Do it Yourself: Slipcover for a Wing Chair

Draped Slipcover

• Buy a lightweight fabric that matches the décor of the room. Take measurements of your chair to make sure, but usually about 5 yards is enough fabric. Wash and iron the fabric before using. Hem the fabric on all sides. Drape the fabric over the chair. Push the excess fabric down into all the crevices of the chair to help hold the drape in place on the chair.

Semi-Fitted Drape

• Buy about 6 yards of a mid-weight fabric. Hem all around the edges. Drape the fabric over the chair and push the excess fabric into the crevices, starting at the wings and working down to the seat cushion. Push some long upholstery tacks into the crevice between the wings and the back of the chair to hold the fabric in place.

  Gather the leftover fabric on one side of the chair. Hold in place with a large rubber band. Do the same to the other side. Pull the fabric on the back of the chair tightly and evenly. Tie a drapery cord around the fabric on both sides of the chair to cover the rubber band and dress up the chair.

Fitted Slipcover

• Take measurements for your chair and buy the appropriate amount of upholstery fabric. Look for a chart in an upholstery book, or ask for help at the fabric store if you are unsure of how much fabric to buy for the measurements of your chair.

  Measure the outside back of the chair. Cut a piece of fabric that is 4 inches larger. Cut two rectangular pieces of fabric that are each big enough to cover one side of a wing. Add about 3 inches to the long sides to sew to the back piece later and push into the crevice. Fit the pieces onto the chair with the right sides of the fabric against the chair. Use pins and chalk to mark a seam to sew. Sew the seam. Repeat on the other wing.

  Cut a piece of fabric to cover the back of the chair. Pin to the outside back piece and sew the top seam. Drape over the chair and mark with pins and chalk where to attach the front wing seam. Sew.

  Use the same process of measuring and marking with chalk and pins to add the arms and the side pieces of the chair. Make sure to leave enough fabric on the sides and the front panel to fold and staple underneath the chair.

  Staple the free sides of the wings to the outside back of the chair. Fold under the sides of the outside back of the chair. Use decorative upholstery tacks to hold in place and finish the slipcover.