How to Make a Slipcover for Your Papasan Chair Cushion

Co-authored by Lois Wade

Last Updated: December 23, 2021 Approved

Do you have one of those "papasan" or "satellite dish" rattan chairs? These chairs are easy to spruce up by recovering the cushion with a slipcover. All you need to do is measure the cushion, pick out fabric, cut it to size and sew it up. Your papasan chair will soon look like you just picked it up at a chic furniture store.

Steps

1
Acquire about 4 yards (3.5 meters) of fairly heavy fabric. Twill, denim and some of the heavier decorator fabrics work well.
2
Launder your fabric and press it smooth if necessary.

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3
Lay your fabric out flat on the floor and place your cushion on top of it.
4
Trace a line approximately two inches (5 cm) from the edge, holding the marker as shown and using your forefinger as your distance spacer.^{[1]
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5
Remove the cushion and cut along your traced line, smoothing crooked lines as you go.^{[2]
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6
Fold the circle in half, then quarters, then eighths and trim the resulting edge even to get as perfect a circle as possible.
7
Fold the remaining, uncut fabric in half with selvage edges aligned. The selvage is the "original" edge of the fabric as it comes out of a loom. If you don't have the selvage edges, simply leave more fabric in the next step, so you can hem the edge an extra time.
8
Fold your cut circle in half and lay the center fold approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) from the aligned selvage edges; 3 inches (7.6 cm) for non-selvage edges. Smooth any wrinkles.
9
Cut around the perimeter of your "original" half circle (using it as a stencil of sorts) to make two half circles that each have a flat, selvage edge.^{[3]
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10
Clip the corners of your folded circle to mark the diameter line at the edge of the circle.
11
Roll the straight edges of the half circles and hem them at 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). For non-selvage edges, repeat.
12
Sew the loop half of your "hook and loop" or "Velcro" to the top side of one hem, approximately one quarter inch (6 mm) from the edge.^{[4]
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- Note: Sew each edge of the Velcro rather than down the middle to avoid issues with your machine thread catching on the Velcro "hooks".
13
Sew the hook half of your "hook and loop" or "Velcro" to the bottom side of the other hem, approximately one quarter inch (6 mm) from the edge.^{[5]
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14
Stick the two sides of Velcro together, which should cause your two half circles to form a full circle of material.
15
Place your original circle and the newly formed circle right sides together. The outside of the cover should now be on the inside.
16
Pin the ends of your Velcro seam to the edge where you clipped to mark the ends of the Diameter of your circle. Refer to picture for close up view.
17
Lay both layers flat, carefully smooth out any wrinkles and pin the edges together as they lie flat. The edges may or may not be exactly aligned at this point. You will sew them as pinned, thus evening out minor differences. Allow enough seam allowance to sew both edges together.^{[6]
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18
Sew the outer, pinned edge.
19
Open the Velcro seam and slide your new cover over your old cushion. Reverse the cover, so that the outside of the cover is now revealed.
20
Close the Velcro seam, smooth out any bunches, and throw that thing back on its frame.
21
Relax in your chair, knowing that you can easily launder your new cushion cover!

Warnings

Needles and scissors are sharp. Handle with care.

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Things You'll Need

Sewing Machine (you can do this by hand, but it would take a long time.)
Four yards of twill, denim, or heavy decorator fabric.
Scissors
Marker
Matching thread
A yard of 1/2 or 3/4 inch wide "hook and loop" or "Velcro" tape. Avoid getting the "peel and stick" type. You want the "sew on" type.