HOW TO MAKE A CHAIR COVER?
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It is always possible to give a new trend to your interior without spending a lot of money. Whether it is office chairs, stools, high chairs, Scandinavian chairs from IKEA or Maisons du Monde, there is something to enhance all your seats by making a chair cover. Are you passionate about Do It Yourself (DIY)? Or are your chairs stained or aging?
In this article, you will learn how to make a chair cover as well as several tips and tricks on the subject.
The prerequisite for making a chair cover: Assemble your materials
The duration of making a chair cover is approximately 1h to 1h30 depending on your skill level in the field. In addition, making a chair cover requires the assembly of a few necessary materials.
First, you will need to determine the number and nature of the chairs to be transformed. Then, to make your chair cover, you will need:
- Cotton wool
- From a tracing paper
- From a furnishing fabric
- From a fabric marker or pencil
- From a tape measure
- From a fabric stapler
- Of pins
- Furniture bugs
- Scissors
- From a cutter
- From a hammer
- From a sewing machine
- From a vacuum cleaner
Choosing the right fabric for your chair cover
Do you have a clear idea of the number of chairs to cover? Now all that remains is to determine the amount of fabric needed . Do not rely exclusively on the measurements taken, because the formation of the hem will require a few extra centimeters.
On the other hand, it is true that a high-quality protective cover can enhance a standard chair . However, a low-quality upholstery fabric can also devalue your branded chairs, such as IKEA, Maisons du Meuble or Zara Home. The ideal is therefore to have a high-quality fabric, rather glamorous, and very solid.
There are several options available to you, depending on your look and the decorative nature of your chair. If you don't know which fabric to choose, you can visit our store and discover dozens of chair cover models in a wide variety of styles.
However, you have 5 real options to choose from:
The cotton option for patchwork
These are fabrics that are generally colored with very elegant patterns : Floral fabrics, animal fabrics, Batik fabrics, nature-themed fabrics... There is something for everyone. We recommend this fabric for purely decorative chairs that will not be used regularly . It can also be used for sofas, but it should be noted that this fabric can be quite transparent. Therefore, it cannot be used to hide certain less elegant fabrics.
Silk wool blends
It is a perfect alloy to obtain a chic and warm look . If wool is appreciated for its solidity, silk is known for the shine it brings to your fabric. However, the fabric alternating silk and wool is dry cleanable, hence the need not to expose it too much to dirt.
Linen cotton blends
These blends are often used for protective covers. The advantage of this fabric blend is its comfort and softness after washing. However, it is recommended to opt for a medium weight and especially to check if the weave is tight. The disadvantage here is that this fabric frays quite quickly.
Twill, cotton canvas, denim and stretch fabrics
Among the options available to you to make your chair cover, we also find twill, denim and cotton canvas are preferred choices for making a chair cover , stool, high chair, Scandinavian or any other model of branded chair such as IKEA, Maisons du Monde or chairs from Zara Home.
You can get it at most fabric stores. The main advantage of twill, cotton canvas, and denim is that they have a high thickness compared to clothing fabrics. So it is important to make sure that they will be able to be handled with the sewing machine. This is especially true if you plan to use piping.
There are also outdoor or coated fabrics, but we must admit that our preference goes to twill, cotton canvas and denim. Outdoor or coated fabrics are indeed less elegant, whether for a chair cover, a cover for a recliner, a cover for a baby table seat or a sofa bed cover. You can also opt for fabrics with elastic properties to obtain a stretch chair cover .
What fabric dimensions for a chair cover?
In fabric stores, there are several dimensions of fabric. They generally vary from 0.9 meters to 2.4 meters .
If you want to design a protective cover, it is recommended to buy a very wide fabric that can reach or exceed 1.4 meters. In such cases, the wider the fabric, the fewer pieces of fabric you will have to sew.
In any case, the length of the fabric will depend on the nature of the chair to be covered, because it must be recognized that some chairs are really imposing. If your standard chair has armrests, the ideal is to plan for 4 to 6 meters for a fabric with a width of 1.4 meters . This step is crucial, because poorly estimated dimensions will make you waste time and energy. If you do not have time to devote to this, or if you are afraid of doing it wrong, know that we offer several dozen models of inexpensive and easy-to-install chair covers . Do not hesitate to consult our online store!
Tracing paper: the accessory not to forget when making your chair cover
To make a protective cover for a chair, tracing paper is one of the essential accessories . Indeed, like the plan of a house that the architect designs first, you must first draw the outline of your protective cover for a chair .
If your chair or armchair has a curved seat, it would be better to make two patterns separately. The first will be for the front of the backrest and the other for the seat. As a result, you will need to raise the back of your chair cover, or your armchair cover, with a decoration of iron-on fabrics.
Among the most commonly used papers, we distinguish:
- Freezer paper or freezer paper
Cheaper, very thick, this paper will not tear anytime soon for sure. But its disadvantage is that it is not transparent.
- The pattern paper
While pattern paper is more transparent than freezer paper, it is admittedly a bit more expensive. It is also less likely to tear.
- Paper medical examination sheets
Very thin, examination sheets offer more transparency and are also inexpensive. But they are likely to crease a lot.
Clean your chair before designing the protective cover
Making a chair cover starts with cleaning your chair . The fabric cover will cover the entire surface of your chair. However, you should not forget to take care of its cleaning first.
To clean the furniture in question, you can apply a layer of cotton wool all around the seat. Using a liquid cloth will make it easier to clean your chair without worrying about getting the old cover dirty.
You can also simply use a damp cloth if the stains are not too serious.
If you would like more information and tips on how to clean your chair , we have dedicated a blog post to this topic: How to Clean a Fabric Chair?
In fact, if the chair is not cleaned well before receiving the cover, it is possible that the new cover will become moldy after a while, which would reduce your efforts to nothing.
Taking measurements and creating the pattern for your chair cover
To make your chair cover, you will need to measure the seat of the furniture in question , to trace the outline of each part of the chair. This allows you to determine the geometric figure it represents and to create the pattern of your cover .
After the seat dimension, you will have to measure the height of the legs of your chairs , as well as the backs and the height of these backs . You will then have to draw the back, the front, the seat and the armrests of each chair. From time to time, it is important to compare the pattern with the dimensions taken, as a readjustment.
Cutting out the outline of your chair cover pattern
You have carefully reproduced the outlines of each part of the chair on your paper. After checking the accuracy of your drawings, you must now cut out each pattern. But be careful! Do not rush. The slightest mistake can affect the success of your protective cover.
You will need to leave two large margins : A 3 cm margin around the seams and another 5 cm margin around the hems. This is actually a precautionary measure. Indeed, if the quantity of fabric is insufficient, it will create an imperfection in the cover.
Cutting out the outline of the chair can be done with a pair of scissors . If you also have an X-Acto knife, this will do the job perfectly, thanks to the great precision of this tool.
Reproducing the outlines on the fabric of your chair cover
To trace the outline of your chair on your fabric, it is advisable to extend it in its entire length, but take care to put it inside out, to reduce the risk of soiling .
Now you need to spread out the papers that contain the sketches of your furniture. Make sure that they are spread out evenly on the surface of the fabric .
As if it were a tracing, you must carefully reproduce the contours of each piece, without making large movements, at the risk of distorting the outline. To succeed in your tracing, without damaging your fabric, it is advisable to use various tools such as:
- Washable colored pencils
- A cogwheel
- A wax pencil
- An erasable ink pen or marker
Sewing the different parts of your chair cover
After cutting out each piece of fabric, you now need to assemble your chair cover , starting with the front and back pieces. Be sure to pin them along the seam lines.
The pieces of fabric corresponding to the front of the chair and the armrests must be carefully connected, in accordance with the joints fixed by the plan. As for the pieces of the back, they must be associated with the previous pieces and pinned in the joint points.
After this marking, it will then be necessary to sew the pieces following the sewing lines . The result obtained is a wide piece of fabric that will cover the back and the armrests of the chair.
Also, do n't forget to include the pieces of the seat and the bottom of your chair , knowing that the back edge of the seat should match the back of the panel. As for the sides of your chair, these should be associated with the sleeves for the armrests.
Installing your new protective cover on your chair
This is the last step in the chair cover manufacturing process. At this stage, you only have to integrate the different corners of the protective cover into the padded seat, even if your chair has armrests. Do a first test to make sure that the contours of the cover fit perfectly to the furniture in question.
- How to get rid of wrinkles on your chair cover?
You can spray the fabric with a little water and put it in the dryer . But first, you need to make sure that your chair cover is removable. In this case, the cover can be attached to the furniture using buttons or zips.
- How to clean a chair cover?
By following the symbols that are used on each of the covers , you should see some clues or pictograms on the fabrics. They describe the cleaning method and cover several aspects:
- Washing instructions
- Dry Cleaning Instructions
- Drying Instructions
- Ironing Instructions
Making Your Chair Cover: Some Tips to Help You
To help you make your chair cover, our team has listed some tips and tricks that will save you time and make the task easier:
- Make sure you make your chair cover in a suitable place , you must have a sufficiently large and flat surface.
- Take the time to take your measurements , even if you have to repeat the operation several times to be sure you don't make a mistake.
- The pattern you are going to make is very important , keep it, it could save you a lot of time and energy in the future.
- Do not hesitate to use the models of branded chairs available on the internet (Maisons du Monde, IKEA, etc.) if you have similar chairs.
- Sewing tip: Sew your seams by positioning the fabric face down so that the edge of the fabric does not extend beyond the seams.
- In order to have a fabric that is easy to work with, you can wash and iron the fabric before using it, this will also prevent it from shrinking over time.
- If this is your first time making a chair cover, choose a simple, unpatterned fabric , as a complex fabric will require more effort and precision.
- When you trace the outline of your fabric, be careful that the line is not too thick , this could distort your measurements and your cutting.
- Use quality scissors to gain speed and precision.
- Before you start creating your chair cover, make sure you have all the necessary materials listed at the beginning of the article.
It's good to have made protective covers. It's even better to enhance your IKEA furniture, or your Maison du monde chairs, by making well-adapted decorative cushions . You can also hire the services of experienced decorators like us, for advice, both in the choice of fabrics and in the design of covers that match your interior.
Conclusion
You now know how to make a chair cover! Although it is not a complex task, to obtain an ideal result, it is essential to respect certain crucial steps. The choice of textile, the manufacture of the pattern of your chair cover as well as the different sewing steps must be carried out meticulously.
For the less handy among you, or if you are afraid of making mistakes, know that our team has gathered dozens of models of chair covers, sofa covers and cushion covers at low prices in order to save you time and money. Protecting your chairs has never been easier with our covers!
We hope this article has helped you in making your chair cover.
If you have a question or would like to share with us the chair covers you have made, you can leave a comment in the space below. We look forward to hearing your feedback and learning about the methods you use to renovate your chairs and transform your interior design.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
The Housses-Tendances.com ™ Team.
