A Guide: Replacing Sling Chair Fabric

Step 2:  Take apart your chair frame.

Again, hardware will vary between chair styles, but the basic idea is the same. Using a screwdriver or socket wrench, start to disassemble your chair, one screw at a time.

Pro tips:

• Keep a jar or bowl near your workspace to place any screws, nuts and bolts. This will keep each one accounted for when it’s time to put your chair back together.
• You may also want to label the bars with a Sharpie as you remove them. Use a numbered system or just write “top,” “middle,” bottom,” etc. If you make your marks on the inside of each bar’s screw plate, where it attaches to the chair, they won’t be visible when you reassemble the chair frame.
• Take pictures as you go for reference. It will help you remember where each piece fits when it’s time to reassemble.
  

Step 3: Measure again.

• Once all the screws have been removed, you can remove the two inner rails that are used to tension the fabric.
• At this point, you should be able to reach inside the “pocket” of the existing fabric sling to remove any inner hardware. The sling should now come off.

Step 4: Pattern your sling chair.

Creating a pattern for this DIY project is simple. For the envelope style of sling chair, you will need to cut two rectangles, one for the front and one for the back of the envelope, using your measurements. Using a fabric marker (such as tailor’s chalk or even a Sharpie in a contrasting color), you can make marks directly on the fabric to indicate where you plan to cut. A yardstick or T-square will allow you to trace straight lines on the fabric in the dimensions you need.

On one of the rectangles, which will be the bottom of the envelope, you will need to make a series of marks:

• Top of envelope: Be sure to indicate which end of the rectangle is the top with a T or an X.
• Hardware marks: Make marks indicating where the screws will go once you are reassembling the chair, referring to your earlier measurements. Take another look at the old sling, examining the slits in the fabric where the hardware once fit. Mark the length of the fabric slits onto your new fabric, as well as the juncture where the screw or bolt actually went through the fabric. These marks will be your guide once you begin stretching the sling over the chair.
• Envelope opening at bottom: Using the old sling as a guide, mark the width of the opening. Make the marks about an inch long towards the center of the fabric.

Step 5: Cut out your fabric.

Following the lines you’ve made, cut out your rectangles using sturdy fabric scissors. You will also need to make cuts along the marks you made for the hardware slits and for the envelope opening.

Step 6: Construction / sewing.

First, take the flap of fabric at the bottom of your bottom sling and fold it inwards towards the center of the fabric. Using your thumbnail, press the edge down. Using a ¼” (.6 cm) seam allowance, sew this flap down to create a nice finished edge for the envelope opening.

Next, it’s time to sew the side seams. Use basting tape to mark along the top and side edges of the fabric rectangle which will be the top of your chair sling, staying as close to the edge as possible.
On the bottom of the chair sling, use the basting tape to mark the bottom edges outside the envelope opening. Avoid crossing over the cut-out.

Line up the bottom panel on the top, right sides together (that is, keeping the side with the folded envelope opening outwards) and making sure all edges meet. Remove the paper from the tape to reveal the glue a few inches at a time. Gently press with your fingers to stick both sides together. This might require a little patience to get everything straight. Don’t worry if it’s not 100% perfect. You can trim any slight unevenness after basting or sewing.

Starting at one side of the envelope opening, sew along the basted edges of your sling with a straight stitch, staying as close to the edge as possible with almost no seam allowance. This will keep your sling the right size, and will also mean you can fully cover the seam with your binding. As you reach each corner, make sure your sewing machine needle is buried in the fabric. Raise the foot, pivot your chair sling so that you’re in position for the next seam, and then lower the foot. This will allow you to sew in one continuous line all the way around the sling, stopping at the other side of the envelope opening.

Step 7: Add binding.

A binding gives your chair sling a neat and polished edge. (It also hides any traces of the basting tape!) To add your binding, start in the middle of one of the long edges of your chair sling. Fold the binding over the edge and sew with a straight stitch fairly close to the edge of the binding. You can fold as you go, working 6” to 18” (15.2 to 45.7 cm) away from the needle as you sew to make sure the binding is folding smoothly and hugging the edge of the fabric.

When you come to a corner, you’ll need to make a fold in the binding to make a 90-degree turn. Use the same foot-lifting maneuver to turn the corner. Go slowly to ensure that the fold is neatly sewn down. 

Continue to sew the binding on around the perimeter of the chair sling. You’ll notice that adding the binding closes the outside edge of the hardware slits you made earlier, so that they will function like buttonholes. Sew right across the raw edge of the envelope slit at the bottom and continue until about 6” (15.2 cm) before you meet the beginning of the binding. 

Fold the raw edge of the binding inwards to create a neat end. Keep sewing, overlapping the beginning of the binding by about 2” (5.1 cm). Reverse your machine and backstitch a few times over this joint to make it nice and secure. 

Step 8: Reassemble your chair.

You’re almost at the finish line! Now that your chair sling is complete, it’s time to put your hardware back together in the reverse order:

• Start with the side rails, inserting them into the envelope and guiding the screws or bolts through the slits in the fabric. This is where you may need to stretch your sling slightly, adding some tension to the fabric. A very snug fit is what you want.
• Next, re-attach the remaining bars and hardware, referring to your photos and markings to ensure that everything ends up back where it began.
• Be sure to tighten any screws and bolts completely to make sure the chair is sturdy and safe!

You’re done! Time to take a break and test out your comfortable, gorgeous new chair... maybe with an icy beverage in hand.