Custom-Fit Slipcovers: Chairs

Class Preview

Give beloved furniture a fresh look! Learn to sew superbly fitted slipcovers for your favorite dining chairs or armchairs.

Slipcover Considerations

Meet sewing pattern designer Cherie Killilea as you dive into the creative world of slipcover design. You’ll learn how easy it is to create custom covers, how to identify whether a chair is a good candidate for re-covering, and which types of fabric to choose. Then learn how to take the proper measurements as Cherie records the dimensions of a basic dining chair.

Dining Chair: Getting Started

Cherie walks you through every step you’ll need to know to start drafting a pattern for a dining chair slipcover. Learn how to work with tracing cloth as you trace and cut the back and seat pattern pieces. Then cut the fabric and sew your pieces, customizing the cover to your needs using Cherie’s helpful tips.

Dining Chair: Sides & Seat

Discover how to add beautiful piping to your chair, which adds an elegant touch and also acts as a valuable stabilizer. Next, learn how to maneuver around tricky curves as you sew the sides to the chair back. Finally, try your hand at a variety of techniques that can be applied to symmetrical or asymmetrical furniture as you slip the cover onto the chair and pin the final side.

Finishing Options

Indulge your creative side as you consider a wide variety of finishing options! Cherie walks you through various ways to finish your chair, including mitered skirt panels and hook-and-loop tape that keeps covers securely in place. You’ll gain troubleshooting tips and step-by-step instructions on pinning, working with interfacing, sewing and finalizing your gorgeous chair cover.

Armchair: Getting Started

Put your new skills to work in a more complicated project as Cherie helps you tackle a variety of curves and explains how to cover an armchair. Start by measuring the top, back, sides and seat of your chair with Cherie’s worksheets for reference, and then start drafting and draping the arms and inside back. Add surprising details like bold piping and mixed-and-matched fabrics that create a patchwork look!

Armchair: Draping & Finishing

Continue to refine your armchair slipcover as you join the inside back to the arms, pin the seat fabric in place and drape the back. Cherie shares professional, user-friendly tips on creating a tailored look for a variety of armchair shapes, including techniques to ensure that you’ll be able to slip the cover and off the chair or install a zipper for easy removal.

Seat Cushion

Complete your armchair slipcover as you draft and sew a stylish seat-cushion cover. Use Cherie’s measurement and cutting guides as you draft your pattern, and add a pop of trim as Cherie shows you how to join piping ends seamlessly. Finally, add a zipper and sew the gusset before completing a gorgeous project that can be customized in nearly endless variations!