Measure your chair and choose your fabric
Before you cut a single piece of cloth, measure your armchair in three directions: the height from floor to the top of the backrest, the width across the front, and the depth from front to back. Write these down. A fabric measuring tape works better than a rigid ruler because it follows curves, but a soft measuring tape from a sewing kit will do.
Measure the arms separately — their height, width, and the distance from the seat to the outer edge. Measure the seat cushion if it comes out, or measure around it if it stays in place. Add 4 inches to each dimension to account for seams, tucking, and the way fabric settles when you sew it. If your chair has a skirt or legs you want to cover, measure those too.
Choose a medium-weight upholstery fabric — cotton canvas, linen blend, or home-dec cotton. Avoid thin quilting cotton; it will tear under the weight and movement of sitting. Avoid stretchy knits; they shift and wrinkle. Buy 15 to 20 percent more yardage than your measurements suggest, because pattern matching, mistakes, and the way fabric shrinks in washing all eat into your supply.
Key Takeaways
- Measure your chair's height, width, and depth, then add 4 inches to each dimension to account for seams and tucking.
- Cut your fabric into five main pieces: back panel, seat panel, two arm panels, and one front skirt, then test-fit them on the chair before sewing.
- Sew the pieces together using a 1/2-inch seam allowance, starting with the back to the seat, then attaching the arms, then the front.
- Tuck the raw edges under the chair and find them with a needle and thread or upholstery tacks so the cover stays in place during use.
Cut your fabric into five main panels
Lay your fabric on a clean, flat surface — a large table or the floor works. Using a ruler and tailor's chalk or a fabric pencil, mark out five pieces: one large rectangle for the back of the chair, one for the seat, two for the arms, and one for the front skirt that hangs down to the floor or to where you want the cover to end.
The back panel should be as tall as your chair back plus 4 inches, and as wide as the chair is wide plus 4 inches. The seat panel should be the depth of the seat plus 4 inches, and the width of the seat plus 4 inches. The arm panels should each be tall enough to cover from the seat to the top of the arm, and wide enough to wrap around the arm with 2 inches of overlap on each side.
Cut slowly and straight. Use a rotary cutter and a quilting ruler if you have them — they are faster and more accurate than scissors. If you are using scissors, cut with long, smooth strokes rather than jabbing. Uneven cuts will show when you sew.
Test-fit the cover on the chair before sewing
Before you sew a single seam, drape each piece on the chair and pin it in place with straight pins. Start with the back panel — does it reach from the top of the backrest to the seat? Does it wrap around the sides enough to tuck under? Move to the seat panel. Does it sit flat, or does it bunch? Adjust the pins until the cover looks smooth and even.
Pin the arm panels next. They should cover the arm from the seat to the top, and wrap around the outer edge with enough fabric to tuck underneath. If your measurements were off, unpin, trim, and repin. This is the moment to catch mistakes — once you sew, unpicking is slow and leaves holes.
Take a photo of the pinned cover from the front and sides. You will use this as a reference while sewing, especially if you step away from the project and come back to it later.
Sew the back panel to the seat panel
Remove the pins from the back and seat panels only. Place the back panel and seat panel with their right sides facing each other — the sides you want to show should be touching. Pin them along the edge where they meet, placing pins every 2 inches. Set your sewing machine to a straight stitch with a stitch length of 2.5 millimeters.
Sew along the pinned edge using a 1/2-inch seam allowance — that is, the needle should be 1/2 inch away from the edge of the fabric. Sew slowly and keep the fabric straight as it feeds under the presser foot. When you reach the end, backstitch three or four stitches to lock the thread, then cut the thread and remove the cover from the machine.
Press the seam open with an iron set to medium heat, or press it to one side — either way works. This flattens the seam and makes the next step easier.
Attach the arm panels and front skirt
Pin one arm panel to the side of the back-and-seat unit, right sides facing. The arm panel should start at the top of the back and run down to the seat. Sew with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, backstitch at the end, and press the seam. Repeat on the other side with the second arm panel.
Pin the front skirt panel to the front edge of the seat, right sides facing. Sew with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, backstitch, and press. At this point, you have a cover that looks like a flat, inside-out bag. Turn it right-side-out by reaching in through the bottom opening and pulling the back panel through. Smooth out the corners and edges with your hands.
Try the cover on the chair. It should fit snugly but not so tight that it is hard to pull on or take off. If it is too loose, you can take in the seams by 1/4 inch and resew. If it is too tight, you may need to add fabric panels or accept that it will be a snug fit.
find the cover underneath the chair
The bottom of the cover — the open edges you have not sewn yet — is where the cover attaches to the chair. Tuck the raw edges under the chair frame, pulling the fabric taut so it does not bunch or wrinkle on top. Use a needle and thread to stitch the folded edges to the underside of the chair frame, or use upholstery tacks (short nails with large, flat heads) to pin the fabric in place.
If you use thread, use a ladder stitch or a straightforward running stitch, catching only the folded edge of the fabric and the wood frame underneath. Space your stitches about 1 inch apart. If you use tacks, place them every 2 to 3 inches around the perimeter, hammering gently so you do not split the wood.
Once the cover is secured, sit in the chair and check for wrinkles or loose spots. If the fabric pulls away from the frame when you sit, tighten it by pulling the edge and adding more stitches or tacks. If it bunches, you may need to remove a section, trim the excess fabric, and re-find it.
Finish the seams and add details
If your fabric frays easily, finish the raw seams inside the cover with a zigzag stitch or a serger. This prevents the seams from unraveling over time. If your fabric does not fray much — canvas and linen blends usually do not — you can leave the seams as they are.
If you want the cover to look more polished, add piping or trim along the seams where the back meets the seat, or where the arms meet the back. Piping is a narrow cord wrapped in fabric that you sew into the seam before joining the pieces. Trim is any decorative edging — ribbon, lace, or contrasting fabric — that you sew on top of the finished seam. Both are optional but add a professional touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular cotton fabric instead of upholstery fabric?
Regular quilting cotton is too thin and will tear under the weight of someone sitting on it. Home-dec cotton or canvas is thicker and holds up better. If you only have quilting cotton, back it with a layer of muslin or interfacing to add strength, but upholstery fabric is still the better choice.
What if my armchair has a removable cushion?
Measure and cover the cushion separately. Make a straightforward pillowcase-style cover by cutting two rectangles the size of the cushion plus 1 inch on all sides, sewing three sides, inserting the cushion, and hand-stitching the fourth side closed. This way you can remove and wash the cushion cover without disturbing the chair cover.
How do I keep the cover from sliding around when I sit?
find the bottom edges with stitches or tacks as described, and make sure the cover fits snugly. You can also add elastic straps underneath the chair frame that hook the cover in place, or use non-slip rug pad material glued to the underside of the cover where it touches the chair.
Do I need a sewing machine, or can I hand-sew the whole thing?
A sewing machine is much faster and creates stronger seams, but hand-sewing works if you have time and patience. Use a backstitch for strength, and make your stitches small and even. Hand-sewing the seams will take several hours, but hand-stitching the bottom edges to the frame is normal and expected.
What thread should I use?
Use thread that matches your fabric color, or use a neutral color like tan or gray if you are mixing prints. Upholstery thread is thicker and stronger than regular sewing thread, but regular thread works fine for a chair cover. Buy a spool or two more than you think you need — it is cheap and you will use it.