| No-Sew Slipcovers |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-102 |
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Q: I have an old chair in dire need of a slipcover, but I'm not very good with my sewing machine. Does Nancy (Golden) have a way for me to make slipcovers and avoid having to use my sewing machine?
A: (Nancy Golden, Ask DIY Decorating Expert) There's no need to drag out the sewing machine to make slipcovers, not when you can drape great swatches of material over the chair and fasten it with T-pins and upholstery pins. Keep in mind that this is not a fine art -- you just drape, gather, pull and tuck until it looks good. And this isn't the look for the most formal room. It's more a shabby chic, messy look, but it's very stylish. Here's what you need to do. Materials: Chair or loveseat with removable cushions
Enough decorative fabric to drape over the entire chair
A piece of fabric to fold over the entire cushion
T-pins, safety pins and/or upholstery pins (figure A)
Buyer's guide: Fabric outlets are a great source of remnants for no-sew slipcovers. Try to get lightweight material: it's less likely to wrinkle up and also much easier to work with. Designer sheets also work well, but if you're purchasing them just for this purpose, buy flat sheets, not a set that includes a bottom sheet. Measuring the chair: - Measure your chair to determine how much fabric you'll need. First, take the cushion out. Then take the front-to-back measurement with a flexible measuring tape, starting with the floor-to-seat measurement, continuing across the seat to the base of the seat-back, then up the seat-back, over the top, and all the way down to the floor again. Write down the total distance: this is the length your material will need to be.
- Next, determine the side-to-side measurement. Start at the floor on one side of the chair-back, and run the tape measure up the side of the chair, up the side edge of the chair-back, across the top of the chair-back, and down the other side to the floor. Write down the total distance; this is the width your material will need to be. If you'll need to hem the edges, take that into account. If you combine two remnants, stitch them with a 3/8-inch seam.
Fitting the slipcover: - Take the seat cushion out of the chair and throw the fabric over the chair (figure B), positioning it to drape evenly over the chair and its back.
- Push and tuck the large piece of fabric until it fits smoothly and tightly into the crevices of the chair, starting with the seat, then the arms, and last the back. As you pull each section of material taut, fasten it to the chair with pins in places no one will see, such as the inside corners or under a fold of material.
- To use a T-pin, push it through the material and the cushion at a right angle, but don't push it in the whole way. Instead, flip the T to the other diagonal before thrusting the pin into the chair cushioning (figure C). It works the same way as a hatpin.
- To make the fabric snug along the arms, use upholstery pins (they look like pig's tails) under the arms, where no one will see them. If the fabric's too thick for upholstery pins, use larger safety pins. You can always cover them with a decorative touch, like a button, if they're too obvious.
Working smarter: Another trick for helping the slipcover stay on: stuff cardboard rolls from toilet paper or paper towels into the crevices, on top of the material. - Move to the back, smoothing the material over the top of the seat-back (figure D) . Then box-pleat the material by hand to make sure it drapes nicely, and fasten the pleats together with a couple of T-pins or a safety pin. If the hardware's too obvious, hide it later with a decorative ribbon.
- Use the smaller piece of fabric to wrap the cushion like a present (figure E), fastening the ends with T-pins. Then slip the cushion, smooth side up, back into the chair.
More questions for Nancy:
Q: What's the best way to clean slipcovers?
A: Start before you even make the slipcover, by prewashing the material so that it shrinks before you size it. That way, you can always slip the cover off and throw it in the wash, and it will fit the same way when you put it back on. Of course, if you're using upholstery material instead of sheets or fabric remnants, you'll need to have it dry-cleaned.
Q: Can I use more than one slipcover in a room, and do they have to match?
A: Yes, you can use more than one; and no, they do not have to match. Have a fun time with it. One idea is to match the material on the cushion of one chair or loveseat with the material on the back of another.
Q: I've heard I can use a coverlet as a slipcover. Is this possible, and will it really look good?
A: Yes, it will look terrific. Plus, you won't need to hem it.
Web site resources for slipcovers: Hancock Fabrics Web site Goto.com information Homespunfabrics.com information The Weekend Decorator Web site Book:
Decorating with Sheets & Slipcovers
By Margaret Kennedy, Julia Ireland, Brad Nathanson, Valerie Smaldone and Gerlinde Puchas
Videotape, 1998 by Questar, Inc.
680 N. Lake Shore Dr., Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60611-0365
Phone: 312-266-9400 (Customer Service: 800-544-8422)
Fax: 312-266-9523
Web site: info@questar1.com/
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