Slipcovers make your couches, chairs and other upholstered materials more stylish and comfortable. The sleek designs of some slipcovers heighten the aesthetic values of your home furnishings. The soft surfaces of these protective coverings enhance the comfort provided by cushions. The best part is, slipcovers are easy to make, which can save you several pricey trips to an upholsterer.
What Slipcovers are Made of?
Slipcovers are made with various materials. The materials vary, depending on the style of the fitted material. Some of the popular materials for slipcovers are:
muslin
cotton
leather
polyester
vinyl
cashmere
coir
wool
All of the materials are durable, making them last for several years or even decades when properly maintained. To fortify the protective cover’s durability, slipcovers are a bit thick and are tightly woven.
Functions of Slipcovers
Slipcovers have a wide range of functions. Furniture owners use the versatile covering for the different needs required by their home furnishings. Here are some of the basic functions of a slipcover:
protect furniture from dust, scratches, stains and sweat.
secondary cushion cover
cushion cover replacement
set the aesthetic theme for furniture
makeshift blankets for beds and couches
Stages in Creating Slipcovers
The creation process of slipcovers can be pretty complex. Splitting them into different stages simplifies the entire operation. Here are the three basic stages in creating slipcovers:
Stage 1 – Choosing the Material for the Slipcover
Stage 2 – The Creation Proper
Stage 3 – Fitting Hard-To-Fit Slipcovers
You have to take into consideration your home’s theme when selecting materials. As for the actual creation of slipcovers, you have to be adept at sewing to minimize errors. The fitting of the slipcovers are also problem areas. You may end up ripping the fabric apart if you force the wrong portion of the cover onto your furniture.
Stage 1 – Choosing the Material for the Slipcover
Choosing the right slipcover material requires careful consideration. You may come up with a well-made slipcover but if it is created from the wrong material, it will be a huge eyesore to your living room’s arrangement.
Materials Used:
measuring tape
pen
paper
Procedure:
Take down the measurements of the fixture that needs a slipcover. Give at least a one inch allowance, so that fitting the finished product wouldn’t be so hard.
Assess the features of the fixture. Heavy cushioned items like couches, chairs, and beds need slipcovers that are made from tough materials (leather, muslin, vinyl, etc). You can use softer and cheaper material for the slipcovers of regular furnishings.
With the material determined, you should take note of your living room’s theme.
Go to a textile store and check the available patterns for your chosen fabric. Select one that completely suits your living room’s theme.
Inquire about the laundry method used for cleaning the material. Some materials can only be cleaned through dry cleaning, which eliminates these items as possible cushion covers or cover replacements.
Give the dimensions of your proposed slipcover to the sales person.
Purchase the slipcover material.
Simple as this stage may seem, you must be wary of the small details. Those details can spell out the difference between an exceptional slipcover and one that is up for immediate replacement.
Stage 2 – The Creation Proper
Creating the slipcover requires much needlework. Each section of the covering must be done precisely, or else it will not fit into your furniture. You will have to form the different parts of the cover independently before sewing them together.
Materials Used:
fabric
slipcover pattern
scissors
marker
measuring tape
sewing needle and thread
cording
zipper
iron
ironing board
sewing machine
Procedure:
Set the fabric on the ironing board.
Iron the fabric to remove unwanted folds and creases that may cause problems when measuring the fabric.
Outline the dimensions of your slipcover on the fabric using a marker.
Cut two copies of the outline, which will represent the top and bottom phases of your slipcover.
Outline the sides of the slipcover then cut them accordingly. The length of the sides should be equal to the length of the top and bottom phases. The width varies, depending on the item that you’re creating the slipcover for.
When all the phases are ready, cut and position the cording on the outer edges of each phase.
Cut a slit on the top middle portion of the bottom phase.
Position the zipper along the seams of the slit.
Sew the zipper to the slit by running the bottom phase through a sewing machine.
View the sewing pattern for your slipcover’s design.
Use a sewing needle and thread to follow the sewing pattern.
With both the top and bottom phases completed, run all the phases through the sewing machine and connect the cording.
The slipcover should be finished after sewing all sections together. Double check the stitches, especially the ones along the cording. Remember, stitching errors can reduce the durability of your creation, so it’s better be vigilant.
Stage 3 – Fitting Hard-To-Fit Slipcovers
Normally, fitting covers like pillowcases an bedsheets is easy. You just have to slide the items inside the covers and your job is done. With slipcovers, you are covering heavy equipment with unconventional shapes. Sometimes simply forcing the slipcover will not work. You may need to unstitch your creation, patch the phases on the item, then restitch the slipcover back together.
Of course, if the slipcover manages to encase the furniture, you have nothing to more to worry about. If not, you can refer to the following procedure:
Materials Used:
tweezers
sewing needle and thread
t-pins
fabric (if necessary)
Procedure:
Disengage the phases of your slipcover using a pair of tweezers.
Set the phases on the furniture piece.
Place t-pins on strategic corners to hold all the phases in place. Make sure that the outer edges of all the phases can reach one another. If not, you must lengthen the phases by adding more fabric.
Hold the outer edges steadily, then stitch them together. Complete the process for all the phases and your slipcover should be complete.
Note:
The creation process demonstrated in this article covers only conventionally shaped items. For furniture pieces with unusual or varying measurements such as chairs and couches, just apply the appropriate dimensions and create all the additional phases. Once you have done both tasks, you can follow the rest of the steps to creating your very own slipcover.
Making the slipcover may be challenging at first. You might commit several errors during your initial try but it’s okay. You can always follow the third stage of the creation process to mend any mistakes.