Monday, May 4, 2009

DIY - The Easy Slipcover

I hear the word slipcover and think old ladies' couches, doilies and lace. But that's not the kind of slipcover we're talking about here. This is a simple, no-measuring-required, everyday-casual but nicely fitted slipcover for one cute little round footstool. (You'll want a sewing machine for this—stitching the cover by hand is possible, but it defeats the purpose of this simple project by taking too much time.)
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No pattern, no measuring... This is my favorite kind of sewing—easy and improvisational. I'm good at simple curtains and pillowcases, and now I'm venturing into furniture covers. My grandma, on the other hand, has sewn those and a lot more in her lifetime: clothes for us from baby outfits to bridal party attire, a personalized Christmas stocking for every family member, and fantastically detailed Barbie doll clothes. Maybe sewing is in my blood, but I haven't challenged myself yet to more than a skirt—and I "measured" it by wrapping the fabric around myself. And I bought patterns for two cute shirts and a pair of capri pants, but that's as far as I got on those projects...
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I know I said this project was no-measuring, but I lied. You may want to measure the circumference (that's around) of the footstool to make sure you cut a long enough piece of fabric. Or not: I eyeballed the length of fabric in the store by wrapping it loosely around myself (seems to be my go-to method) and saying, "Yeah, our ottoman is about this wide." The roll of fabric will probably be wide enough to leave room for the piece to cover the top of the footstool (unless your stool is very bulky), so that's it for measuring!
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I should mention that this was my first time working with a stretchy textured fabric (mine has a soft t-shirt feel but is ribbed like corduroy), and I highly recommend it for such a project. It's easier to pull the cover off and on throughout the process, and in the end, it's more conducive to hiding imperfections. Dark, solid colors are also good for the latter.
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Now to cut. Simply spread the fabric out on the floor. Set the footstool on its side at one corner of the sheet, leaving about an inch at each edge, and roll it completely over once. You've covered the portion of fabric you need to cut for the sides of the footstool. So cut it. Flip the footstool upside down over the remaining fabric, and cut around it for the top piece. Easy, huh?
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To pin these pieces together before sewing, just pin them to the footstool in their appropriate places so they're lined up properly (and make sure the "wrong" side of the fabric—the side that will be inside when the cover is finished—is facing out). Then pin the pieces together by folding the edges up and pinning them so that about an inch of each "right" side is touching. The best way I can describe it is: pretend the seam is a mouth, the folded up edges are lips sticking straight out, and you're clamping the lips shut with pins. Shut up, seam! Goofy, I know.
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Using a zigzag stitch, sew the top piece to the sides first. It can be a little tricky sewing a curved seam, so go slow, removing pins and pulling the fabric smooth as you go. Just be careful not to stretch the fabric or the shape will be all messed up.
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Pull the cover over the stool for a quick check. It's not too late to rip the seams out and start over, but hopefully you won't need to. Then, again with the zigzag, stitch up the straight seam on the side. Flip that puppy right-side-out and pull it onto the stool again. Tug in spots to line the seams up correctly.
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OK, last step. The raggedy edge hanging at the bottom of the footstool. You have two choices: elastic band or drawstring. Just flip the footstool upside-down and fold that raggedy edge over one of those two items, pinning the fold in place as you go around. Remove the cover again, and sew up the fold. Careful not to run stitches over the elastic or string—you want it to be able to move inside the fold. Trim any excess. Stretch it back onto the footstool. Done!
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For a more decorative touch, fabric glue can secure a ribbon (or, yes, lace) around the cover as a border. It's easiest to do when the cover is on the footstool. Just put some newspaper under the cover so you don't glue it to the footstool.
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I wish you good luck in all your improvisational sewing projects (and in your traditional, more professional-method projects, too). I'd love to hear what you've finished—or left unfinished—lately!

Shared on: How To Tuesday
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1 comment:

  1. Where's the finished product? How do I know for real that I don't need to measure? Where's the proof that it doesn't look like crap? Help!

    ReplyDelete