How To Make A Slipcover For A Chair? Comprehensive Guide

How to sew a slipcover for a chair is a useful skill, and in this post we’ll show you how to do it so that your chairs are protected. We’ll also go through how many yards of fabric you’ll need and what sorts of cloth work best for various styles of chairs. By reading until the conclusion, you will discover a no-sew way for covering a chair.

Your couch can look completely new with slipcovers! (Source) What Are Slip Covers?

Like an enormous pillowcase or duster, a slipcover is designed to cover an existing sofa. However, this does not apply to “skirt covers,” which are designed to conceal the area beneath the couch’s cushions. These couch slipcovers may be easily applied by simply pulling them over the cushions and zipping them up. They are both pleasing and functional, as they protect furniture from dust, spills, and pet hair. Slipcovers for sofas come in a wide range of colors and styles, giving you more customization possibilities than is often available. When you slip cover your sofa, you can update the look of your living room or family room without having to buy new furniture.

Do various materials have varying advantages? (source) What Advantages Do Slipcovers Offer? Covering sofas is a popular way for homeowners to update the design of their homes without investing in new furniture, manage pet hair, prevent stains, and refresh the aesthetic of their rooms without purchasing new couches.

Protect Sofas from Damage Due To Spills or Accidents

Covering sofas is a good idea for a few reasons, the most prominent being to keep unwanted liquids from staining the fabric. Some slipcovers for couches are treated to repel water, protecting your furniture from accidental spills of drinks. It’s not recommended to put a slipcover for a couch through its paces by purposely pouring drinks on it, but accidents can happen. This is especially crucial if you have kids or pets who like to snack while watching TV with you because they will inevitably spill something on the couch.

Protect Furniture from Spills and Other Accidents

Slipcovers for couches are useful for protecting them from stains and wear and tear. If you put down couch coverings before guests arrive, there’s less of a chance that your little guests may spill their drinks or knock over the candles. In the event of a mishap involving the family pet, owners can protect their furniture from stains and spills with the help of a sofa cover and a waterproof couch covering. To permanently avoid soil buildup on sofa cushions, avoid cleaning them.

Reduce Costs by Reusing Couch without Buying New One (source) How Much Do They Cost?

Most couches have two or three cushions, but there are couch models that have as many as five, thus the cost of a cover can range from $30 on the low end to $100 or more on the high end. The most you’ll ever pay for a single sofa cover is $150, although there are cheaper options available as well. The typical cost of a slipcover for a couch is less than $50.

Cushion Covers Options (source) are there Different Types of Couch Slips?

In the past, homeowners had a hard time finding a sofa slipcover that met their needs because just one fabric option existed. Slipcovers for couches may now be found in a wide variety of materials and features, such as those that are water-resistant or designed for use with pets.

Pet-Friendly Sofa Covers

Many pet-loving couch owners would rather not give up their furry companions just because their furniture has a cover that highlights every hair. Slipcovers for couches are available, so you can keep your favorite chair even if your pet sheds on it. When it comes to protecting their couches from shedding pets and accidental spills, some sofa owners choose to use covers even when they do not have any of these things.

Water-Resistant Couch Covers

Couch slipcovers for pets are one option, but there are other covers available that are water-resistant, meaning you can place fewer cushions in reach of drinks. People use these slips when they want to protect their couches from stains, but they’re also a good idea to have on hand for parties when guests might bring drinks like wine or liquor.

Steps On Making A Slipcover For A Chair

Step #1. Prepare the materials

First, prepare your measuring tape since you are going to measure your chairs thoroughly. The next step is to gather your drawing, pins, fabric, scissors, and thread (thread and sewing machine).

Step #2. Measure the chair

Be sure to take measurements of your chairs before heading out to the store. This can help you estimate how much fabric you will need, so you don’t have to make a special trip to the fabric store or waste money by buying too much.

If the fabric you’re using has a pattern, it’s important to keep the lines parallel. Because of this, you will need to purchase additional fabric to complete the covering.

Chair dimensions should be taken along the “L” and straight front and back lines. Draw a picture of your finished chair and write the dimensions next to it for easy reference.

Step #3. Pick a fabric

Now that you know how big a chair you want, you can choose the fabric. The sort of chair for which you intend to sew a slipcover dictates the fabric type that should be used. Select a spool of thread that will blend in well with your chosen fabric.

When deciding where to put your living room chairs, think about how often people will be using them. Ask yourself if you are decorating for a formal or informal gathering.

Let’s speak about how to sew slipcovers for chairs now.

Due to its drape, quilting cotton may be appropriate for low-traffic areas. It’s stretchy enough to be a fantastic slipcover material, too. However, because of how easily it scratches and wears down, it is best reserved for less-frequented rooms like bedrooms.

Canvas is a great option for long-lasting covers that can be cleaned simply. They can be deployed in high-traffic areas without breaking the bank.

Step #4. Pattern

When you’re making a pattern, your sketch will come in handy. Copy the chair’s dimensions onto the fabric and make markings. After identifying them, I:

1. If the cloth doesn’t quite fit the chair, you’ll need to make some alterations.
2. When determining whether or not a piece of cloth will fit on a chair, you need also take into account its design.
3. Ample hemming space in the form of inches is required.

Step #5. Cut and pin

The next step is to use the pattern to cut out your fabric. The standard seam allowance is one inch.

Then, with the wrong side facing up, pin the fabric’s edges together on your chair. Keep your pins near to the chair for a snug fit. If the cloth is too wide to fold around the edges of your chair, you may need to do so.

Step #6. Sew, fit, and restitch

Carefully unpin the fabric and transfer it to the sewing machine. If you’re sewing through a fabric, remove the pins as you go.

A stitch should be skipped at the bottom. Then, you may place the slipcover on the chair with the correct side facing up. If there are any spots that look too loose or too tight, restitch them.

Step #7. Do the hems and trim

Adjust the slipcover’s fit, then hem the bottom. Simply double-fold the fabric and sew the resulting hem.

How many yards of fabric do you need for a chair slipover?

Here is a rough estimate of how much fabric you’ll need for a chair covering using non-repeating patterns:

• 3 yards of fabric, either 45″ or 60″ broad, for each dining room chair.
• Eight to ten yards of 45″ wide cloth or four to six yards of 60″ broad fabric is needed to make a regular armchair.
• Two yards of fabric, 45″ or 60″ broad, for an ottoman.

Is it possible to make a no-sew slipcover?

You can make a slipcover without using any needles or thread by relying on glue and pins. The process is identical to that of sewing, with the exception of the actual act of stitching.

Instead of sewing, you will be using a no-sew glue to secure the hems of the fabric. Finally, sew or press the hems together to complete the project.

To finish, wrap the chair with the fabric and tighten it as necessary. You can use safety pins to fill up the holes and then cover them up with buttons. Finally, use safety pins to fasten the slipcover together.

How to Clean a Slipcover, According to Experts

Scotchgard Fabric Water Shield, 13.5 Ounces

The experts we consulted suggested using a fabric protector on your slipcover if the idea of washing it every time a spill occurs is too intimidating. New Jersey-based slipcover designers Jeanne Liberkowski and Kimberly Aravena both say that Scotchgard is crucial because it protects fabrics from stains and moisture. Nonetheless, as Aravena points out, “when you add stain repellant to washable fabric, it will lose power over time, so you’ll want to Scotchgard it every time you wash it.” If you drip a little water on the fabric in between washes and see it bead up and kind of roll around, then you know it’s still working, as Liberkowski explains. Scotchgard is safe for use on cotton, polyester, silk, wool, acrylic, nylon, and most other washable materials, as per the manufacturer.

Tech Stain Remover

Experts recommend pre-treating stubborn stains with a spot remover before washing a slipcover. If you have natural-fiber slipcovers, Powell recommends Tech’s Stain Remover as “the most reliable and adaptable stain remover I’ve ever used.” She says the substance “won’t stain a cloth or leave a ring around the location when it dries” and that it is “odorless and doesn’t include any harsh chemicals like bleach, alcohol, or solvents.” As Powell puts it, “this is vital since the longer you leave a stain untreated, the tougher it will wash to remove it using Tech or any other form of spot-cleaner.” She treats stains by first placing a dry cloth underneath the slipcover at the site of the stain, then blotting the affected area with a terrycloth towel dampened with Tech, and finally washing the slipcover to get rid of any remaining product and stain. Using the solution, she claims to have successfully removed “red wine, blood, coffee, and even dog slobber and crayon” from her slipcovers.

Organic stains like blood, grass, and even coffee and tea can be removed with a homemade spot cleaner produced by mixing equal parts hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, according to Sonny Cohen, owner of New York’s PureGreen Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning. He recommends “spraying or blotting this on the stains,” but cautions against rubbing it in (“since that might create pile damage or color loss”). After application, Cohen recommends waiting 15 to 20 minutes before spraying the area down with distilled white vinegar to neutralize the solution. The slipcover, he suggests, should be washed. However, Cohen warns that “speak with a professional first to eliminate the chance of ruining your linens” while taking the DIY approach.

Seventh Generation Natural Liquid Laundry Detergent Free & Clear

If your slipcover can be washed in the washing machine, Liberkowski, Powell, and Albert Nakash of the New York–based upholstery and interior-design firm Bettertex recommend washing it on a cold cycle with a light detergent that does not contain bleach or bleach compounds. Seventh Generation Free & Clear Detergent is Powell’s go-to brand. Once you’ve finished washing your slipcover, nearly all of our experts agree that you should let it air dry before replacing it on your sofa. In order to return the slipcover to its original shape after being removed, Liberkowski recommends applying it to the sofa when damp. Even more so, Powell chimes in, saying, “this procedure prolongs the life of a slipcover and helps preserve the fit.” Air-drying can leave slipcovers feeling “very stiff and wrinkled,” according to Powell, the lone expert who prefers to tumble-dry them on a warm setting (“never dry on high heat”). A couple more useful pointers from Nakash: Sofas with removable slipcovers for the cushions and frame should be washed together (in separate loads if necessary to minimize overcrowding) to prevent color bleeding and damage to the zippers. If you’re not sure what to do, “your best chance is usually to check the guidelines of the cloth manufacturer,” as Liberkowski puts it. For bespoke slipcovers, you could also contact the manufacturer directly.

Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap, Baby Unscented (Pack of 2)

Cohen also recommends Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap as a good slipcover cleaner. This soap can be used to clean many other items besides bedsheets and pillowcases, including sex toys, floors, dishes, and even human skin. Almost any cloth may be washed with anything from Dr. Bronner’s, as the products are “self-neutralizing,” as Cohen puts it. In the words of one satisfied customer: “It is one of the most effective and versatile solutions I’ve found without hazardous chemicals.”

OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener + Stain Remover, 5 lbs.

A white slipcover can be made even whiter without the use of bleach by adding a whitener to the wash, as recommended by Powell. She recommends adding OxiClean White Revive to laundry detergent when washing white slipcovers exclusively. Because it doesn’t include chlorine, the whitener is safe to use on white slipcovers and will help them retain their bright appearance. Liberkowski also prefers OxiClean to bleach because she is so cautious about using the latter.

Conclusion

If you want to give your chairs a new look or conceal any old spots, learning how to make a slipcover is a useful skill to have. Adding a little flair to your party chairs by decorating them is a great way to impress your guests.

Our goal in writing this post was to provide you with as much information as possible on chair slipcovers.