How to Make Simple Slipcovers

Making slip covers is not as hard as imagined.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Fabric
• Lots of straight pins
• Measure tape
• Table for cutting and sewing final cover
• Heavy duty thread or strong thread a least.
• Preservance
• Needle with a large hole for threading the heavy duty thread.
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Not knowing what the lounge suite looks like it is a little undaunting to try to tell someone how to do this. So I am going to do it as if the pillows are loose and set onto the suite.

   The first thing is to purchase enough fabric. Measure the length and width of each cushion to be covered. The length is the most important since most fabric is already wide enough to cover the width of an average cushion.

   Buy a little extra fabric, or even a pretty shee twin size and on sale,will save you a bundle if you find the right colors to go with your design plan.

2. Two ways to do this. The first is to take each cushion, wrap enough fabric around it leaving some on each end like wrapping a gift package, or folding an envelope. Cut that piece and repeat for each pillow to be covered. Be sure that you cut the fabric with the length of the grain line, (length of fabric) is grain line. Leaving plenty on each end to fold over the seam line on the bottom of the pillow. This wrapping and stitching I do with dental floss, since it is strong, and waxy and will not tear loose when heavy use is happening. And you can do it all by hand with a whipstitch. Sewing the long edges of the cushion cover having them meet on the bottom of the cushion. Then fold the ends like the regular package, and fold them over the sewn edges on the bottom. Again stitching the edges to the pillow cover. I even stitch the folded sides of the ends for added strength. Just pretend that your stitches are where scotch tape usually is used to wrap a package.

3. At this time I do not have the needed items to take pictures to show to do this but it really is easy and you can hold the fabric tight with pins while stitching, removing as you get to them and you will have a nice tightly bound new pillow for your lounge.

4. The second way is to cut to fit fabric. A piece for each side, and if a blocked pillow, then a strip for the edges the width of the blocking. Take straight pins, and I like to use some stretchy fabric for this one and pin the right sides together along the edges of the pillows, leaving some extra fabric that you can trim off later after sewing. About an inch of fabric will make it easier to hold and to fit tightly then trim off the extra after stitching. Machine stitch with strong thread down each of the pin lines, removing pins as you stitch. BE CAREFUL of sticking your self.Or baste each seam with some heavy duty thread and remove pins before machine stitching. Leave enough open edge to turn the cushion cover to the right side. You can adjust the tightness of the pins so that the seams to be sewn are nice and tight fitting against the pillow. Of course you have to remove the fitted pillow before sewing. Next turn the pillow cover to the right side and place pillow inside and stitch the final hole by hand turning raw edges to the inside and whipstitch to close the opening.

Tips & Warnings

• Feel free to message me if you need more help on this one.

• I like the pin process when using stretch material like a stretch terry cloth because the seams will always look smooth when stretched out nicely.

• Any part that needs covered you can't remove, just stretch the fabric over, tuck in lower edges and staple with a staple gun in place.

• Don't get discouraged. Remember it is just fabric, all stitches can be removed. Try it first with a scrap or an old pillow case or towel to practice before using the purchased fabric. Make a few items to rejuvenate some old pillows and then you will have the technique down pretty well when doing your lounge.