DIY chair cover

Furniture will last much longer if it is used carefully and protected from mechanical damage. This is a great way to quickly and budget change the interior of a room, transform it beyond recognition.

What is a chair cover for?

Special seat covers perform several functions at once. They protect the upholstery from scuffs, and the headset from damage by children, animals or accidental objects.

Choosing a suitable color for the cover, you can place color accents in the interior and completely change the style direction. If you stop at shades to match the carpet or wallpaper, you will feel a sense of calmness, harmony and home comfort.

The cover is much easier to machine wash than it is to clean the upholstery of the chair. If you have stubborn stains, you can sew a new fabric upholstery for the chair. To do this, when buying fabric, purchase 1.5-2 times more than planned. This leaves you with material for sewing another cover in case of urgent need.

Advantages and disadvantages of using

Using furniture covers has a number of advantages.

1. The savings in the family budget are evident. You don't have to pay a tailor to work and choose from the fabrics they have in stock. You can choose the material you like and do everything yourself.
2. You can give free rein to imagination and decorate the product to your taste.
3. Sewing allows you to acquire a lot of new skills in creating patterns, in sewing, in embroidery, in decorating and even in the selection of harmonious shades for creating an interior.
4. You will have an exclusive product that no one else has.
5. There is no need to customize and hem the product, as is the case with standard-size cases. You work strictly according to your pattern with individual parameters.
6. It is easier to clean the upholstery than a chair. You can always soak or throw the covers into the washing machine. This is more convenient than removing stains directly on the armchair and worrying so that the furniture does not get damp over time.

Of course, one cannot fail to mention the disadvantages. But there are few of them:

1. Time. You will have to spend personal time. Especially if you are new to sewing.
2. Perhaps the first time it will turn out not as desired. But with the acquisition of skills and experience, your covers will turn out better and better.

How to sew a cover for a chair with your own hands

After you have made the decision to independently create "clothes" for the chairs, you need to perform a number of actions. Decide on the design of the future product, and what you need to create it. Using these instructions, it is also easy to sew a cover for a computer chair with your own hands.

Choice of design

Depending on the "character" of your interior room or study, there are different styles. To make the covers look harmonious against the background of other furniture and decor, choose the solution that is closest to you.

• Patchwork is a piece of fabric sewn together in the form of geometric shapes. You can use both bright and pastel colors of the material. And even mix them together. You need to have skills in sewing, because it is a methodical job that requires precision and accuracy.
• The loft is expressed in the natural textures of the material. It can be fur, suede, linen. Raw edges, rough seams, textured fabrics are welcome. This is a great solution for sewing an office chair cover.
• Shabby chic is characterized by antiquity and a light touch of antiquity. Satin, silk and cotton fabrics with a small floral ornament will look good here. Solid and printed materials are especially harmoniously combined. Shabby chic loves bows, ruffles, pleats, ribbons and tassels.
• The Baroque style requires pomp and royal splendor. These are smart ruffles, flounces and deep folds. It gives the impression that you are not sitting in a chair, but on a royal throne.

Preparation of materials and tools

To sew a cover for a chair with your own hands, you will need:

1. sewing needles or sewing machine;
2. pins with a cap at the end to pin the pattern to the fabric;
3. threads for sewing to match the selected fabric;
4. tailor's chalk or dry remnant;
5. scissors for fabric;
6. tape measure;
7. millimeter fabric;
8. furniture staples;
9. decor.

You can use cotton, nubuck, velor, flock and relax as a material for creating a cover.

Sewing stages

Each of the stages has its own characteristics and nuances. First you need to measure the furniture, take measurements. Then draw a pattern, cut out the fabric and sew the product. Re-reading and refreshing in memory all the steps of sewing is useful not only for beginners, but also for experienced craftsmen.

Pattern creation and cutting

Be very careful when measuring the dimensions of the chair. It depends on how exactly the finished product will repeat the outlines of the furniture. Immediately on the pattern, mark the areas where the seams will pass. Draw areas for future ruffles, folds, and folds.

To prevent the fabric from wrinkling on the armrests and on the back, it is necessary to make darts. Sign the patterns with each other, so you will not confuse them.

On graph paper, make a template from your measurements. The armrests are sewn double. This makes them more durable. Therefore, cut out the outer and inner sides at once.

Spread the fabric, attach the pattern so that the material is used as economically as possible. Trace with chalk or soap and cut out the details with an additional 2-5 cm seam allowance. Leave another 20 cm at the bottom for the hem. It is better to cut off the excess than to sew on. Iron the fabric you cut out to work comfortably.

Fit

Fitting is the next step after creating a pattern. Here you polish all the nuances, correct minor flaws.

1. Spread out the cut fabric on the chair so that the piece matches its location. Pin up the patterns.
2. Smooth out the fabric at the folds and draw future seams.
3. If the fabric does not fit the chair enough, forms a "bubble" or hangs down ugly - make a dart in this place.
4. See how the fabric lays down at the joints so that it does not pucker or pucker.
5. Here you can sew darts so that you don't come back to them.

Sewing

Grinding all the details together is an occupation for the patient and hardworking.

1. To prevent the finished product from being skewed, make the seams strictly along the lines.
2. Baste darts and frills first.
3. From the seamy side, sweep the parts of the armrests together. Sew and cut the corners so that the piece can be turned beautifully to the right side.
4. Baste the armrests with the seat detail.
5. Attach the backrest to the inside of the seat.
6. Add hem, lay out all gathers neatly.
7. Turn the cover over to the right side and try on the chair. Inaccuracies can be adjusted at this stage.
8. When the result is completely satisfactory for you, you can sew all the bent seams on a typewriter.

Decor features

Various pieces of fabric, ribbons, inlay, soutache, spectacular buttons are used for decoration. The main thing is that the decorations do not overload the furniture and do not interfere with your sitting. Therefore, for decoration, those parts of the chair are used with which a person has the least contact. This can be the lower part of the furniture, the bottom of the seat and armrests, the back of the back.

You can make an applique, sew it on with threads, or put it on hot melt glue. But remember that the covers will have to be washed periodically.

How can you update an old chair cover

If you want to update an old cover, you need to wash it first and assess the degree of wear.

• Mark all shabby and ugly places. If you have leftovers of this material, it makes sense to replace some part and sew a new one.
• The fastest way to update an old case is to sew a hem or frills to it from a material that matches the color.
• You can make the product in two colors. Sew some details in contrasting colors to the old fabric. For example, make the armrests and hem of a different texture. Decorate the back with the same pieces of fabric.

Making a chair cover with your own hands is exciting. It will breathe new life into the familiar interior and prolong the life of your favorite furniture.

Video: sewing a chair cover with your own hands

Photo ideas for chair covers