Reupholstering Dining Room Chairs

I am presently re-upholstering my daughter's dining room chairs. They have the seat cover and the edge with piping. I removed the old cover and picked the stitching apart and used the old piece to make a new pattern.

However, when I try and sew them together I end up with 2 in. in excess. I cut the pattern as is and measured a 5/8 in. seam. Not sure what I am doing wrong. I have even basted the corners and done small gathers to no avail. So I added 2 in. to the skirting and still end up with 2 in. of the seat cover to incorporate. I am rusty at sewing as I have not done it in a long time. But this should be 1-2-3 simple. Help please.

Jennifer from Ontario, Canada

Answers:

Reupholstering Dining Room Chairs

I've done the foam, wrap and staple thing on my own chairs, and it's by far the easiest way to do it, and makes the fit very nice. (02/21/2009)

By Mary

Reupholstering Dining Room Chairs

If you took apart the old cushion then you should only add 1/4 inch. It sounds like you measured your cloth for the new chair not on the grain and it will stretch. Try loosening up your top pressure (usually located as a nob on the top of your machine, even the old ones). Don't stretch your material, remember that cross grain is from selvage edge to selvage edge and lengthwise if top to bottom on the finished edge.

If this doesn't help then decide if the material is stretchy or the same as the old kind. Don't stretch the old cloth to measure the new one or just measure the bare bottom of the chair seat and add your seam to it and sew it up without the old one. Good luck and let me know if it worked. gbk (02/24/2009)

By gbk