My husband and I lived in a small apartment in Columbia, Missouri during our first year of marriage. While living there, I would frequent the curb-sides in search of furniture. That sounds a little odd, but perfectly good pieces would often be left behind as people moved in and out of the complex! I was able to find a few scores during that year, including this wicker-back chair.
I’ve made quite a few handmade items for our home over the years: DIY How to Sew A Half Apron, How to Sew Cafe Curtains, DIY Banner for Nursery With Lettering Template, How to Sew a Market Bag, and much more! Check those out if you’re interested in a few simple DIY’s for the home!
Learn how to cover a basic chair seat with drop cloth (or fabric of your choice)! Everything, including needed materials, step-by-step instructions, tips I learned along the way, and pictures to guide you, are all included right here! Give an old, dated, or worn-out chair new life with these few steps! All you need is some fabric and a staple gun and this project will be complete in no time at all. Scroll to the very end of this post for more DIY Home Project Ideas.
How to Cover a Seat Cushion
Keep in Mind:
- This tutorial is completely customizable. Use a different material, add ruffles, or make it for a chair of any size.
- Be sure that your fabric is ironed or wrinkle-free before stapling to the seat. We don’t want those all over the cushion when we’re finished!
- Be sure to pull the fabric tightly when stapling it to the seat. This will keep the fabric in place, avoid future wrinkles, and create a clean finished product.
Needed Materials:
- Fabric (I used canvas drop cloth)
- A staple gun
- The original seat and cushion for the chair
Instructions:
- Remove the seat from the chair frame. This was simple for me since the seat was held down by only two screws!
2. Place the seat top side down on the fabric.
3. Stretch one side of the fabric over the edge of the seat.
4. Staple the fabric in place. I spaced them about 1 inch apart from one another.
5. Cut off the extra fabric.
6. Repeat with the remaining sides.
If you make this recipe and love how it turned out, feel free to come back and comment about your experience. I’d love to see your creation and how you served it!
Where Can I Find Drop Cloth?
I purchase my drop cloth from Ace Hardware, but this is a product that many stores carry.
How Much Fabric Do I Need?
This will depend on the size of your seat cushion. I needed a piece that was about 30 inches wide and 30 inches long. This left me enough fabric to pull over the sides and have extra to staple down.
The walls in my home are very dark and dated, so I look for ways to brighten the rooms with lighter colors. This chair does just that! It now sits in a little corner of the living room beside my crafting hutch and sewing basket.
I hope you find this tutorial inspiring and helpful as you begin your own seat cover project! I love how mine turned out.
Other Easy DIY Projects
- Banner for Nursery (lettering template included)
- How to Sew a Half Apron
- Table Runner From Drop Cloth
- How to Make a Pillowcase From a Placemat
- How to Sew Cafe Curtains
- How to Sew a Button