How to Make Slip Cover Patterns for a Love Seat

Couch and loveseat in living room setting

Slip covers are a fast and inexpensive way to update the appearance of your furniture. Often, couches and love seats will become worn or stained, and it is too expensive to replace them. By making slip covers specifically for the piece of furniture, the cover will fit well and be made from the color or pattern of fabric you like. It is a good idea to make a slip cover pattern for your furniture, so that you can make several covers for different seasons and for a replacement during laundry of the original cover.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4-inch graph paper
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Red fine marker
• Kraft paper
• Pins
• Black marker
• Muslin fabric
• Sewing machine
• Zip-lock bag

Instructions

1. Draw a three-fourths-view drawing of your love seat on graph paper. Measure the sides, back, legs, arms, seat, cushions and any detail. Use the lines of the graph paper to make this easier. The reason you draw a three-fourths-view is to have everything except the back visible. This will allow you to note the location of seams and areas where you need to tuck extra fabric. It is a good idea to seam in the same locations the manufacturer did originally, because these are usually low-stress points where the seam won't rip open.

2. Make a second group of drawings straight on and at scale. Mark your sizes and measurements. Any loose cushions will be covered separately while the main body of the love seat is often one larger cover. Go over your drawings with a red marker and highlight seams. This will help you remember how the pieces fit together later.

3. Cut Kraft paper larger than the side where you want to make a pattern. Push straight pins through the paper into the upholstery to pull the paper close to the fabric. Trace the shape of the furniture on the inside of the paper. Remove the paper and cut out the shape with scissors. Place the cut-out shape back on the furniture and trim it to be a perfect fit. Label your paper. Repeat this for each side of the love seat.

4. Fit Kraft paper around rounded surfaces, such as arms, by cutting small V-shaped darts. Follow the shape of the furniture by pinning closely. Keep in mind that the sides of the love seat will be mirror-images, so you should be able to reverse the pattern for the same good fit. Look for areas on the love seat where the manufacturer tucked fabric from one section under fabric from another section. This is common around arm areas, if the love seat back has a wing design. Allow extra paper to accomplish the tuck.

5. Transfer all of your patterns to muslin. Add half-inch seam allowance on all seam edges. Cut out your muslin and sew it together so that you can do a test fit of the pattern in fabric. Make any fit adjustments and remember to mark those adjustments on your paper pattern. Correct your fit. Once you are satisfied, your pattern will be ready for upholstery fabric.

Tips & Warnings

• Save your pattern and fitted muslin cover in a large zip-lock bag that is correctly labeled. Note the amount of fabric needed for a new slip cover plus any extra trims, like piping cord, zippers, hook and loop tape, covered buttons or a tucking dowel for under the seat cushion. Place this pattern with your sewing patterns.

• If you use patterned fabric on your finished slip cover, be sure to match your pattern before calculating your fabric for the cover.

References

• Sew Mama Sew: Drafting Slip Covers