the wrong side. Fold over another 1/4 inch of fabric and pin to hold in place. Sew the hem close to the inside fold.
7. Attach the slipcover leg skirt by pinning the top edge of the skirt around the seat section and back edge of the back slipcover with right sides together. Line up the hem sides of the skirt so they meet at the center back of the slipcover. The bottom opening of the back slipcover remains open. Sew a 1/2-inch seam.
8. Place the slipcover on the dining chair to verify fit and mark the hem placement. Turn under the bottom edge 1/4 inch, followed by another 1/4 to 1/2 inch based on the current fit. You want the bottom hem edge just above floor level. Sew the hem close to the inside fold to hold it in place.
9. Make slipcovers out of decorator fabric using the measurements and seam lengths you created in the muslin test slipcover.
Tags: back slipcover, dining chair, 2-inch seam, right sides, right sides together, sides together, with right