How to Recycle a Sweater into a Chair Cover

Erika Kern, contributor

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A cute, comfy sweater becomes a cozy chair cover with very little time and effort. Use the leftover bits of the sweater to make a matching pillow.

Erika Kern

I found this chair at a local secondhand shop for $10. It needed lots of love. The previous owner had left it out in the elements for who knows how long. Still, I love a challenge. Before I covered the seat, I sanded, primed, and painted the chair a glossy black.

Erika Kern

This sweater was a thrift store find marred by a big, ugly hole. I might not be able to wear it, but that doesn't mean I can't craft with it!

Erika Kern

A cute, comfy sweater becomes a cozy chair cover with very little time and effort. Use the leftover bits of the sweater to make a matching pillow.

Photo: Erika Kern

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So, if you couldn't tell from last week's post, I love sweaters! And this sweater fascination cannot be quenched with just one "turn sweaters into home décor" post. Oh no! If I had my way my whole house would be covered in the things; after all, the coziest house is a cozied one. This project adds a quirky twist to a simple chair redo.

Here's what you'll need:

• A chair
• A sweater
• Seam ripper
• Scissors
• Staple gun and staples
• Felt (large enough to cover the bottom of the seat of your chair) (optional)

For the matching pillow:

• A second sweater (for the pillow back)
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Pillow form or stuffing

First, you need to find a chair. Ideally you have one around the house that could use an update, but if you need to go out and buy one, worry not! The world is full of fun secondhand furniture. Check out Craigslist or eBay or your local thrifts, yard sales, flea markets, or antique mall. Don't be afraid of something that might need a bit more love than just a new seat cover. . . the more DIY fun the better!

I found this chair at a local secondhand shop for $10. It needed lots of love. The previous owner had left it out in the elements for who knows how long. Still, I love a challenge. Before I covered the seat, I sanded, primed, and painted the chair a glossy black.

Once you've found your chair and you've painted it (if need be), you're ready to move on to covering the seat. The sweater you choose for this project should be big but it doesn't have to be too large. Depending on the size of the seat you wish to cover, a ladies' size large should be big enough to do the job.

This sweater was a thrift store find marred by a big, ugly hole. I might not be able to wear it, but that doesn't mean I can't craft with it!

Use your seam ripper and scissors to take your sweater apart. Use the largest piece, the sweater's back, as the fabric to cover your seat.

Don't worry if your seat is a bit larger than your fabric. Since it's a sweater, take advantage of the inherent stretch.

If your sweater is patterned, like mine, make sure to center your pattern to your cushion. Also, make sure your pattern is facing the right direction. Trust me on that one. . . staple-gun staples are a pain to pull out when you screw up.

Pull your fabric tight but not so tight you distort your pattern, and use a staple gun to attach the fabric to your seat.

The bottom of your covered seat. You can leave it like this if you wish but, you know me, I can't leave well enough alone...

So I prettied up the bottom with a bit of felt. This gives the seat a more polished look and will lessen the chance of the sweater material fraying at the edges.

The sweater-covered seat.

Once your seat is covered, fit it back onto the chair.

A cute comfy sweater becomes a cozy chair cover with very little time and effort. I used the leftover bits of the sweater and last week's tutorial and scaled it down to make a matching pillow. The back of the pillow is made with another sweater, and the cover is stuffed with a 14- by 14-inch pillow form.

Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the coziest chair in the house!

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Comments (6)

rainwolfe writes: I am loving all the great things I'm learning on this site to do with the sweaters I have hanging around that I love, but haven't worn in years.
Thanks!
Posted: 12:31 pm on February 2nd

margoly writes: Perfect timing for this wonderful idea! My son gave me 3 extra- large cashmere sweaters (yes, cashmere!) that he no longer wears. He wanted me to make some couch pillows out of them. I just hated the idea of cutting into them -- but now I can hardly wait! The idea for using the sleeves is also great. I will make a 'kidney' roll pillow out of mine. Thanks!


Posted: 10:04 pm on January 16th

gracie_girl writes: Good idea for a comfy chair...

Posted: 4:54 pm on January 16th

sherlo65 writes: This is a great idea! I will try it sometime.
Posted: 9:07 pm on January 14th

erika_kern writes: Thanks! It was much easier than I thought it would be when I first had the idea. Took me no time at all!
Posted: 12:58 pm on January 14th

Sister_Diane writes: This is AWESOME!!
Posted: 12:36 pm on January 14th

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