Chair Covers & Tablecloth

Materials:

paper to create your own pattern
measuring tape or quilter's tape measure
scissors
thread
pins
basting needle
3 to 4 yards of 45- to 54-inch sheer cotton fabric, depending on the size of your chair
patio chairs and table
presser foot
string
fabric marker
tack
lead weights
silk flowers (optional )
scalloped trim (optional)

Steps:

1. To measure the folding chair: Measure from the floor to the top of the back, from the top to the seat, across the seat, and from the seat to the floor. Add 7-1/2 inches to the length to create a 3-3/4 inch hem at the top and bottom (3/4 inch to turn in and 3 inches to turn up for wide seam allowances). Add 6-1/2 inches to the width of chair to allow 3 inches to fold in and a 1/4-inch seam allowance on each side.

2. Cut out the fabric. Fold 1/4 inch under on the raw edge and fold in another 3 inches on each side edge of the chair cover. Press and stitch both sides. Tip: This fabric piece should be one long piece--don't use scraps or pieces here.

3. Fold up the top and bottom edges with a 3/4-inch fold, and fold another 3 inches for the large seam allowances (figure A). Then press and stitch.

4. To mark the placement for side tie ends, position the chair cover over the chair and mark tie end placements as desired (figure B).

4. Fold the remaining seam allowances at the sides and bottom and press (figure E).

5. Mark the tie ends along the upper edge of the pocket. Mark one at the center and each of the other two 2-1/2 inches to either side of the center.

Pocket ties

1. With wrong sides together, turn in long edges of each tie end, with raw edges meeting at the center, and press. Fold each tie edge in half lengthwise into the center (figure F), press and pin. Fold in half again, press and pin in place. Stitch close to pressed edges. Knot one end of each tie.

2. Pin three ties onto the pocket and topstitch in place, matching ties on the chair cover (figure G).

3. Pin the pocket to the back of the chair cover and topstitch close to sides and lower edge.

4. Center the remaining tie ends over placement markings on the back of the chair and stitch.

Side ties

1. Fold each tie in half lengthwise and stitch long edges together. Then turn and press. Tip: For the raw edges, tuck the seam allowance into the tie ends and press. The ends will get stitched when attaching the ties.

2. Attach the ties to the chair cover, pin and stitch in place.

Tips:

- Use an "X" stitch for a decorative touch when attaching ties to the cover.
- For stability, sew weights into the front and back corners of the chair.
- Sew silk flowers onto the ties in the pocket area.

Matching round tablecloth

1. Measure the diameter of the table (longest distance across the top of the table from one side to the other). Measure the drop (distance from the tabletop to where you want the tablecloth to end). Double the drop and add the diameter, plus 1 inch for the hem. This is the cutting width of your fabric.

Tip: If the cutting width is greater than the width of your fabric, purchase two lengths of fabric and piece them together. Cut one piece in half (figure H) and sew it to the other piece, selvedge to selvedge, to create one fabric piece (figure I).

3. To cut out the circle: Fold the fabric in half lengthwise (right sides together) and in half again (crosswise). Pin the fabric together to prevent shifting. Tie a string to a tack and place it at the corner fold (which is the center of the tablecloth ). Attach a fabric marker to the string so that the length of the string from the tack to the marker tip equals the drop length plus half the diameter plus a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Draw an arc on the fabric (figure J) and cut along the line (while the fabric is still folded).

4. Sew a row of stay stitching 1/2 inch along the raw edge to create a finished hem edge. Stitch all the way around and serge the edge. Tip: Stay stitching keeps the bias from shifting.

5. Fold the hem along the stay stitching line and top stitch.

6. If desired, sew a pre-made scalloped border along the edge of the tablecloth .