Dressing Up My Dining Room Chairs

I probably should have started Christmas shopping today, but instead I decided to stay home and dedicate today "DIY Sunday". Project of choice: New Dining Chair Slipcovers using Windsor Smith's Pelagos fabric in Mist.

Two years ago I bought two dining chairs from Homegoods in turquoise with a brown damask pattern on the seat back. As much as I liked the chairs when I first bought them, the color and pattern were not working anymore with the current interior design. I knew if I tried to sell them I wouldn't get the full amount back that I paid for them, so  I decided to try creating slipcovers.

I've never sewed anything more than pillow covers or curtains. The thought of trying to build slipcovers scared me until I found a fellow blogger's directions online: http://bibbidi-bobbidi-beautiful.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-slipcover-henriksdal-parsons.html thanks Pamela!

Ok so here's what I did and you can do it too!

The key to this project is to create a pattern beforehand so that you can work out any kinks. I used old fabric to pin together the test slipcover and I'm glad I did because I was able to adjust some of my dimensions before I cut into the "good" fabric.

Custom Pattern that worked for my two chairs (I just doubled every piece)

First, start with Part B. Pin the open corner edges to one another. Make sure that the "good" side of the fabric faces one another as you sew.

Use the chair as a guide as you pin the pieces together. It's like pinning together a piece of clothing on a mannequin. Think Project Runway!

Next, pin Part A (the back side of the chair) to Part B and sew

This is what the seat back of the slipcover looks like once you turn it inside out and slip it on the chair.

Ok, next take Part C and sew the front corner edges together like you did at the beginning for Part B. This will create the front part of Part C that will slip over the front of the chair. Next, test it out on the chair so you can see how to pin the rest of Part C to Part B, and sew.

Finally, wrap the longest Part D piece (54" x 17") around the front bottom part of chair and pin it to Part C. Next pin the smaller Part D piece (29" x 17") around the back bottom part of the chair and pin it to the bottom of Part A. Now carefully take the slipcover off the chair and sew. You'll also have to sew the two Part D pieces together to one another, but don't worry the seam is hardly noticable. Just make sure the seam is symmetrical on both sides of the chair.

Last step is to sew the bottom hem. Turn the slipcover inside out and cover the chair as if it were finished and ready to use. Pin the bottom hem in place. I pinned mine so it would just touch the floor. Sew and you're done!!!