To Slipcover or Not To Slipcover

Pink is not my signature color and the Victorian style does not match anything in our home, but after much debate, I was not ready to let go of my grandmother’s love seat. Having it upholstered was too pricy.  The answer, make a slip cover.  This was my first big adventure in making a slipcover and I’m crazy over how it turned out!

Love seat before

Of course I never would have jumped in with both feet without first studying the tutorial at the Miss Mustard Seed blog. If I can follow Marian’s instructions on slipcovers, you can too! She is very thorough and my “go to” for inspiration!

For the fabric I used an 8 oz. (9′ x 12′) drop cloth purchased from Lowe’s. Then I went back and bought another one haha!  One was more than enough for the love seat but I need more fabric to cover the large down filled cushion. I used the center seam as a guide to helped make sure both sides of the seat back, seat, and back were mirror images of each other. I would have utilized the amount of fabric more efficiently had I not used the center seam in this way.  As it turned out, the seam running down the middle adds character to a very simple design and I like it!

Pin sections together and trim away extra fabric, repeat….

Making the slipcover was not difficult but it did take a great deal of patience.  After awhile I got the rhythm down…drape, pin, trim, drape, pin trim, repeat. You get the idea.

Reverse side of the slip cover showing how the seams come together

The raw edges of the seams are trimmed with pinking shears.

Inside seams without the cushion

Front of slip cover with straps to show the carved design

Narrow strip of cloth for the straps cut along the salvage edge

Straps used to connect the front to the back of the slip cover

Covering the complete love seat just didn’t look right so I decided to expose the carved woodwork at the top.  My first thought was to make ties but I quickly changed my mind in favor of straps.  Think of it as a sun dress!

Frog closure detail used instead of a button or tie on the back

Instead of leaving an opening in the center back, the opening is where the left side panel and the back panel meet. It seemed like a better place due to the exposed woodwork on top.  This also gave me an opportunity to use the frog closure at the top.  A handsome detail!  (I’ll explain in a minute why I didn’t use buttons.)

Cutting around the cushion for the top and bottom

Cut a ban of material to connect the top and bottom of the cushion

Carefully pin around the top and bottom layers so the ban is same width all the way around.

Velcro sewn into the back side of the cushion to close the envelope

Velcro used on the cushion

The cushion was the last part of the project.  The challenge was trying to keep the ban of fabric going around the cushion the same width.  The cushion is really a long down pillow and rather floppy.  I think covering a more rigid cushion would be easier.

Confession time!  I don’t know how to install a zipper or make button holes so velcro is my crutch (so embarrassing).  I used velcro on the back side of the cushion where I made an envelope opening. 

Slip cover made from a drop cloth

Love seat after with slip cover

The overall design is very simple and of course it would look better with fabric covered cording as suggested in the Miss Mustard Seed tutorial.  I’ll work on that for the next project, especially now that I know what to expect.

 Cheers!

© 2015 To Slipcover or Not To Slipcover was first published on Thistle Key Lane