How To Make a DIY Grill Cover

Cold weather is right around the corner and that means the grill will be getting a lot less use. If, like me, you don’t have any place other than the balcony to store the grill over the winter months why not make a DIY cover for it? Oilcloth, which is available in an impressive array of patterns and colors, will make a cute little hideaway for your grill while it’s not in use. And with this how-to, you’ll have it together in no time!

Materials 2½ to 3 yards of oilcloth or vinyl fabric. You may need more or less fabric depending on the size of your grill. Consider measuring your grill before you buy the fabric!

Tools Scissors, measuring tape, sewing machine

1. Measure your grill’s height, width, and depth. This measurement doesn’t have to be exact. My grill is approximately 32″ wide and roughly 42″ high and about 10″ deep.

2. You’ll need three pieces of fabric — one body piece and two side pieces. The body piece will need to be long enough to fit over the grill. Knowing that my grill is 42″ high and 32″ wide, I cut my oilcloth to be 84″ long and 32″ wide. Then I cut my two side pieces to be 42″ high and 10″ wide.

3. Lay the main body piece, right side down, on the grill so that it drapes down the front and back.

4. Pin the side piece to the body piece. Try to keep the pins in a relatively straight line – you’ll be using them as a guide when you sew the two pieces together.

5. One the two pieces are pinned together, you may find that you have some excess fabric. Cut this fabric off before moving on to the next step.

6. Stitch the pieces together using a sewing machine.

7. With the two pieces stitched together, turn your cover right side out and put it on your grill. How does it fit so far? I found that I overestimated the width of material I would need for the body of the cover so I cut it down.

8. Turn the cover inside out again, put it over the grill, and pin the other side on in the same way you did the first side.

9. Stitch this side with a sewing machine.

10. After both sides are sewn onto the main body piece, turn the cover right side out and slide it over your grill.

It probably goes without saying that the cover should only be put on a cool grill. As a one martini cook I know I can sometimes get a little careless when I’m finished cooking. But for Pete’s sake, don’t put the cover on a hot grill!

Images: Jason Loper