Make an easy slipcover for a dining-room chair with two rectangles of fabric laced together. DIY Decorating & Design host Nancy Golden explains how. Materials:
Fabric
Measuring tape
Steam iron
Scissors
Pencil
Fusible seam tape
Eyelets
Eyelet kit -- includes eyelet punch and instructions
Decorative trim -- braid, ribbon or yarn
- This basic seat cover is made with two rectangles of fabric. One forms the seat cover and skirt from the front to the back of the chair; the other covers from side to side. Measure the dimensions of the chair seat. Determine what length you want the skirt to be -- between 6" and 10", depending on the style of the chair. Combine the seat dimensions and the skirt length to determine the finished size of the two rectangles that will form the seat cover, and add a seam allowance to each edge.
- Cut the two fabric rectangles to size.
- Finish the edges of the fabric with iron-on fusible hem tape (figure A). Fusible seam tape is available in a variety of weights: choose the type that best matches the weight of your slipcover fabric.
- Arrange the two rectangles of fabric on the chair seat, one from front to back and the other from side to side. Use a pencil to mark the position of eyelet holes along the fabric skirt.
- Remove the fabric from the chair, and insert the eyelets with an eyelet punch, according to the instructions provided with the eyelet kit (figure B).
- Arrange the fabric rectangles on the chair, and thread decorative cording through the eyelets, lacing the two pieces of fabric together around the chair leg (figure C). If necessary, add a drop of hot glue to the end of the cording to create a pointed end that may easily be laced through the eyelet holes, or thread the cording on a large needle.
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