DIY Network

Slipcovers Slipcovers From "Material Girls" episode DMTG-107

In this segment, Jon and Mandy Clark paint the window wall a soft shade of green; then Mandy and April start on a slipcover for a favorite chair. They cut and pin pieces to the chair, and April shows Mandy how to create matching cording to attach the pieces.

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	Before
	After

Room designed by Cat Wei.

Chair Slipcover

Materials:

fabric
scissors
sewing machine
thread
zipper foot
pins and T-pins
glue
zipper
cord
ruler/measuring tape
iron
chalk

1. Before starting, remove all loose cushions on the chair.

2. Cut fabric pieces to roughly fit various sections of the chair. Start by measuring the inside back. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise. Start 1/2" above the back chair edge; continue measuring down to where the back of the chair and the seat come together. Fold 10" for a 5" tuck-in. Continue measuring across the seat and 1/2" below the bottom edge. Cut fabric accordingly.

3. Measure the inside wing. Begin 1/2" above the wing top and measure down to 1/2" below where the wing joins the arm. Double the fabric in half to cut both pieces (one for each side) at the same time.

4. Measure the inside arm. Begin 1/2" past where the arm curve stops. Smooth the fabric down over the arm to allow for a 3" tuck-in. Repeat for the other arm. Cut accordingly.

5. Cut the outside back. Be sure to allow for a 2" overlap on the side to add the zipper. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise. Start 1/2" above the back of the chair, measure down the back of the chair, stopping 1/2" below the bottom edge. Cut fabric straight across.

6. Measure the outside wing. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise. Start 1/2" above the wing and measure down to 1/2" below the arm. Cut fabric accordingly.

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

7. Measure the outside arm by beginning 1/2" above and continue to 1/2" below the bottom edge (figure A). Repeat for the other arm. Cut fabric accordingly.

8. Lay all the pieces onto the chair in their respective places.

9. Pin-fit the fabric pieces together before sewing. Most slipcovers can be pin-fitted wrong side out, but if the fabric has a pattern, work with the fabric right side out (figure B).

10. Start by pinning the front and outside back together at the top of the chair. Allow for a 1/2" seam. Fold 5" for the tuck-in at the area where the back and seat of the chair meet and where the arm and the seat meet. Smooth the fabric over the chair seat and front. Fold the excess back fabric at the sides of the seat and the inside back where the wings join. Cut any excess fabric. Pin the cover to the chair to hold it firmly in place while working.

11. Pin the inside wings to the inside back and inside arms. Make sure to allow for the 1/2" seam allowance. Make little tucks in the curved area to ease fullness. Clip the fabric where the inside wing and inside arm join. The fabric should lie smoothly around the curve to where the outside wing joins.

12. Smooth the fabric over the arm and pin in place (figure C). This helps hold the fabric firm. Pin the inside and outside arm pieces together. Remember to allow for the 5" tuck-in at the arms.

13. To create the front of the arm pieces, gather the arm fabric to ease the fit. Make small clips if needed. Pin the fabric arm pieces to the front of the arm. Repeat on the other side.

14. Sew the fabric pieces together. Unpin the back piece and set aside to be added later. Lift the slipcover off the chair without unpinning the pieces. Start with the inside pieces of the chair, then the outside arms and wings and finally the front and back panels. Unpin one seam at a time and sew together. Add the cording or trim before continuing to the next seam (see instructions for making cording, below).

	Figure D
	Figure E

15. Cording or trim should be added at all seam areas except at the tuck-in areas (figure D). Pin or baste the cording or trim to the right side of one pieces of fabric. Place the cording 1" from the cut edge. Stitch the length of the seam.

16. Place the corresponding piece of fabric so that the right sides are together. Pin them so that the cording is concealed. Place the fabric on the sewing machine and sew along the line of stitching.

17. Turn all the bottom inches up 1/2", and stitch the cording to the bottom edge.

18. Install the zipper. Stitch a piece of cording to the right side of the fabric on the section of the chair where the zipper is to go. Place 36" of the zipper over the cording. Start at the bottom edge and stitch the zipper, cording and fabric together. On the back of the chair, turn the fabric 2" in to the wrong side from the top to bottom and press (figure E). With right sides showing, place the back piece over the unattached side of the zipper. Pin the zipper in place close to and flush with the cording. Turn to the wrong side and stitch the zipper in place.

Chair Cushion

1. Cover the chair cushion. Lay the cushion down on a piece of fabric and trace the edges with a piece of chalk. Add 2" to every side for the seam allowance. Cut a second piece identical to this for the bottom.

Figure F

2. Cut boxing pieces equal to the width of the fabric. Cut three strips as wide as the depth of the finished boxing (figure F), adding an inch for the seam allowance. Place one piece across the front and partway around two sides of the cushion. The other two pieces will be folded in half lengthwise and will make up the zipper boxing section in the back.

3. Stitch a piece of cording to the top piece of fabric, starting and ending at the back of the cushion. The seam allowances should be equal to the raw edges of the cushion seam allowance. Clip the allowance at the corners. Repeat these steps for the bottom of the cushion.

4. Center the zipper in the boxing strips. Lay on edge of the boxing strip so that is mostly covers the zipper's teeth, pin in place and stitch 3/8" from the fold. Repeat this process on the other side of the zipper. Baste across the ends of the zipper.

5. Join the front boxing strip to the zipper boxing strip. Then stitch the boxing to the fabric top of the cushion. Make sure the zipper is in the center of the back of the cushion. Match the bottom cushion to the top and sew in place.

Cording

Figure G

1. Cut fabric strips along the bias. To find the bias, start by wrapping a piece of fabric around the cord and mark the width needed to cut the strip. Allow at least 1/2" for the seam allowance.

2. Fold the fabric at a diagonal and mark with a piece of chalk the width required. Cut along the line.

3. Fold the bias strip over the cord and sew together, using a zipper foot to enclose the cording in the fabric (figure G).

RESOURCES :

Waverly fabric (chair slipcover)
Product #664732 (Persia Antique Ruby)
Website: www.waverly.com