How to Make a Slipcover for a Love Seat

Put the love back in a love seat with a slipcover

Using a slipcover you can change the entire look of a room, but ordering a pre-made slipcover can be very expensive. The next problem is finding one that fits your love seat properly, which can seem impossible. Also fabric colors, fabric types, and styles are limited. Making a slipcover for a love seat is relatively simple and gives you control of the type of fabric, color, and patterns. After taking the correct measurements, it is easy to give your furniture a custom-tailored redesign.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Thread
• Paper
• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• Masking tape
• Straight pins or T- pins

Instructions

1. Separate the pieces of the love seat. Make sure that all cushions are on properly and everything that does not belong on the love seat is moved.

2. Measure each section of the love seat--the sides, arms, seat, back and front--with your measuring tape. Draw a diagram of the love seat on your paper and add the measurements to your diagram.

3. Cut the fabric to the measurements. Add a 1 1/4-inch seam allowance.

4. Dry-fit all the pieces together. If your furniture is symmetrical, place them upside-down on the furniture. This would mean you are putting the side that you want to be viewed once your slipcover is together down on the loveseat, with the ugly side or underside up. If your love seat is asymmetrical--for example, if it has one arm--place your fabric right-side up when doing your dry fit, with the side you want viewed facing up.

5. Put the slipcover together, using masking tape and pins.

6. Sew one piece of the love seat slipcover at a time, until the entire piece is together. Pinning the material correctly eases the sewing process. Make sure your pins are straight in your seams and sew against the pins, allowing an extra 1/2 inch of fabric for movement.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are using fabric that is not dry-clean only, wash and dry it to shrink it before you cut.

• Make templates for your slipcover on newspaper taped together.

• Always measure twice and cut once; it is costly to make cutting mistakes on fabric. Measure until you are comfortable with your measurements before cutting.

• If the fabric you buy is rare or no longer going to be sold, buy at least 10 percent extra to add some breathing room for mistakes.

References

• All Free Crafts: Sewing Tutorial: How to Sew a Slipcover