How to Make Couch Slipcovers
A loose slipcover can serve a dual purpose of inexpensively changing the decor of a room and covering up an unsightly piece of furniture. Making a loose slipcover, which is basically a large, flat piece of material that is tucked into your couch, requires some sewing know-how. However, as long as you can thread a machine and sew a straight stitch, you will be fine. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Upholstery material
- Sewing machine
- Straight pins
- PVC pipe (3-inch to 4-inch in diameter) or rolled up magazines secured with rubber bands
Instructions
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Measure the piece of furniture to be covered from the floor on one side to the floor on the other. Take the same measurements from the front to the back. Add an extra twelve inches to both measurements.
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Select a material that is thick (like a brocade or a twill) and non-stretchy. When choosing your material, keep in mind that the material needs to tuck and drape without bunching. Most upholstery material is 54-inches wide, although some can be up to 62-inches. Depending on the depth measurements of your couch, you may need to purchase enough material to seam two pieces together and make a single piece that is large enough to cover your whole couch.
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3
Based on your original measurements, seam two pieces of material together at the appropriate length. Trim the width if necessary, but don't forget to keep an extra 10 to 12 inches for tucking the finished slipcover in. Fold the material in 1/4-inches all the way around the edge of the material and secure with pins. Sew a straight stitch along the edge, removing pins as you go. When you are finished, fold the edges in again, but this time 1/2-inch all the way around. Secure with pins. Sew a straight stitch 1/4-inch from the edge and keep it as straight as possible to ensure a smooth hem. Remove pins as you go.
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Drape the finished slipcover evenly over the piece of furniture. Being careful to keep the hem even on all sides, tuck in the excess material on the drape in the spaces along the back and sides of the cushion to secure it. Make adjustments as necessary to make the hem around the bottom and sides even. If you have seamed two pieces together, try to arrange the slipcover on the couch so that most of the seam will be hidden in the material that is tucked out of sight.
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Place short pieces of PVC (3 to 4-inches in diameter) pipe down as far as they can go into any crevice where you have tucked the drape. Rolled up magazines secured with rubber bands will also work if you don't have PVC pipe handy. Placing these will help keep the tucked portion of the drape from pulling up as people sit.
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