How to Add a Skirt to a Slipcover

The skirt you add to your slipcover can be straight, gathered or pleated. The style of skirt you choose will depend upon the type of fabric used and the time you are willing to invest in forming and sewing the skirt.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Cording
• Dressmaker Pins
• Dressmaker Shears
• Home Decorator Fabrics
• Ironing Boards
• Irons
• Measuring Tapes
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Machine Needles
• Threads

1. Decide on the type of skirt that you want to add to your slipcover. Generally, there are three types - pleated, gathered and straight.
2. Determine the yardage needed for the chosen type of skirt and remember to figure that amount into the total yardage figure. Refer to 'eHow to Measure for Slipcovers' for instructions on figuring the yardage needed for the skirt.
3. Cut the strips of fabric that will make up the skirt along the crosswise grain of your home decorator fabric. This will usually entail cutting the strips along the short edge of the length of fabric.
4. Sew the skirt to the slipcover after construction is complete, but before any zippers are inserted into the cover.
5. Sew the skirt panels together at their short edges. Use a 1-inch seam allowance.
6. Finish the bottom edge of the skirt before you sew it to the slipcover and before you make the gathers and pleats. Finish the skirt bottom by simply turning up the edge ¼ to ½ inch and sewing it into place. Turn the edge up again the same width, if desired, and sew into place.
7. Make a gathered skirt by gathering the skirt fabric along one edge so that its horizontal length is equal to the total length of the lower edge of the slipcover (plus a 1-inch seam allowance on each end of the skirt panel). Pin the gathers into place and sew the skirt to the bottom edge of the slipcover.
8. Make a straight skirt by sewing the skirt fabric to the bottom edge of the slipcover. You can sew the skirt on as one piece or in four separate sections that meet at the legs of the piece of furniture. Finish each short edge before applying the skirt.
9. Make a pleated skirt by making even pleats along one edge of the fabric. The pleats should be equal in width and evenly spaced. Iron the pleats and pin them in place at both edges. Apply the skirt to the bottom edge of the slipcover.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the skirt gathers small and space them evenly.
• Use a gathered skirt in conjunction with lighter weight fabrics.
• Make sure that the skirt is long enough to just skim the surface of the floor when finished.
• Insert made or purchased cording into the seam after any gathers or pleats have been formed and before sewing.
• Use one of the methods in 'eHow to Keep Raw Fabric Edges from Fraying' to finish all raw fabric edges.