Slipcover Project - Make Your Own Custom Fit Slipcover with Free Pattern and Instructions 

Make or sew your own custom slipcover with our free proven instructions.  A sofa slipcover is a pretty big undertaking and can be easily done with patience.  The results will be worth it!  

Are you pretty handy with the sewing machine? If so that
will help a lot in making your own fitted slipcovers. 

Ten yards of 54" fabric will usually be enough fabric for an 84" long sofa with loose cushions. To double check what you need for your sofa slipcover, chair slipcover  or love seat slipcover try the following:

Measure Your Sofa for Slipcover Fabric Yardage

1. Take your tape measure stick the 1" end on top of the seat of the sofa where the cushion sits, run it over the arm to the floor add 5". That measurement times two will be the fabric amount  you need to cover the arms. 

2. Measure the same way for the back. Start on top of the seat, run the tape measure over the back to the floor and add 5". Double that measurement if you need two widths (with a sofa slipcover you usually do).

3. Measure the front of your sofa from the seat to the floor. You may want to run a length of fabric sideways (this is railroading and will be in different direction than the rest of your fabric). Figure your measurement for this add 3" for seam allowances.

4. Measure your cushions all the way around. Don't forget the sides. Add 3-5" Then multiply that measurement by the number of cushions to slipcover.

5. Add up all your dimensions, divide by 36". That will give you exactly what you need for your whole slipcover. I always add a yard for safety. 

6. On the seat of the sofa that doesn't show, I use muslin or another non bleeding fabric that I have on hand. (This is where the sofa manufacture used a neutral fabric, not the upholstery fabric on the seat of the sofa when they made it). 

You can purchase muslin usually on sale at joann.com or Fabric.com.

Would you rather just buy a slipcover?  Click here for all a great places to buy slipcovers ready made in all kinds of sizes. 

A little tip. If you are going to make toss pillows to match 1 and 1/2 yards of 54" wide fabric will make 3 18" Pillows!

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BEFORE YOU START CUTTING YOUR SLIPCOVER if you intend to wash your slipcover,  PRESHRINK.  Wash your fabric in warm or hot water and put through the dryer.  Better to shrink it now than after you have spent the time making your slipcover.

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To make the slip cover..... Cut your fabric with pinking shears.  Sew 1" seams and trim later. 

It is easier to use the draping method instead of making a pattern 

Start with the back. Put the end of your fabric on the seat of the sofa, drape it over the back to the floor, be sure you have enough for seam allowances and your hem. Mark it, draw a straight line cut it.

Repeat for the arms. Then cut. Cut the width you need adding 3-4". Use the rest for the back and front of the arms.

For the front and back of the arms:
You will have to take a piece of fabric the length of the height of the arms plus 3" and 4" wider. Pin this to the arm smoothing over the top and around the sides. Stick the pins straight into the sofa holding the fabric in place.

Now take the fabric to cover the arms starting in the seat draping it over to the floor. Smooth so your pattern is as you want it. Match the pattern in the fabric, stripes, plaids, etc.).  Then tuck the seam allowances under along the front over the fabric pinned in place. Pin the two together. Take off and sew together. Repeat for the back of the arm.

Then drape and sew the back of the sofa. Join it to the arms.

Fill in the seat with your plain fabric. Sew it to the back. Drape again, then sew the front of the sofa to the seat and back. Drape again.

This is the trickiest part of making your own fitted slipcover.

Have patience, take on, sew, put back on, patience, pin, drape, pin, smoothes, sew..... You'll get it!

This time pin the back to the arms and the seat to the arms and the front to the arms. 

Your slipcover is all together! Now hem your slipcover so it's even all around.......

Now make your cushions. Use zippers on your slipcover cushions, use Velcro, and even safety pins....... to hold the back of the slipcover cushions together. (The back of the slipcover cushion is well hidden).

Good luck!  

Let me know how your project worked out.  Even send me a photo.

Do you want to just buy your slipcover?  Start at ShowPlace Furniture Covers

inoutdecor@msn.com 

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ALL OF OUR PROJECTS ARE EVIDENT OF OUR PERSONAL APPLICATION OF THE STEPS INVOLVED, WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THE OUTCOME OF ANY SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS AS WE CANNOT CONTROL THE APPLICATION OF THE STEPS BY THIRD PARTIES. **SAFETY AND CAUTION MUST ALWAYS BE USED WHEN ATTEMPTING ANY CRAFT OR PROJECT.