DIY Dining Room Chair Back Covers...

I‘ve been “sitting on a secret” for a little while now and, sorry to say, but I’m going to have to “sit on it” a little while longer so as not to jinx myself. Ha! Suffice it to say that I’m expecting a visit from a “special someone” and  La Maison PML needs some sprucing up!

I decided to add some slipcovers to the chair backs in my dining room. I can’t quite bring myself to paint my dining room set, and I'm trying to get away from the dark wood pieces around here, so this was the next best thing.....

~*~Materials~*~

Fabric: I used canvas dropcloth

Lace for trim (optional)
Scissors

Measuring tape/ruler

Wax Paper or any large sheet of paper

Pencil

Sewing Machine

FYI: If you can sew a “straight stitch”, this project is simple!

Start by laying your chair on your sheet of paper and tracing all around it.....

...decide where you want your finished slipcover to “end” and measure. 

I wanted mine to meet the edge of my table...

....if you will be adding a trim to your slipcover, measure its’ width and subtract that from your 1st measurement....if you will NOT be adding a trim to your slipcover , add about 1/2” to your measurement (for your finished hem) and then cut your template....

~*~my trim~*~

...lay your template onto your fabric and cut. You’ll need 2 pieces per slipcover. 

 Since I used painter's dropcloth, my fabric has no “right” or “wrong” side so I just placed them one on top of the other to sew.  If you use a printed fabric, make sure you have the “right” sides of your fabric facing each other before you start sewing.

(for a tutorial on how to bleach and soften drop cloth, go...HERE)

I sewed about 1/4” around 3 sides of my slipcover. Since I’m adding a trim, I left the bottom edge “raw” but if you will not be adding a trim, you will need to fold this edge over and sew a hem. 

I decided that I wanted my trim to meet "halfway in" on the back of my slipcover.....you can pin it in place if you’d like. 

Using a straight stitch, sew the trim onto the bottom edge of the slipcover where the trim meets the raw edge and about 1/4" up. 

...the finished trim on the back of the slipcover....

...the finished trim on the front of the slipcover....

....turn your slipcover “right side out” and you're done!

For the slipcovers around my dining room table, I added the words: “Bon Appetit”. 

I used “The Citrasolv Method” for transferring the words to the fabric.

(to learn how to use The Citrasolv Method for  transferring an image go...HERE

If you’d like to hand paint/stencil a design onto your fabric like this....

...go HERE

~*~BEFORE~*~

~*~AFTER~*~

Stay tuned for my Master Bedroom Reveal (as soon as those darn walls are finished) and more DIY projects around  La Maison PML  while I prepare for my “special someone”....

Happy day Mes Amies!