Easy and Inviting Patio Seat Covers
Have you ever looked out at the plain plastic chairs on your patio and wished you could do something to liven them up? Here's your answer: comfy and inviting patio seat covers that are a cinch to sew. Choose a decorator fabric with a pattern that matches the color of your chairs, or picks up another color that is prominent in your garden or patio.
Note: Since every chair is different, you'll have to figure out the amounts of fabric and other sewing materials on your own. Use the cut-out pattern described below to determine how much you'll need. Don't forget to take seam allowances into account!
YOU WILL NEED:
Decorator fabric
Polyurethane foam
Bias tape (in matching or contrasting color to the fabric)
Fabric glue stick
Marking pen
INSTRUCTIONS:
Make a paper pattern of the chair seat you want to sew a cover for: Trace the perimeter of the seat onto a piece of parchment or other heavy-duty paper, and then round off all the corners.
Cut pattern and check fit; once you're sure it fits, label it as "pattern for fabric."
Trace this pattern onto another piece of paper.
Measure 5/8" inside the line you just traced, and mark a new cutting line.
Cut on the new, inner line and label as "pattern for foam."
Place the "for fabric" pattern on the decorator pattern, and cut out pairs of pad tops and bottoms according to the amount of seat covers you want to sew.
Place the "for foam" pattern on top of the foam, and trace using a marking pen. Do this times the number of chairs, and cut the foam on the line (you can use a rotary cutter, but good scissors will work just as well).
Now you're ready for the bias tape.
To save yourself an extra step, have the clerk at the sewing notions store cut the bias tape according to the size of the pad, adding 1" per seat for the overlap.
Using an iron on medium heat, press the bias tape into a curve around one side of the pad fabric (top or bottom, it doesn't matter), so that the tape matches the shape of the pad. Stretch the tape a bit as you press so that it doesn't pucker.
Place pad bottom right side down on a clean surface.
Center the foam piece on the wrong side of the pad bottom.
Place pad top over the foam with the right side up.
Match raw edges of fabric and pin together.
Attach the zipper foot to your sewing machine.
Machine-baste the layers together at 1/4" from the raw edge (the seam allowance will be around the outside of the pad).
Remove the pad from the machine. Trim seam allowance if necessary, but make sure to leave enough so that you'll be able to attach the bias tape.
Using the fabric glue stick, apply a small amount of glue to the seam allowance of the pad bottom.
Open the bias tape and attach the wider side to the pad bottom, with the raw edges of the fabric sitting along the fold of the bias tape.
Overlap bias tape ends about 1".
Now glue-baste the narrow side of the bias tape to the seam allowance of the pad top. When you reach the point where the tape overlaps, fold the top side of the tape under 1/4" to form a finished edge. Glue baste this edge so that the under layer of tape is covered.
Insert the pad into the machine with the narrower side of the bias tape facing up.
Stitch along the inner edge of the bias tape, and you're done!
Once you've completed all the seat covers you need, be sure to invite lots of company - and wait for them to ask where you bought your gorgeous seat pads!
TIPS:
1) If you're concerned about the pads slipping, you can attach Velcro to the seat and the underside of the pad. Or, you can sew two stripes of wide decorator ribbon to the bottom of the pad and tie them around and under the seat of the chair.
2) For extra protection from the weather and from spills, cover your seat pads: Buy the necessary amount of clear plastic tablecloth, cut to fit your pads and sew all the way around. Just make sure that you have a strong enough needle to handle the plastic!