How to Use Sheets as Slipcovers

This chair is covered with tie-dyed sheets that were once neon green.

You love your furniture, but you hate its ripped-up cushions. Rather than going out and spending upwards of $50 for a genuine slipcover -- which are usually made of very scratchy material and come in hideous patterns -- you can use a sheet as a slipcover. This doesn’t mean haphazardly throwing a white sheet over your armchair, but rather adapting the sheets to match your décor and serve your needs. You can use sheets as slipcovers by following a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Sheets
• Furniture to cover
• Safety pins (optional)

Instructions

1. Pick sheets of the right size. Couches do best with fitted full-size sheets or larger. Armchairs work well with fitted twin sheets. Pillowcases can be used to cover cushions. Hold the sheet up above the furniture to make sure that it’s big enough and will cover enough of the fabric. You may want to use two or more sheets for a larger item.

2. Choose the best colors. If you are using old sheets, you may want to dye them a color that works well. A package of dye, good for an entire sheet set, can run as little as $1. You can also jazz up the pattern by tie-dying, mixing colors or enhancing the sheets with fabric painted patterns.

3. Unfurl the sheet and place it over the furniture piece you want to cover. Adjust it so that enough of the sheet hangs down behind the top and sides of the piece that the sheet does not pull forward when someone sits down. Tuck in the sides of the sheet behind and beneath the cushions and around the arms.

4. Test the steadfastness of the sheet by sitting on the furniture. This will allow you to pinpoint areas that are going to pull and may need to be pinned, or that you’ve pulled too tightly and may rip.

5. Safety-pin the bottom, back and sides, if desired, once the sheet is fitted properly. Some will stay on gloriously without pins, whereas others may need a little help around the legs and arms of the furniture.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use a set of old bedsheets or go out and buy a new set. A full sheet set can often be found for less than $20, and many places sell sheets individually. Shop around for sales. You don’t need a high thread count, but you do want sheets thick enough that the furniture fabric doesn’t show through.

• Feel free to cut sheets that are too large.

• Sheet slipcovers are especially handy for outdoor furniture, since they can be easily removed and washed. Have a couple sets handy so that you can rotate them frequently.

• Sheets are also good tablecloths. Choose a flat sheet and dye or decorate as desired.

• When you’re bored with tablecloths and slipcovers, you can always use the sheets as makeshift curtains.

• Never use sheets that are obviously sheets; that is, refrain from choosing ones decorated with little flowers or moons or sleepy cartoon characters. These will look ridiculous in your living room.