~Mary Kurtz
FITTING
Now that you've cut all the pieces it's time to fit them to the chair. With chalk, mark the centers of the seat and back. If you're using a sleeve, mark the center of that on both the front and back. Then using chalk, mark the centers of sections A - F on the cut fabric pieces...
When making fitted slipcovers, usually the fabric is pinned to the furniture, right-side out. But because this isn't going to be a very tight fitting slipcover, we can go ahead and pin the fabric to the chair with the wrong side of the fabric facing out.
IF you're making the button and buttonholes on the back, find the center of the outside back and cut this in half now. Press a fusible interfacing where the buttonholes will be going...
Go ahead and finish off the center outside back except for adding the buttons and buttonholes...
Matching the centers, start pinning the fabric sections by pinning the outside back B to the inside back A across the top of the chair. When you're pinning the outside back, make sure the two pieces overlap to allow for when the buttons will go through the buttonholes...
You can use regular pins or T-pins as I did. Use plenty of pins and keep smoothing the fabric to fit the chair back. At the corners of the top, form darts to ease in the fullness...
Position the seat (C) on the chair, matching centers and pin to the inside back (A). Using chalk, mark each seamline. Remove the pins anchoring the fabric to the chair and remove the cover. Redraw any seamlines that are not straight (without making the cover any smaller). Trim all the seam allowances to 5/8 inch. Stitch the seams, pivoting at corners. Finish the raw edges and press the seams open.
Put the cover back on the chair, wrong side out. Trim the seat (C), the outside back (B) and the unpinned portions at the sides of the lower edge of the inside (A), to leave a 5/8 seam allowance...
Pin the skirt pieces (D, E, and F) to the cover. Trim the seam allowances on the side edges at the front of the chair to 5/8 inch.
That's all for today. Come back tomorrow to complete your slipcover.
Ok, I am beyond impressed. I have an old rocking chair that needs to be reupholstered but a slip cover looks easier. By the way, I am not a sewer - give me a power tool and wood and I can make something but make me sew and it usually always turns out wonky and uneven. But, someday I may actually be able to do this (with a little more space). :) Great tutorial and how to!!!
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