Dining Chair Covers for Christmas

 So.  I know its been a while since I posted.  Not that I haven't been busy!!!  All the wedding place settings (Mad Hatter hats) are made, they just need ribbons and labels doing for them and that's not one of my jobs.  The basket for the cards has also been lined and the bunting done.  See photo.

I have walked, walked, bathed and walked (!!) doggies, made the most of the dry (when possible) weather and have managed to redo my garden and reseed the lawn following the last two clutches (!?) of ducklings destroying it.  I have also taken down most of the ivy growing along the back garden wall in the hope that Mrs Duck won't find anywhere to nest next year.  My intention is to keep it really, really, really short!  The ducklings are lovely but so much hard work and soooo many early mornings! Anyway, we'll see.

My days, when I don't have dogs, are now pretty quiet work wise.  So I thought I would challenge myself into doing something I've not done before.  I love sewing so a project was decided upon - whether it was a good one, remains to be seen but for the moment, I am excited and hopeful that I can do this.

As you can see from the photos, my dining chairs have seen better days.  Out of the six we have, there are about four which are really looking their age and the leather (if indeed it is leather??) has begun to perish and flake.  I clean the chairs regularly so I know its not dirt that is causing the problem but the chairs are wearing where the back of your legs rub.  I have seen covers being made for chairs like mine but thought I would have a go. 

My concerns at the moment are that all the ones I have seen are for straight backed chairs whereas my chairs have a curly bit at the top (see photo left).  I have read many tutorials for covers but none which really address this issue so I have stopped reading and am just going to approach the covers as if they were straight and deal with any hitches along the way (she said hopefully).

I found a clean but obviously faded valance sheet in my hoard stash of fabric as I needed something to make a pattern.  Using the measurements from the chair, I broke it down into two side pieces, one front including the curly bit, a straight back piece and the seat.  

I now have the basis of a pattern which will obviously develop through the process of pinning and then I can use it when I finally decide on a colour and fabric type for the covers.  I know they won't be stretchy ones as I do not use stretchy fabric and don't think that it would be durable enough for the chairs.  I guess now, the fun begins!  Wish me luck........ :)