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- Photo: Anne Laure PY / Flickr
Removable slipcovers for sofas provide a simple solution to a number of living room dilemmas. They can make over an outdated piece of furniture, allow for the easy care of upholstery, or cover up stains and tears that make an old sofa unusable. The best part is that making a slipcover can be an easy sewing project if you know how.
Choosing your fabric
A slipcover can easily be removed and replaced if you get tired of it, so you can afford to try something bold and interesting when you choose the fabric you’ll make it from. This is one time when you can use colours as bright as you like, or even use white – when you can put your sofa cover in the washing machine, dirty marks become less of a problem. It is a good idea to remember that the fabric you use should be hard-wearing and easy to wash, though, so keep this in mind when making your choice.
Make a plan
- Photo: Stock.Xchng
You don’t need to use a pattern for your covers, but before you start cutting up the fabric you’re using, try drawing up a plan using paper so that you can use the amount of fabric you have effectively. It makes sense to use your sofa’s shape as a guide, tracing the shapes that have been used to create the sofa’s original upholstery but leaving enough space around the edges to sew the pieces together easily. Your plan will give you an easy sewing experience without wasting material or having to start over.
Pinned down
Cut out the pieces of fabric that you’ll use for your slipcover and mark them with chalk on their opposite sides. When you have made your plan you may have found that some sections were too large for the fabric you’re working with – in this case, divide the piece in two and join in with a centre seam. Pin the pieces together where you’ll sew them up – rather than doing this all at once, sew two pieces together at a time to construct the shape of the sofa cover.
All sewn up
- Photo: simoneladybug / Flickr
If you’re using a strong, thick fabric to make your removable slipcovers for sofas, remember to adjust your sewing machine‘s settings correctly to deal with the tougher job. Insert a zip if you want to make the removal and replacement of your sofa covers even easier. It’s not quite as easy sewing this part as the rest of the job has been, but the chances are you’ll be grateful in the long run that you did it. Trim excess pieces of fabric from the seams before you turn your cover inside out and put it on your sofa.
Some more ideas…
When washing your removable slipcovers for sofas, turn them inside out before putting them into the washing machine and they will last longer. If you’re drying them in a tumble-dryer, it’s a good idea to remove them as soon as they’re done and put them straight onto the sofa if you want to avoid having to iron it. Now that’s keeping it simple!
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