How to Make Headrest Covers

by Heather Montgomery

Damaged, faded or stained headrests can get new life with coverings you can make yourself. In addition to the custom options available to you if you make your own headrests, removable covers make cleaning and maintenance easy. Choose a fabric that can be washed and is thick enough to cover the existing texture of the headrest.

Step 1

Remove the headrest from the vehicle seat. Measure the thickness of the headrest on the sides, top and bottom. Divide each of these individual numbers in half, and then add a half-inch for the seam allowance. If your headrest is 3-inches thick on the sides, 4-inches thick on the bottom and 2-inches thick on the top, the measurements you need to note are: 2 inches, 2-1/2 inches and 1-1/2 inches, respectively.

Step 2

Trace the outline of the headrest onto your muslin with a fabric pencil. Adjust the sewing gauge by sliding the movable marker to the measurement you noted. Place the edge of the sewing gauge marked with the "1" on the bottom edge of the side you traced on the muslin. Use a fabric pencil to mark 2 inches out from the line you traced, and continue marking 2 inches away from the trace line for the rest of the headrest pattern.

Step 3

Cut out a template out of the muslin for your headrest. Pin the template to a folded piece of the fabric you chose for the headrest cover. Cut out the template and, because you folded the fabric, you will have two even pieces of fabric after cutting.

Step 4

Hem the bottom edge of each piece using a half-inch hem.

Step 5

Place the two fabric pieces together with the right sides facing each other. Pin the pieces to keep them from shifting during sewing. Sew around the side and top edges of the cover, using a half-inch seam allowance.

Step 6

Turn the cover right-side out and fit it over your headrest. Mark the fabric where the posts are at the bottom of the headrest. Remove the cover from the headrest.

Step 7

Measure the distance from the outside edge of the cover to the first metal headrest post and cut a piece of a hook-and-loop tape, such as Velcro, to this measurement. Measure the distance from the first post to the second post and cut another piece of hook-and-loop tape to this measurement. Cut a third piece of hook-and-loop tape to the distance from the second post to the left outside edge of the cover.

Step 8

Sew the hook side of the hook-and-loop tape pieces to the back piece of the cover then sew the loop side to the front side of the cover at the bottom edge.