Table Cloth Upholstery

Once vibrant and colorful, the material on the bamboo dining chairs has become dull and dingy. It’s time has come and passed. It’s done!

After a few months of scouring fabric stores for something that can handle high traffic and little munchkins, without breaking the bank, I figured out that I would need some type of oilcloth. Something bright, something tropical. And BOOM it hit me. An outdoor tablecloth. And with it being summer time, my pickings were bountiful.

I hit the local discount stores and found this beautiful hibiscus patterned table cloth that would fit in perfectly in the dining room. At $5.95 each, I bought 2. According to my rough calculations I can get 6 chairs covered with 1 tablecloth. And an extra if I need it down the road. Fabulous

So with my tablecloth. a pair of scissors, a staple gun, and a very talkative assistant, I was off and running. Maybe not running. Remember kids, safety first. DO NOT run with scissors.

Not too shabby!!! The material just compliments the color of the dining room perfectly and can take lots of abuse. I couldn't have picked a better material.

Did I mention that this works great with metal chairs?

Here‘s a sweet little kids chair that I picked up at Alameda for $10. I love little metal chairs. Well okay most metal chairs. I love metal. But enough about me.

Here's what I did with this cutie.

First I laid out the table cloth against the cushion to see which part of the pattern I liked. The little one liked the big hibiscus flower in the top right corner. Good eye little one.

I pulled the tablecloth over the edge of the cushion and marked an inch or so border from the edge.

I cut out the piece that I wanted and unscrewed the cushion from the metal frame.

Then I placed the material how I wanted it on the cushion and gently turned it over.

I cut away a bit of excess material and using a staple gun, stapled the material to the bottom of the cushion.

Then I screwed the cushion back onto the base.

And now I have a cute cushion on a cute chair that is easy to clean up if the kids make a mess.

And I’ve got lots of extra material to make a matching apron or placemat if I feel crafty. And if I need to replace the cushion cover again I’ve got material for that too.

*note: if you feel the tablecloth material is too thin, try using some fusible material to make it sturdier.