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How to Make a Fabric Cover for Baby Gate


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 899 Posts
April 3, 2017

Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - finished fabric covered gateOur Chihuahua neurotically drinks water because of a psychological problem. Because of this, she will go to any lengths to get to the water bowl for our other dogs, which is on the other side of the baby gate. She would squeeze through it and under it. So to stop the constant hassle of her gorging on water, I made this fabric cover for the gate.

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Supplies:

  • Evenflo Top of Stairs Plus Gate (Affiliate Link)
  • 2 yd canvas fabric
  • 2 yd fabric, for lining
  • 1/2 yd coordinating fabric, for button loops
  • 14 buttons
  • sewing machine
  • sewing needles
  • thread
  • pins
  • scissors
  • embroidery floss, optional
  • rubberized shelf liner
  • Pool Noodle Inserts (Optional):
  • 1-2 pool noodle(s)
  • sharp knife
  • Wooden Botton Extension (Optional):
  • 1x2 strip of wood
  • screws
  • small washers
  • saw
  • sand paper
  • drill

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Steps:

  1. Measure around each of the two panels of the gate. Create a paper template. Pin the template to the fabric and cut out each panel. If you need to add the pool noodle inserts to close up gaps, make sure to attach the pool noodles before taking your measurements. (See step 14)
  2. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - paper template for panels
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - template pinned to main fabric
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - cutting fabric panel
     
  3. Use the same template to create the liner panels. Cut out the liner panels. Then pin each liner panel to the decorative panels, right sides together.
  4. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - cutting backing panel
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - pin back to front with right sides together
     
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  5. Create a paper template for the fabric button loops. Trace the template onto the wrong side of the fabric. Cut them out.
  6. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - button loop template
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - trace onto back side of fabric
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - tracings
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - cut out tabs
     
  7. Fold the loop piece in half lengthwise, use your finger to crease the fabric along the fold. Open up and fold each side into the middle, creasing both folds.
  8. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - fabric for tab
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - fold in half lengthwise and finger press
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - open it up
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - fold the sides into the middle
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - finger press
     
  9. Fold both sides into the middle, then fold in half again. Pin together as shown below.
  10. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - fold both sides into middle
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - fold in half along center line
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - pin
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - 3 pinned tabs ready to sew
     
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  11. Sew along both sides of the fabric, close to the edge. Tie off threads and trim off excess.
  12. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - sew close to the edge
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - tie threads and trim
     
  13. Create loops by bringing the ends next to each other. Pin the loops into the seam (as shown below) at equal intervals along the edge that will be buttoned together. Note: The loop part will be inside, between the panels, until it is sewn and turned right side out.
  14. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - pin loops inside the seam
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - loop is on the inside between the panels
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - when fabric panels are turned the loops will be on the outside
     
  15. Sew along the panel edges with a 1/4 seam, making sure to leave an opening for turning. Turn the panels right side out and finger press along the seams.
  16. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - sew a 1/4 inch seam around the panels leaving an opening to turn
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - turn right side out
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - finger press the seam
     
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  17. Pin the opening shut and stitch closed.
  18. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - pin the turning opening closed
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - sew closed
     
  19. Sew a 1/4 inch top stitch all the way around each panel.
  20. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - top stitch 1/4 inch from the edge around the entire panel
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - stitching
     
  21. Mark the button placements for each loop and sew the buttons in place. I used colorful embroidery floss to sew them on.
  22. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - mark button placement
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - sew in place
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - tied floss securing button
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - view of sewn button
     
  23. I also added snaps at the top, bottom, and in between each button.
  24. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - marking snap placement with a pin
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - snap in position
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - sewing snap on
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - back side of sewn snap
     
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  25. I chose to stitch down the ends of each loop. This keeps the loops from stretching out and allowing the panel to loosen.
  26. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - pinning folded end of button loop
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - stitching across the previous stitching
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - cut and tie threads on wrong side
     
  27. Pool Noodle Inserts: Because our dog is small enough to squeeze through gaps in the gate at the ends and in the middle, we also had to add pool noodles to the end bars of the latch panel and ultimately the last bar of the hinge panel. Measure the length of the gate bar and cut the pool noodle to the proper length. Then cut along one side of the noodle lengthwise, so that you can slip it onto the bar. Be aware, the pool noodles will keep the gate from retracting.
  28. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - pool noodle placement
     
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  29. To keep the fabric panels from slipping down I wrapped the pool noodles and other bar of the hinge panel with shelf liner. I secured it with tape. Note: If you don't need to use pool noodles, then wrap the first and last bars of each panel with shelf liner.
  30. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - wrapping noodle and bar with shelf liner
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - taped on shelf liner
     
  31. Test fit the panels on the gate.
  32. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - fabric wrapped around noodle
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - check fitting
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - small panel
     
  33. Top Straps: Create a new template for the button loops that is long enough to go around the button, as well as up and over the top of the gate. Follow steps 4-6 to create 4 longer loops. Determine where the buttons will be, mark their placement, and sew them onto the panels. Put the panels back onto the gate, hook the loops onto the buttons, and pin the ends in place on the other side. Remove the panels and sew the loops on. These top button loops will prevent the panels from sagging.
  34. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - create new template for button loops for top of gate
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - top button loop
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - loop from back side
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - top button loop stitched on
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - two top loops
     
  35. Our dog could also squeeze under the gate so we added a wooden extension to the bottom. We cut 2 lengths of wood to the lengths of each panel. We marked screw locations that wouldn't interfere with the sliding brackets of the gate. We used small washers, stacked together, to elevate the wood above the brackets. Each piece of wood was attached at both ends and once in the middle.
  36. Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - cut wood length of panels
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - mark for screw location
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - screwing wood strips to bottom of gate
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - washers to elevate
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - close up of washers
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - gate with wood attached to bottom
     
    Fabric Cover for Baby Gate - Chihuahua at gate
     
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Comments


Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 190 Posts
April 4, 20170 found this helpful

Love it; poor Nina foiled again.

Reply Was this helpful? Yes
Anonymous
April 5, 20170 found this helpful

I don't sew, but this looks easy enough to use iron on fabric glue instead of sewing :)

Reply Was this helpful? Yes
April 5, 20170 found this helpful

This is wonderful and very creative ;)

Reply Was this helpful? Yes
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