DIY Slipcover...Worth The Hassle? Absolutely!

I scored this settee at a local yard sale after checking it out thoroughly. The frame is solid and it has good lines tho the very pretty brocade fabric is just shattered. I put it on the back deck and deep deep cleaned and sanitized it to a fare thee well. 

Slipcover time!

I totally scored a pair of lined canvas drapes at the thrift store. After deconstructing them and laundering I started draping and dinking around with the fabric. I ended up with about 10 yards of canvas plus the same amount of the softer lining fabric. The best part? Total fabric cost $5.00!

I cut rectangles roughly the size of each area and started pin fitting each piece. There are countless tutorials online on the pin fitting technique and I read lots of them before diving into this project. I marked the actual seam lines with pencil then pinned each piece. Then I trimmed the seams leaving a generous seam allowance. This sounds harder than it is, trust me!

Smooth your fabric and pin pin pin along the seams. Clip your curves to make fitting easier and don't stint on the pins.

This is before I trimmed the seams on this side. Start with plenty of fabric, you can always trim it down. If you don't start with enough material your project is screwed! Don't ask me how I know. 

Ahem.

Three hours in I knew this cover was going to look AWESOME. So before I even sewed it together, I did this....

Because that is what I do! I get excited as a project comes together and leap ahead to the logical end use...settee as photo prop!! I LOVE how all the textures and pale colors of the pillows from my Etsy shop look against the canvas cover.

LOVE THIS!  I'm sewing the seams this morning and adding a pleated flounce to the bottom
 so  my daughter can use it in a family photo shoot. 

I still have to add the flounce and sew it together so I'll have about 6 hours into this project. 

So worth it to me! This does not include the time it took to clean and sanitize the settee and deconstruct the drapes and launder the fabric. Even buying a new drop

 cloth instead would still make this an affordable project.

And here she is ready for a photo shoot. 

GORGEOUS!

I'm so enthused that I still have over 6 yards of canvas left. I scored a large throne chair 

for cheap and it's gorgeous and sturdy and stylish and it's PINK. But my 

living room is brown, red and turquoise.So guess what 

gets the next canvas slipcover?

Red Velvet Chair Cover or Hello, Downton Abbey!

See the oh-so-dusky pink throne chair hiding under the red throw? I snagged it at the end of a yard sale last summer when the weary yard sale guy sold it to me for $7 instead of the $20 he was asking.  Score and I'll take it!

It is sturdy and well made with a label saying it was built in 1965 in Virginia. BUT, as you can see, it was PINK.  Pinkish mauve and not a color I have anywhere in my house. Here it was in my living room as I continue trying to style that space. 

Yeah. Pink.

I thought originally a denim slip cover would be a neat option to pick up all the shades of blue in my paintings and the shelves.

Yeah, maybe not.

I wasn't real thrilled with the too casual look of the denim tho I may still use it in this room.

Then, as I was indulging my Downton Abbey habit I saw the drawing room furniture....in red velvet! Including a throne chair that was a close cousin to my budget buy.

Inspiration!!!

Oooh aaah! Love it!

Have I mentioned I have a huge fabric stash? Just let me repeat, I have a huge fabric stash. And in that stash I found 4 yards of plush red velvet. The real kind that isn't shiny and doesn't crush and feels like soft brushed suede to your hand and was given to me. Le sigh. I had to start at once even tho it was 10 o'clock at night.

Don't judge. When an idea strikes I have to seize the day, as it were.

Carpe Craftem.

I used a soft touch staple gun for most of the work and if you don't have one for your craft projects you are working too hard! For less than $20 you can save your hand, wrist and arm alot of wear and tear. I borrowed Insanely Creative Christy's stapler and now I have to get one of my own.

I salvaged most of the upholstery tacks and straightened them out and used them, but I'll be replacing them with new ones the more the misalignments get to me and make me itch.

I threw the turquoise pillow on there and like chocolate mint chip ice cream, it's a combo that I love, so it's staying. I'm a looking for some afghan yarn in that turquoise color for my next project.

Basically I'm just sharing this with you since there are oodles of online bloggers who are total furniture recovering experts. Truly masters at their craft and generous in sharing their knowledge. Also, fearless about using expensive imported French linen, yikes.

This project is right up my alley. A freakin' steal of a good buy at a yard sale, an open mind and eye for inspiration, coupled with a no dollar cost except for extra staples.

Ahem. Just a note, be SURE to cut your fabric pieces plenty large for the area you are covering. Don't ask me how I know but let's agree that I'm glad I had so much velvet on hand. Just sayin'.

And I have velvet left over to make a gorgeous red pillow for the couch. My living room isn't lush like Downton Abbey's but it's mine to decorate as I wish. Gotta love that!

I'll be joining some of the parties listed on my sidebar. Come visit and discover some really creative projects.