Reupholstering a Glider Rocking Chair Pad

Snip off any buttons on the chair pad. Carefully cut the threads holding the existing upholstery fabric together with a seam ripper. Do not cut the fabric itself because it will serve as your pattern. Separate all the pieces of the existing upholstery, ripping out any darts so they lay flat. Mark the pieces so you know which pieces go together.

Separate all the pieces of the existing upholstery, ripping out any darts so they lay flat. Mark the pieces so you know which pieces go together.

Lay the new upholstery fabric on a flat surface and smooth it out. Iron it if there are wrinkles. Pin the pattern pieces to the new fabric, adjusting them to match any printed pattern or nap on the new fabric.

Cut out the new fabric along the outline. Mark the darts with sewer’s chalk and unpin the fabric from the pattern.

Pin the darts along the chalk marks. Pin the fabric pieces together with right sides facing using the marks you made on the pattern pieces. Line up the darts.

Stitch the pieces together with the same seam allowance as the pattern pieces. Leave a gap in the back side of the cover large enough to insert the chair pad.

Turn the cover right side out through the gap. Insert the pad and adjust it to lay flat with no bunching.

Turn the raw edges of the gap inward and pin it closed. Hand stitch it closed. For an invisible seam, use a ladder stitch consisting of running the needle alternately through small bits of each folded edge. Pull the thread at the end to close the gap.

Cover buttons from a button-covering kit in the new fabric. Follow the directions on your specific kit.

Sew the buttons onto the chair pad in the same locations as the old buttons. Check your pattern pieces for guidance in placing them.

Place the reupholstered chair pad on your glider rocking chair.