Tutorial: Wing Chair Slipcover

This is the wing chair I covered with a dropcloth from an earlier post and here is the promised tutorial. I warn you, there are a boatload of pictures!

The first step is to drape the fabric over the top and cut out the shape of the front of the chair. Make sure to cut it big enough for seams. It was at this point that I painted the stripes.

Do the same with the wings, using lots of pins. If you are using a fabric with right and wrong sides, pin it right sides together so you can sew it exactly as is and get a good fit. (That's one of the perks about using dropcloth, both sides are the same!) This also means that when you turn the wings right side out, they will go on the opposite wing that you originally pinned. Use a lot of pins and pin exactly where you want to sew.

Then sew along the lines established by your pins and you will get a good fit.

Drape the fabric over the arms and cut to fit.

Then pin some fabric directly on the front of the arm and cut around it to get the right shape.

 Pin this to the fabric draped over the arm and sew. (See all the pins?) If you like piping, this is a good place for it.

Pin the arm piece to the front, turning over the edges of the front to get a good fit.

Pin fabric to the back of the chair, overlapping the front piece with edge folded over. Cut two overlapping pieces to fit and sew across the top. You will eventually add buttons or ties to these back pieces so they can be closed or opened for getting the slipcover off and on.

Now you have to pin and sew the back piece to the side of the wing and arm piece. As you pin, turn under the edge so you can topstitch. This will give you the best fit without making you crazy!

Sometimes you need to put in an extra piece to make it all fit, just pin it with edges turned under and topstitch.

I usually use muslin for the seat because it will be covered by the cushion. Just cut to fit, going up the sides a little and turning the edges under as you pin, and topstitch. Pin a piece of fabric to the front of the muslin that stretches over the entire front of the chair and drops down the front.

Pin the corner and sew. Wrap the side around and pin to the side arm piece that drops down the side.

There will be a lot of extra fabric on the inside of the corner.

Just cut it off. In fact, trim all the seams so they will lay flat.

Finished corner.

This is the front bottom piece. Topstitch again to the muslin and bottom of arms.

Hem the bottom edges.

Lay the cushion over the fabric and cut two pieces with seams all around. Then measure the width and length of the cushion all the way around and cut out this piece. If you need to do it in pieces, just make sure you don't have any seams on the front.

Sew the long piece to one of the cushion sides. This is also a good place for piping.

This next step is crucial: when you sew the second cushion piece on, be sure to pin it with the cushion inside! This may sound unnecessary, but if you don't do it this way, it will get twisted and you will have to rip it out and do it over. Believe me! Just be careful getting the cushion out with all those pins!

The best way to get the cushion in and out, push down on the cushion while moving the slipcover over it.

Finished cushion before stripes.

Much better than the original!

Linking to

Miss Mustardseed

No Minamalist

Elizabeth and Co

Primp

http://www.commonground-do.com/2013/04/be-inspired-133-flower-beds.html