How to Make Kitchen Chair Pads

If it is time to give your kitchen a face lift, consider making chair pads for your kitchen chair seats. New chair pads made to complement the colors in your kitchen can spruce things up in a room that tends to stay the same. Select a fabric made to wash and dry for easy care. Choose preshrunk material, but to be safe, wash and dry the fabric before cutting and sewing your chair pad. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Measure the length and width of your chair seat using a long ruler or measuring tape. Add 5/8 inch all around for seam allowance and extra room for the batting or foam. Use white butcher's paper to cut out a pattern using these dimensions.

2

Place the paper pattern on a chair seat and cut along the contours of the seat. Keep the paper 5/8 inch larger when cutting to allow for the seam and room for the foam or batting later in the process.

3

Spread the new fabric flat on a table and fold the material once with the right sides together. The right sides are the fabric's side you see in finished products. For example, when you turn a shirt wrong side out you see a lighter pattern or color and the thread seam. When the shirt is turned right side out you see a brighter pattern or color and the seams are on the inside of the shirt. Keep the material smooth by lightly pushing out any wrinkles with the palms of your hands.

4

Place the paper pattern cut out in Step 2 on top the fabric spread out in Step 3. Cut the fabric following the paper pattern. You now have two pieces of fabric---the top and bottom of your chair pad cover.

5

Sew the two pieces created in Step 4 together using a 1/4-inch seam keeping the right sides facing each other. This 1/4-inch seam is the distance to sew the two pieces of fabric together from the material's outer edge. In Step 2 the fabric was cut 5/8 inches larger to allow for this 1/4-inch seam and extra room to accommodate the batting or foam you use to fill the seat cover. Leave one side open in the back.

6

Turn the material right side out with the seams inside. The chair pad covering now resembles a large pocket. Stuff the (pocket) seat pad coverings with batting or foam. Fold the open edges under and stitch closed. Attach optional coordinating ties to the back corners of the chair pad.