How to Make Slipcovers - Are You A Slipcover Virgin?

Do I really need to explain? Just look at the picture and you will know why you need to learn how to make your own slipcovers. I bought these last year because my sofa fabric is falling apart but the frame is still good. I am too cheap to go buy new ones so I thought these were a "good buy". They are not supposed to move.

Yea, right! I am constantly having to re-tuck them in. Wouldn't you rather have pretty slips that NEVER have to be tucked?

OK, so now that you have decided to take the plunge and learn how to make a slipcover, you need to decide what kind of fabric to use. Don't worry, take a deep breath and you will get through this quite painlessly. Remember: it still will come down to personal preference. The fabrics that I suggest are just that - suggestions. The sky is the limit and you shouldn't feel intimidated or limited to your selection. Do keep in mind though that heavier fabrics will stand up better to heavy usage of your furniture than thinner fabrics will and if you are covering a piece that has a bold pattern, you will not be able to see it through your slipcover. That being said, let's choose a fabric.

I personally made my first slipcover out of a natural color cotton twill fabric. I like the softness of twill. (and it was only $4.95 a yard at WalMart) Kinda has a flannel like feel to it. A cotton duck would be another great first choice, but the options are only limited to your imagination. You can pick anything your heart desires. That is the best part of making your own slipcover. It's yours. It's a reflection of you and your home. Make it what you want !

Fabric at Joann.com

The answer is just about any type of chair, couch, ottoman or table, yes table, can be slipped. I bought a really nice wing chair from the thrift store, for about $32.00 and that was my first project. I am going to do a side table to match.

I have to admit that my wing chair was probably not the best choice for a slipcover virgin, but with the help of my friend's book, I got through it just fine.

Ignore the pins in this picture. I found out that it is much easier if you DO NOT pin your pleats before you sew. The reason is this: as you sew your pleats, your machine will tend to "move the fabric forward" a little bit and you will end up with crooked pleats.

I learned that if you just fold them as you go, you will get a much more "even" pleat.

This is what a finished knife pleat looks like. You could also do a ruffle or whatever YOU like! It's up to you to personalize your slipcover.

You will need to make your own piping if you want it to match your slipcover. This is an easy (and painless) step. Use a zipper foot and about a 3 or 4 inch wide piece of fabric wrapped around the piping. Make it long enough to fit along the edge you want it to go around.

I closed the back of my slipcover with these little button closures. Again, really easy to make. I should have taken pics of how I made them. Sorry, I didn't :( *Note to self - I will try and make a diagram of how I did them and update in the future.

I bought a kit at a local fabric store to make the covered buttons. Very inexpensive (I think they were about $3 or $4)

**You will need to figure out how you want to close the back of your slip on a wing chair. If you do not leave some kind of an opening, you will not be able to get your slipcover on. I do not think it is necessary to leave an opening on a regular chair or couch. They would just slip right over the back, but a wing chair is wider at the top than the bottom.

I closed my seat covers with buttons also. Mainly because I did not have a zipper on hand that was long enough to go around the opening. I also added the piping around the seat covers.

Here is the finished slipcover from the back.

I can't say enough about my new Janome sewing machine. I had an old Singer (God rest her soul) that was a hand-me-down from my mom. It did us proud for many years. I made my Graduation dress in 8th grade, many a curtain, costumes for my kids and pillows galore. But it has seen better days and it was time for a new machine.

I have fell in love with my Janome. She hums very quietly and smoothly. You can preview a new Janome on my lens here: Buying a Janome Sewing Machine