Thanksgiving Ideas

How to Make a Custom Dining Chair Slipcover

Give everyday dining chairs a stylish makeover with easy-to-create linen slipcovers with flirty ruffled skirts. Slipcovers are a great way to disguise mismatched seating or give dated chairs a quick update.

By Marian Parsons, Mustard Seed Interiors
Filed under: Thanksgiving, Handmade, Sewing, Crafts, How To

Make Skirt

Use a clear quilting ruler to mark off 6-inch-wide strips of fabric (Image 1). When sewn together, they should be about twice the length of the chair seat perimeter. Place right sides of two fabric strips together and sew end-to-end (Image 2). Make sure raw edges are facing the same direction. Repeat with a third strip if necessary. Once there is one long strip of fabric, hem one edge by folding it under 1/4-inch (Image 3) then again 1/2-inch and sew along fold. Tip: To make the hem super sharp, iron the folds and pin down prior to sewing.

Attach Ruffled Skirt

Return slipcover to chair, still positioned inside out. Start at center chair front and pin center point of the skirt top to the slipcover seat. Make sure raw edges are pointing in the same direction. Pinch skirt fabric with fingers to pleat and pin in place, following the lines of the chair seat. Continue around the skirt, pleating and pinning (Image 1). Pin edges together where skirt ends meet (Image 2). Trim excess fabric and sew skirt and seam (Image 3). Remove pins then iron slipcover, especially the skirt, so it lies flat. Wash and iron as needed. Tip: Add piping along skirt and chair back or ribbon ties or buttons along the back to further customize your slipcover.