Sewing Projects – Old Things New

Hey y’all! I’m back with Part 2 of French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers. In Part 1 (HERE) I shared instructions for sewing an Envelope Pillow . . . the easiest pillow in the world! In Part 2 I will show you, step-by-step, how I sewed the Ruffled Slipcovers for my patio chairs.

These tutorials are a result of your requests after my post about creating a French Courtyard Look on my backyard deck. You can view that post right HERE.

So here it is, for your sewing pleasure 🙂

These instructions are based on the particular type of patio chair I have but with a little ingenuity adjustments can be made to fit a different style. I made my slipcovers with ruffles on three sides of the chair (you can do all four if you prefer) and added extra fabric across the back to tuck under the chair seat. This, along with ties, helps to keep the slipcover in place.

Step 1: Remove your chair seat from the chair and make a pattern by laying it on a piece of lightweight cardboard and tracing around it.

Step 2: Cut out the cardboard pattern, lay it on top of your fabric of choice (I used painter’s drop cloth fabric) and trace around it with a pencil . . . then STOP . . .read the next part carefully!

. . . Don’t cut your fabric on that line! On the front and two sides of your chair cover make your cut approximately 5/8″ away from the pencil line. On the back side of the chair cover make your cut approximately 3″ away from the pencil line (or long enough to tuck under the back of your particular type of chair seat).

Step 3: Hem back edge of chair cover by turning edge under 1/4″, then turning under another 1/4″ and hemming it on the sewing machine. Do this step before moving on to the ruffle.

Step 4: Measure the distance from the back right corner of your chair seat, all the way around the front and to the back left corner. Double this number. This is the measurement you will use for the length of your ruffle.

Step 5: Cut a 6-8″ wide piece of fabric (depending on how wide you want your ruffle to be) the length of the doubled measurement in Step 4 above.

Step 6: Sew two rows of basting stitch 1/4″ apart, along one long edge of the ruffle piece. Knot one end and gently pull threads to gather.

Step 6: Adjust gathers to fit your ruffle to the three sides of the chair top, and pin in place.

Step 7: Sew ruffle to chair top and remove basting stitches.

Step 8: Top stitch along the edge, close to the ruffle for a finished look. Hem the raw edge of your ruffle by turning under 1/4″ then turning under 1/4″ again and hemming on the sewing machine.

Moving right along to chair ties:

Step 9: Cut four ties for each chair. Mine were 16″ long x 2″ wide. Fold the short ends of the ties under 1/4″ and press in place, then fold the two long edges inward (in the same direction as the short turns) until the raw edges touch.

Fold the entire length in half again and stitch the folded edges closed on the sewing machine.

Step 10: At this point, if you have a buttonholer, make button holes approximately 2″ from the hemmed back edge of the seat cover and in the correct position for the ties to wrap around an anchor (chair frame or slat) on the back seat of your chair (every chair will be unique). Slide the ends of the ties through the open button holes and stitch them in place on the sewing machine.

Tie your ties into a bow onto the back of the chair and tuck the excess fabric under the back of the chair seat. Note: I actually couldn’t find my buttonholer so I cut a slit, slipped my ties through it, used fray check on the raw edges, and sewed the ties in place on the machine.

Voila’! There you have it.

Another request from my original post was for a tutorial for the Burlap Table Runner. That will be an upcoming post later in the Fall.

Thank you SO much for taking an interest in the things I create here at Old Things New and for being so kind as to ask for more. I am one lucky girl to have readers as sweet as you.

Blessings to you my friends,

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