How to Create Slip Covers for Sofas

Sectional sofas often can appear worn and dated after a couple of years of use, prompting an owner to search for alternate options of fabric. Some might opt to have their sectional sofa reupholstered– an expensive, yet will appear the most professional. As an alternative that is less expensive, other people will choose slip covers for sofas that may be replaced and washed more easily than upholstery. But, a ready-made slip cover for a sectional sofa is in short supply and customized slipcover orders may be expensive. In order to save the most money, it’s possible to create your own tailored slipcover custom-made to your sectional sofa.

Items You Will Need

• Ironing board
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Sofa upholstery fabric
• Basting thread
• Needle
• Fabric pencil
• Muslin fabric
• Marker
• Pins
• Scissors
• Large paper roll
• Pencil and paper
• Measuring tape

Prepare Sofa Pattern

1. Remove all of your pillows from the sofa. Set all reclining parts of the sofa within a reclined position.

2. Identify very individual portion of the upholstery, as well as where everyone is joined to the other one by a seam. Take general width and height measurements of every one of those pieces then mark down on a piece of paper.

3. Cut huge rectangles of paper for every sofa piece which are somewhat larger than the general measurements. Pin sides and back pieces to your sofa with straight pins.

4. Trace alongside seam lines of every part, on the top of your paper, to obtain a more accurate shape. If there are curves to follow you can clip the corners of the paper and overlap them back with each other to make a dart effect.

5. Repeat the third and fourth steps on every other part of your sofa, and remove the additional pieces of paper as you go in order for them not to get in the way. Trim alongside the drawn lines to obtain a paper pattern for every sectional piece of the sofa. Be certain to leave additional paper at the corners of the armrests, as well as middle sections which may be tucked into creases.

6. Transfer paper patterns to the muslin fabric, and trace 2” away from the outer corners of the paper to make seam allowances. Trim muslin test pieces alongside those lines and label every piece using your fabric pencil.

Adjust Fit of Sofa Pattern

1. Pin the muslin’s back pieces to the sectional sofas’ back. Pin the darts and seam allowances together. Smooth the wrinkles out then push them into the darts and seam allowances. Be certain the pinned seam lines will match up with the sofa’s seams.

2. Hand baste seam lines with each other. Pin the armrest and side pieces to the sides of your sofa, then repeat this process and attach them to back pieces.

3. Unpin fabric then turn it inside out. Put the fabric over your sectional sofa, and line up the seams then pin it down in order to test the fit. Make needed adjustments and turn it inside out once more and put it on your sofa.

4. Pin middle muslin sections to your sofa. Pin seam lines with each other then tuck fabric inside the creases. Smooth wrinkles into seam allowances then hem. If needed, create darts or clip your fabric for ease. Hand baste seams.

5. Turn entire slip cover inside out then test its fit. Make any adjustments until you’re content with the way muslin fits the sofa. Turn hem under then note the hem allowance’s width.

Sew Sofa Slip cover Together

1. Trim seam allowances to one inch. Trace over all of the basting lines using your fabric pencil, which includes the darts. Take the basting stitches out.

2. Lay muslin pieces onto the upholstery Cut 1 of each piece then transfer all of the markings to the fabric’s wrong side.

3. Sew darts on the sewing machine then press. Sew sofa pieces together like before, but this time using your machine. Press every one of the seam allowances then clip at the edges for ease.

4. Fold underneath the hem allowance then sew into place. Press hem flat.

5. Turn slip cover right side out then place it over the sofa, and match all of the seams.