My Sweet Home offers you a selection of materials on how to sew a sofa cover with your own hands. In the master classes below you will learn how to sew unique practical sofa covers.
Your furniture will be reliably protected from dust and grime. It will retain the natural color of the upholstery for a long time and will not be damaged by the claws of pets.
General information and methods of taking measurements
This magazine page will help you get general information about how to take measurements from a sofa, how to prepare a pattern for sewing.
Sofa cover pattern
A sofa cover is really convenient both in practical terms and in terms of changing the surroundings. After all, having several fabric solutions, you can alternate capes, thereby avoiding monotony in the interiors.
In the picture above you can see how the pattern of the future cover is cut, and what measurements need to be made.
Sewing a sofa cover with your own hands
I found the master class on the Mom’s Secret website very interesting, where they presented a guide on sewing a sofa deck for furniture from Ikea. The Ikea sofa was purchased for a children's room, which meant that there was a high probability that the material would be stained, so the decision was made to sew a beautiful cover.
Read more on the page
Option for a stretch sofa cover made from a single piece of fabric
Simple DIY sofa cover If you don’t want to bother with cutting and sewing, but still need to cover the sofa, then try doing it as shown in the picture above. You will get a wonderful cover for furniture - quickly and easily. Also see detailed guide on sofa covers on page
The second master class will be this simple sofa cover. After all, not everyone wants sophistication, but enough practical option. For example, for a dacha, the practical aspect will come first. Just such a master class can be found on the page:
And this sofa found its cover thanks to the efforts of a user of the site Country of Mothers. I wanted to include this case in the selection, even despite the lack of drawings and patterns on the page. In the comments on the page you can find out details of the work from the craftswoman herself, look through the remarks:
A wonderful master class on making a sofa cover with your own hands was published on the website of Irina Voroshilova, who calls herself Baba Irisha. A good site where, in addition to this master class, you can find a lot of interesting tutorials for yourself. Yes, and also, video instructions are attached to the material on the case, and this is doubly valuable! See the work on the page:
Materials and tools
Let's consider making the case itself simple type- cape. In this model, you will need to sew a sofa cover that is continuous for the back and seat. Separately cut and sew the armrests, connect the parts into a single whole and design the finished product. Everything is done simply.
To work you will need the following:
- fabric, footage is calculated based on the size of the sofa;
- measuring tape;
- tailor's chalk;
- sewing pins and needles;
- wooden ruler;
- thread (preferably with lavsan for a sewing machine);
- scissors;
- pattern paper
When everything is prepared, you need to cut out the cover. How to sew sofa covers with your own hands is written below.
Cutting out parts
Using a centimeter, measure the backs and armrests of the sofa. Draw on paper according to the dimensions obtained. There is no need to rush to do everything on the fabric at once. The proverb that it is better to measure seven times and cut only once, in in this case very faithful. A lot of fabric is used for the cover, and an incorrectly cut piece will spoil all the work. Therefore, it is more practical to first cut everything out on paper and attach it to the sofa to see if the size fits.
The pattern must first be applied to paper. When everything is checked that the drawing fits perfectly, you can start cutting on the fabric:
- Iron the fabric through damp gauze. It is better to wash cotton or wool fabrics in warm water. This must be done so that the material shrinks, and subsequently, the finished product does not become smaller in size;
- Fold the fabric right side inward. Pin the drawings with safety pins;
- Use tailor's chalk to trace the outline of the paper. After 1.5-2 cm, draw a second line;
- cut along the second line.
The parts are cut, you can start sewing.
Sewing
Work begins with outline. The video in the article shows all stages of the work.
- fold the patterns right side inward;
- sweep away with temporary screeds;
- Immediately try on the received cover on the sofa.
If the result is satisfactory, then all seams are ground down. Fold all the edges, baste again, check the bottom for evenness, then stitch. It will take literally half an hour or an hour to stitch. The only difficulty in sewing is that the parts are voluminous and it is difficult to move the fabric under the needle. If you are interested in how to sew a cover for the armrest of a sofa, then you need to look at the photo on the left. The working methods are the same as for a regular cape.
When everything is sewn, all that remains is to decorate the resulting product. Ribbons and pockets will be used. You need to think in advance what kind of ties and fasteners there will be. All this should be outlined when cutting.
After decorating, put the product on your sofa. DIY sewn sofa cover, ready. You can invite your loved ones to watch and sit on everyone’s favorite, but now new, sofa.
Fabric pattern is cut inside out on the sofa 
All cuts are swept away 
Allowances are trimmed 
The cover is turned inside out and tried on for adjustments. 
The author of this master class is tired of regularly cleaning his Eurobook sofa. Therefore, the man decided to sew a practical cover for the sofa with his own hands. It turned out pretty good! Read the manual and see step-by-step photos of the process on the page:
Let's go further and invite you to check out Brittany Bailey's post. This post also contains video instructions. This is not a master class, but a guide to putting a cover on a sofa. Same important information for those who bought a ready-made cover and don’t know how to put it on their soft one. The author's page is in English, but there are a lot of detailed photos and the video is also detailed, so you can figure it out. See instructions on the page:
The next motivational master class tells us how a girl updated her sofa on her own. The post contains many photographs illustrating the process of sewing covers. In this case, each pillow has a separate cover. See the manual on the page.
How often do we start home renovations? The soul requires change and this is quite normal. Sometimes the reason for the alteration is the personal desire of the owner. However, most often a situation occurs when the owners are forced to carry out, so to speak, repairs of pieces of furniture that have become unusable or worn out. Very often this story concerns sofas. This piece of furniture, as a rule, wears out faster than others, and the reason for this is our favorite activity after work.
As a rule, in despair, household members decide to completely change the covers on the sofa. However, this pleasure is not cheap at all. Re-upholstering a sofa can sometimes cost as much as buying a new one. In addition, you will have to disassemble the sofa and transport it to the workshop, and then back. So why not make your life easier and sew your own covers?
Wise housewives take the situation into their own hands and decide to sew a furniture cover with their own hands. Great way out. Moreover, in this case there is no need to search good master. We are now our own masters and can do everything with our own hands. The step-by-step instructions below will help us in this matter.
Tools and materials
Every housewife will probably have the materials and tools for sewing a sofa. Except for the material itself and the sewing machine. But nowadays it is not possible to find these items big problem.
Of the small parts we will need:
- spool of thread,
- scissors,
- pins for fastening parts of fabric on the wrong side,
- roulette.
As a material for the cover itself, it can be used as light upholstery fabrics, and dense. The choice is quite large. The most important thing is that the color of the cover matches the interior of the room.
As a rule, sewing a cover for a medium-sized sofa requires approximately 8 meters of fabric. We advise you to buy fabrics in the store that are 1.5-2 meters larger. If the fabric remains, you can try sewing sofa cushions. Such pillows will complement the new furnishings in the room.
Sofa cover patterns
Undoubtedly, without basic sewing skills and working with a sewing machine, it will be very, very difficult to cope. Don’t despair, because it’s a matter of time. Everyone can learn.
All sofas have an individual shape, so you probably won’t be able to use standard patterns. But as an example, you can check out the pattern below.
Don't skimp on the material for the case. Work across the entire width of the canvas. Make all the patterns yourself. Don't worry if the cover doesn't fit snugly on your sofa, there are different styles.
Step-by-step instructions for sewing a sofa cover
Below is an example of sewing a cover for a sofa. A small sofa is taken as a basis, using the example of which we will show how to sew a cover and transform this piece of furniture. In addition, a similar cover can also be sewn onto a chair. We'll show you how to make loose pleats at the bottom of a sofa. Thanks to them, it will be easy to put the cover on any product.
Note! It is worth noting that the sewing of the presented sofa took approximately 3.5 meters of fabric.
How to sew a sofa cover with your own hands? You will receive the most detailed answer below.
Step 1: Drape the fabric over the sofa, wrong side up. Position it as for the finished case.
Step 2: If there is not enough fabric, consider extensions from additional material. In addition, you can sew pockets on the back wall into which you can put various small items. It is very convenient and practical.
Step 4: Pin the sofa cover along all the proposed seams.
Step 5: Make cuts in the right places to connect the parts of the cover.
Note! The most sensitive place is the side folds of the sofa cover. The rectangular back panel goes forward and covers the stand. It is necessary to cut the fabric from the “sitting” part of the sofa in the selected place and stitch it to the back. Moreover, you need to cut the rectangle so that there is no excess. The parts to be sewn need to be pinned together. Don't forget that the fabric still remains wrong side up.
Step 7: Turn the sour cream cover right side out and put it back on the sofa. The cover should fit freely on the sofa and fit it on all sides. You can sew the product by making sure it fits well on the sofa!
Step 9: Separately, I would like to pay attention to the frill of the sofa. You can make folds on the frill for a special design of the cover and its free placement on the sofa. The folds are made approximately 2 cm deep. The distance between the folds is determined independently depending on personal preferences. You can use a small ruler or other object to mark even spaces on the furniture fabric.
Many people face the problem of an old sofa and its restoration. Buy new sofa sometimes it's not possible. And if you want to change the upholstery on it, that is, restore it in a workshop, this will also bring large costs. We have a way out of this situation - buy a beautiful blanket for a sofa or chair, which you can make with your own hands. More details about this later in the article.
Varieties
Every day, the developers of blankets, bedspreads, and covers do not stop developing their works, continuing to fantasize and use new tricks. As a result, this led to a wide variety of styles, from simple to multifunctional, for all models of sofas and armchairs.
Types of capes:
- Universal. The material is shaped like a rectangular towel, which is simply laid over the sofa. It fits both sofas and armchairs.
- Fragmentary. Rectangular material secured with Velcro or ties.
- With additional functionality. Includes small pockets for the remote control and other household items, this is important for small rooms.
- Euro cover or tension cape. It completely covers upholstered furniture, repeating its shape and bend, smoothing out all the unevenness on the surface.
- Plaid with different effects. The most favorite to use are housewives who like to wrap themselves in a blanket that retains heat, which will not only warm, but also protect the sofa.
DIY bedspread with hard armrests
Let's look at the three main common problem areas associated with sofas. For starters, these are the armrests. Usually, there are stains from tea, coffee, crumbs, and abrasions. This is also a favorite place for pets, because the corners can be wiped and ripped apart. Second problem area- a traditional place to sit. The pillows collapse under the weight of the owners.
Let's move on to designer, cheap restoration. The first thing we'll start with is the armrests.
Armrest
It would seem that the most difficult thing to make is something that cannot be sewn. But, on the contrary, this work is much faster and easier, thanks to assistants that have long been available in construction stores. These include corners and screws. We suggest creating not just corner case, and the tables are armrests. Thanks to the plywood joints, we can create a solid support not only for hands, but also for cups and plates. You don’t even have to wash such a cover; all you need to do is wipe it with a napkin to remove dust, crumbs, and dirt.
The first step is to measure the width, height, and other data. We draw and describe the measurements in detail on paper. IN hardware store you can ask the seller to cut it for you the right size sheets of plywood that you will need to paint. In any case, the width of the plywood should be 8 mm.
Please note that the width of the plywood can take up several millimeters or even centimeters from the length of your plywood, so leave a few extra centimeters so that the cover fits easily. We fasten the plywood boards together from the inside right angle using a metal corner and screws, creating the shape of your armrests.
Use sandpaper to sand down any imperfections on the plywood sheets.
Now you can paint the shape of the plywood cover with paint in the color of your design. We recommend using acrylic paint, it dries faster and is virtually odorless, so this activity can be done even at home. It is better to choose dark colors for the armrests; they create more contrast with other colors. You can also decorate them with original patterns, rhinestones or fabric, the choice is very large. Once the paint dries, you can try on the covers for the armrests. If you are completely satisfied with them, the work can be considered completed.
The next stage is sitting.
seat
It usually consists of two parts:
- the main part is for soft places;
- lower detail, hides the bottom panel of the sofa.
The seat and back will require 150-170 cm of fabric. To choose the size of the desired piece of fabric, you need to measure the sofa as a whole and in parts to choose the size of the parts. We measure the width and depth of the seat according to inside, measure out the required pieces of fabric. We need width allowances of 7 cm. 1 cm on each side - these are seam allowances, 5 cm for soft places that may rise a little during use.
We use the material with padding polyester.
You can make compartments with different thicknesses. It all depends on imagination and taste, many narrow little ones, for children’s butts, or one big one. If the seat is divided into parts, then the parts should be symmetrical. We make marks on the fabric along the front side, so it is advisable to use easy-to-erase chalk.
Buy now useful materials. You can use fabrics for curtains, they are dense, usually sewn with a width of at least 2.70, or even 3 meters. Good choice for sewing a seat. Next, choose the decorations. For example, you can use tucks, with them graceful piping will be visible.
Making a fold in the fabric. You need to determine how often the stripes will occur. You can do it with a small distance from each other or with a large one, rely on your choice.
Advice
When choosing fabric, it is advisable to choose not very bright and catchy shades, so that the cape does not turn out tasteless. If there are two combinations of shades, there is no need to add smaller ones decorative elements, such as peas. It will look messy.
We use, for example, 3 folds. In this case, divide the fabric into 4 parts.
They come in equal and different sizes.
In general, there is no limit to imagination, so use any options. In order to place strips inside the fabric, it must be at least a couple of millimeters wider than the depth of our tuck. We turn a cut strip of a different shade, which will differ from the main fabric, into a small tuck, connecting the top strips. We fix it with a pin so that it does not diverge. In order for it to form, you need to iron it with an iron. We repeat the steps with each part.
After ironing the elements, you can remove the pins. We tuck the strip into the resulting fold, then secure it with a pin again. Try to keep the strip neat and evenly peeking out from all sides. Then it will look very professional.
Then, we make a line on top in order to secure it all.
You can do everything using a sewing machine or by hand. After we have done this, we still have edges around the perimeter that are not processed, they need to be hidden. When purchasing fabric for pintuck strips, take into account centimeters for reserve. We take the second piece of fabric with the same color as the main fabric, with the same size, cover it, fold the first piece of fabric with stitched pintucks. In fact, you should end up with a pillowcase of sorts.
It needs to be flashed with three sides so that one side can be turned out. We definitely do this on the side where we have three highlighted elements and where the back is adjacent to the seat. We stitched the fabric, turn it inside out. We use pins to mark three vertical lines and one horizontal that will divide the seat into three parts. We flash them. Thus, we form three pockets, which we will directly fill with padding polyester.
You can use those materials that are in the house, if there are some unnecessary pillows that match our cover in size, then instead of padding polyester you can use these pillows, they also add volume.
Sintepon comes in different thicknesses. It is better to take a medium thickness - this is 3 cm. It all depends on how lush the sofa we want to get.
Let's move on to processing the edges. We need to tuck them inside and sew them again. Everything remains inside, the seams are all hidden. These seams must be taken into account when determining the size of a piece of fabric; no less than 1 cm on each side will be left on the seam. We also make a gap for the padding polyester, since in some places it rises.
Advice
To fix the cover, we will use Velcro. To prevent the pillow from moving, it is better to secure it. You can do this across the entire width of the sofa, or in several places, as you please. We will use Velcro so that we can wash this cover in the future.
We fix the adhesive material with a needle and thread. You can use a glue gun on the sofa. There is an option to sew, but it takes a little longer and is not always convenient to sew on the sofa. But with the help glue gun The tape holds up perfectly. Thus, on the reverse side, using one Velcro, the edge of the pillow is secured. We can do this in small parts or, on the contrary, in a whole strip.
There's just one small thing left to do - the back.
Back
Using the same technique, you need to make a rectangle of fabric that closes on both sides just like a pillowcase. Create your own highlight - puffs. This fastening together of several pieces of material, which are folded into folds and form a beautiful relief, is called puffs.
Now this technique is at the peak of popularity. Many Italian designers use these techniques to create their sofa collections. Similar sofas cost from 6,000 euros.
That is, this is an expensive technique. We will make the simplest of puff techniques - neat little tucks, in a checkerboard pattern, which look very beautiful.
After we have constructed the puffs, as in the version with a seat, we apply the second part face to face, stitch it on all sides, turn it inside out and fasten with Velcro. It is advisable to sculpt it on the back from all sides. Firstly, the owners can rub against the back, secondly, if we tighten the seat well, then all our folds will open slightly and they will be noticeable.
This is the element that needs to be shown; it is beautiful, effective, and looks very nice.
The last element is pillows. Decorate your sofa or chair with such a unique decor so that the plywood armrests and the shades you choose and new pillowcases look harmonious. It will look even better if these pillows are the same shade that you used for the tucks of the bottom of the pillows and for the puffs.
This option for designer restoration of your sofa will cost up to 1000 rubles. That is, such a restoration upholstered furniture consists of soft pillows on the seat, backrest and armrests, which will serve as a mini-table.
The variety of capes depends not only on the palette of shades, but also on the type of material.
Tapestry knitted capes
In the past, tapestry covers for sofas, armchairs, and ottomans served as decor for upholstered furniture and were considered luxury and wealth. Tapestry capes were specially sewn to order from expensive threads; a lot of time was spent creating unusually beautiful patterns by which one could recognize the hand of the master. Nowadays, manual work is being replaced by technology, and the cooking process has accelerated significantly. They began to use cheaper threads and began to appreciate such decor less.
But tapestry bedspreads have not lost their sophistication and beauty in the interior. Moreover, harmonious shades and the drawings will emphasize your refined, subtle taste.
The tapestry is created by the most complex technologies, developed by the ancient Egyptians. Modern production tapestries are very different from ancient Egyptian ones. It all starts with a sketch. You can transfer any drawing, landscape, or still life to the future canvas. Designers break the image into 1000 colored dots, each of which determines the color of the yarn for the future fabric.
There are approximately 300 shades in the tapestry palette, while the threads used to create the canvas come in only five colors. When we deal with paints, we can easily get any shade just by mixing colors. In the invention of shades, threads are mixed on the canvas to create new shades.
Features and Benefits
The peculiarities of the material include the weaving of three or more multi-colored threads; therefore, the fabric is not dyed after weaving. Moreover, they are distinguished not only by shades, sizes, method and complexity of cut, but also by their unique decor. This could be:
- fringe;
- applique;
- sprint drawings;
- classic embroidery;
- lace.
All this added sophistication and beauty not only to the canvas, but also to the interior in general.
Tapestry fabrics are made from different materials.
These include:
- yarn;
- textile;
- non-fabric materials;
- straw
Density, thickness, relief can be chosen to taste, since there are a lot of varieties. Print, thematic patterns, drawings, color palette - everything according to your wishes. It has the power to refresh not only upholstered furniture, but also the atmosphere of the room in general.
You can choose your future cape either en masse or individually, which will cost a little more. Manual method is still preserved and such work continues to be valued, which is characteristic of the individual manufacturing method. Massive work is performed by machines, so such models are cheaper than hand-woven fabrics. Each material requires its own individual care, which we will discuss below.
Advice
Don’t be afraid to interfere with the aesthetic picture with additional decor; pillows go well with any print of knitted tapestry bedspreads.
Such bedspreads can protect from prying eyes mechanical damage acquired over time or due to carelessness. It is advisable to purchase such a cape before the upholstery is damaged. You can maintain the look and smell of new furniture.
You can soften a hard sofa if you use fabrics with several layers or special inserts. Recommended for use on slippery sofas.
Such a cover will protect the sofa not only from children, but also from animals. U pet The desire to sharpen your nails on your sofa will quickly disappear thanks to the fabric. The corrugated fabric clings to the claws and springs along with the paw, but the animals do not like this.
Care
To make this cape last a long time:
- It is best to wash tapestry bedspreads by hand. If it is preferable for you to use washing machine, do not select the “sharp spin” mode.
- Choose a temperature no more than 30°.
- Dry the material without using heating devices.
- The maximum temperature of the iron during ironing melts synthetic fibers.
- Not many types of materials require dry cleaning.
Advice
Don't forget to ventilate the cape on the balcony. Be careful, everyone can pay attention to such expensive decor.
If you are temporarily not using the material, wrap it in any sheet other than polyethylene and place it in an open, breathable bag.
Capes without armrests
Covers for such sofas are usually stretch covers. They cover the entire sofa. These include Euro covers. They are made of bamboo, hypoallergenic and protect furniture not only from the clumsy hands of adults and children, but also from pets whose claws get caught in threads of fabric.
Also, such covers can have ties that are sewn on bottom corners sofa Typically, such sofas are distinguished by a dense frilly base.
Sofa decks made of carpet also belong to these types of covers, in the form of a track, which covers the seat and back, the armrests remain open.
Bright carpets can be fringed.
Covers without armrests can look simple and attract only by the material or color. If you value unusual accessories, we suggest you pay attention to covers with a skirt. Their feature is a long, light frill gathered into an accordion. More suitable for tall sofas.
Any type of sofa cover without armrests can be decorated with a variety of pillows with frills or original shapes in the form of emoticons, symbols and cartoon characters. The main thing is to combine it correctly with color scheme and interior.
Such cases are usually decorated with simple symbolic phrases or company logos. Minimalism is perfect for design.
Quilted bedspreads
The sophisticated color scheme will lift your spirits and please the eye. The advantages include the fact that they have a sealant inserted between the main material and the lining fabric, most often a padding polyester.
Thanks to this combination of fabrics, the bedspreads are lush and soft, hiding the folds on the sofa. There are these types of stitches:
- thread stitching - expensive models;
- thermal stitch.
Thermal stitching is used only for bedspreads made of artificial fabrics. It involves bonding layers of bedspreads using a special device that melts synthetic fibers pointwise.
It is voluminous and takes up a lot of storage space. Therefore, it is difficult to wash. Any bedspread must be washed at least 2 times a year. Or clean it from dust and be sure to ventilate it.
Selection of models by style
The easiest way is to choose a simple monochromatic quilted bedspread; the only difficulty will be the selection of harmonious shades.
Bedspreads with patterns require special attention. The difficulty lies in choosing styles. For example, the Borocco and Rococo style is characterized by bedspreads made of satin and silk fabrics, decorated with frills, ruffles and lace.
Bedspreads decorated with small monotonous flowers are typical of Provence. Monochromatic colors, straight lines or checkered patterns are preferable to Classicism. The patchwork technique, as a rule, harmoniously combines with the country style: highlighted squares with tender roses and a diluted picture bed tones– will create charm and comfort.
3D flower designs will fit perfectly in the Art Nouveau style, with delicate frills and an animal skin rug. Modern motifs with metallic shades, of course, are assigned to High-Tech, but it is possible that it will not suit Loft; for this you need to add several symmetrical lines.
An oversized bedspread on your upholstered furniture will look untidy, dirty and give the effect of disorder; the bedspread should correspond to 110 by 140 cm. For a double bed, the following standards have been noted: 200 by 220 cm.
European beds are celebrated maximum dimensions, so a bedspread for a standard double bed will be small, so choose sizes from 220 by 250 cm to 230 by 250 cm.
Fur bedspreads
Made from faux fur with soft bristles. They are fluffy and pleasant to the touch. However, they attract dust. The fibers themselves are sewn into the structure of the fabric, so they will neither fall out nor fray. Due to the long pile, air accumulates in the fibers, helping to preserve the natural warmth of your body.
Depending on the lighting, darkness, and angle of incidence of light, fibers can refract light and change it slightly. For such capes, it is better to use dry cleaning services. Capes are often painted leopard, tiger and other colors.
Fur bedspreads in delicate or contrasting shades will be luxuriously suited to a Glamor style interior.
Such capes add coziness and warmth to the room; the soft and fluffy structure of the fabric entices you to rest and relax.
Covers for sofas, covers for chairs or armchairs have become very fashionable again these days. Removable covers for upholstered furniture not only keep the furniture upholstery in its pure form, but also have a number of other benefits. beneficial benefits. For example, the ability to easily and inexpensively change the design, not only of furniture, but also of a room. Look at the photo how easily you can turn any furniture into a work of art using furniture covers. See how well you can “fit” new covers into overall design rooms.
Sewing covers allows you to transform your old sofa into completely different furniture, covered with new fabric, also of a suitable color and quality.
Perhaps the most important advantage of covers is their low cost, compared to the cost of completely reupholstering a sofa. It is enough to buy a few meters of fabric, take out a sewing machine from the closet and select a suitable stitch and sew a sofa cover with your own hands, the main thing is to make a simple pattern correctly and accurately. But more on that below, first let’s figure out how much fabric you need to buy for the cover.
Of course, for sewing covers, be it an ordinary one-and-a-half-sleeper or a corner sofa, you need quite a bit of fabric. At least 8 meters (width 150cm) for any sofa, so it is advisable to use very inexpensive fabrics for sewing. It is important that furniture covers easy to wash and iron, and also to be strong enough. Therefore, covers can be sewn not only from tapestry (furniture) fabric, but also from thin, but quite dense fabric. Thick fabric will prevent snags, which is especially important if you are protecting the upholstery of your new sofa or chair from the claws of your pets.
1. Calculation of fabric for sewing a sofa cover
To sew a sofa cover you will need approximately 8 meters of fabric. But in order to more accurately calculate the consumption, you need to measure the length of the sofa and its width. A rough calculation looks like this: two lengths of the sofa + two widths. As a result, if the sofa is 160 cm wide and 200 cm long, then 7.2 meters of fabric will be required (150 cm wide). But, this is just a guide so that you can calculate in advance how much the fabric will cost approximately, and what kind of fabric you need to buy, for 2000 rubles per meter or still for 200 rubles.
It is quite difficult to accurately calculate fabric consumption without experience. You need to carefully measure all the areas and details, draw them in a reduced form on paper, and then make a layout taking into account the direction of the pattern or fabric design, the grain line.
Fabrics with geometric patterns, especially stripes, will significantly increase waste since they can only be cut in a certain direction. It is best to use plain furniture fabrics, or, in extreme cases, with small patterns. In any case, to any of your calculations of fabric consumption for a sofa, add another 0.5 - 1 meter, at least. This increase will not be superfluous, and if a piece remains, it will be useful in the future for replacing worn areas. From this leftover fabric you can sew a cover for a stool or a small decorative pillow and much more. It is much more difficult when there is not enough fabric, but even in this case there is no need to be upset, since for the back of the back of the sofa you can use any other fabric, for example, harsh calico.
2. Pattern of furniture covers
If the sofa is of a standard rectangular shape or even corner, but with walls and backs of a regular straight shape, then it is easier to make a pattern. Having accurately measured each of the parts of the sofa, you need to place them on graph paper (to scale), taking into account the direction of the cut (share line). In the future, all these calculations need to be transferred to the fabric, making chalk markings along the wrong side. When cutting, be sure to take into account seam allowances, hems, etc.
It is impossible to give exact recommendations on how to make a pattern for sofa covers. Every sofa is special case and the option of sewing a cover for it will be its own, unique. We can only give a few tips to avoid simple mistakes. Well, for example, it is better to make a pattern with large allowances, and after trying on, adjust these allowances by cutting them with scissors.
For the pattern, you can use ordinary newspapers or carbon paper if you “paste” over parts of the sofa parts with them, outlining their shape with a pencil and cutting out with scissors. Then assemble all these parts using tape, and “feel free” to adjust the pattern with scissors right “in place”. You can connect the cuts with tape, the missing areas can be increased by gluing pieces of paper with tape.
The more accurately (tighter) you build the pattern, the greater the likelihood of making mistakes when sewing a furniture cover. The sofa has a rectangular shape only in appearance. In fact, its shapes are very complex, it’s difficult to guess their configuration precise calculation impossible. Even in a factory, furniture upholstery is not sewn according to a pre-made pattern, but is covered, as if covering a sofa with film, fixing the stretched edges with fasteners (stapler clips). Therefore, do not try to exactly replicate the shape of your sofa using the “most accurate” pattern. It’s better to make a more free-form sofa cover, as in the top photo, the main purpose of which will be to change it appearance, and not “pulling” his fabric upholstery.
Use all kinds of decorative bows, ribbons and belts. They are a good way to distract attention from bad places and perfectly refresh the overall design of the room and, in addition, will additionally decorate the furniture cover you have sewn.
Numerous decorative pillows can also hide many of the inaccuracies of a sewn cover, and besides, they can be used for their intended purpose. Sewing them is quite simple, much like sewing a pillowcase, and you can “stuff” them with anything, even scraps of fabric left over from cutting sofa covers.
To prevent your beloved cats from digging into the leather upholstery of the sofa even through the covers, it is advisable to place thin foam rubber (1-1.5 cm) inside the covers, which can be bought at any decent hardware store.
When sewing, use strong and reinforced threads, but not too thick, otherwise sewing machine will be "capricious".
Since the cover will experience a lot of stress at the seams, especially if the pattern is very tight, some seams can be stitched twice. Just do not make too small a stitch on the sewing machine; this will not make the seams stronger, but it can destroy the fibers of the tapestry fabric.
Grandma's old manual machine Podolsk is the best sewing machine for sewing covers. If you do not have such a machine, then we do not recommend sewing thick furniture fabric on a household machine. As a last resort, on such a machine you can sew furniture fabric folded only in half, well, in three layers maximum, and then at the slowest speed.
Then think about how to make connections between parts to avoid multi-layered “intersections” of fabric. Can I make some parts of the overall case separately, without connecting them to each other? Separate cover for the back, separately for the seat and armrests. By the way, in the “design” of the cover you can use twisted long zippers to close the cover or a linen elastic band. See also How to make a pattern and sew a pillow. In this article, the master will share his experience on how to sew a pillow and how to create a pattern for any shape of a soft pillow.
Underwear elastic can be added to the seams, in those places where you need to remove the “slack”.
"Velcro" can be used to connect parts of the cover into one whole.
Various types of cords and ribbons are useful for tying the legs and tightening hems at the bottom, etc.
5. Don’t rush to sew a cover from expensive fabric
And most importantly, don’t get caught up in the idea of sewing a cover with your own hands, and even more so, don’t immediately buy expensive fabric. Not everyone can sew covers correctly the first time. This is a very complex and skilled job. Sometimes, even for a specialist, it is much easier to sew a dress for a non-standard figure than a cover for a seemingly ordinary-shaped sofa. First, sew a cover for a sofa or chair in the countryside from simple fabrics, and only then take up furniture covers, standing in the living room of your home.
Which furniture covers are easier to sew? Sofa cover or chair cover? You probably choose a chair cover, and in vain. The chair has a rigid structure, and the slightest mistake in the pattern will result in it either not being put on or “hanging like a sack.” The only advantage of chair covers over upholstered furniture covers is that they are smaller in size and easier to customize the pattern. In addition, visually it always seems that very little fabric is needed to sew a chair cover. At least 1.5 meters, or even two. Now multiply by the number of chairs you have. This article gives several recommendations on how to sew a chair cover with your own hands.
DIY pillow letters. In this article you will learn how to make a three-dimensional letter pattern and the technology for sewing such a pillow.
Many women have tried to sew curtains, at least for the dacha, and they know how difficult it is to do it, unless of course they are simple curtains. Curtains, especially tulle, are very difficult to cut straight and for some reason it always happens that it is either slightly skewed or shorter than expected. Sewing curtains and sewing furniture covers is a complex process that requires a skilled seamstress and sometimes special equipment. But there is always something to learn. Maybe some of these tips will help you figure out how to sew a curtain with your own hands.
Furniture covers greatly refresh the overall design of a bedroom or living room. But a bedspread can become a special decoration for your bedroom. Sometimes, all you need to do is sew a bedspread and your bedroom will simply be unrecognizable. Everything in the room changes - both the color of the walls and the color of the furniture upholstery. This happens if the bedspread fits well into the overall design of the furniture and interior.
It’s not at all difficult to sew bed linen with your own hands and sometimes save a decent amount of money on the purchase of new sets of bed linen. The main thing is that you can choose the calico color and quality you need and precisely sew the bedding to the size of your mattress or pillow. Of course, sewing a pillowcase and bed linen is much easier than, for example, sofa cover, but you still need to know a few rules too.
You can tuck the sofa in with a regular sheet, but it will probably “pull up” during sleep. It is much more convenient to use a sheet with an elastic band for the sofa. Read about how much fabric you need for a fitted sheet and how to sew it yourself in this article.
Due to frequent use, upholstery on furniture, especially on sofas, can quickly lose its attractive appearance. She's getting shabby certain places fades. A regular sofa cover can help prevent this situation.
Peculiarities
A sofa cover is a universal item. He has a whole series features and advantages that only confirm the need for its use:
- Cover-cape helps to preserve the original appearance of the upholstery for a long time.
- Suitable for sofas of all sizes regardless of their area and shape.
- It has a huge variety of different models: with elastic band, cape cover, stretch cover, dimensionless and so on.
- Can be made from material of any texture and color.
- Covers allow you to change the design of your sofa in a few minutes. With their help, you can radically change the overall perception of the interior of the room.
- Unlike sofa upholstery, the covers are much simpler and more convenient not only to use, but also to maintain.
- Such covers can be used on sofas of any size and shape., including modular and transformable sofas. This is explained by the fact that even if the cover you need is not on sale, you can easily make it at home yourself.
- Another feature and at the same time, the main advantage of sofa covers is their cost-effectiveness. Using them in everyday life can help you save a lot. After all, such a furniture cover will in any case cost much less than purchasing a new sofa or restoring it.
Those who already use such sofa covers in everyday life say that they significantly save time, effort and money. A wide variety of materials are used to create them.
Materials
Absolutely any materials existing today can be used to make sofa covers. However, experienced seamstresses say that you need to avoid too thick upholstery fabrics that are used directly to create sofas, since they are difficult to use and at home it will be difficult to create a beautiful and practical cover from them. It is also not recommended to use fabric that is too light, such as chiffon or satin. Of course, covers made from these materials look luxurious, but they are not very practical to care for, and they wear out quite quickly.
The best options The fabrics used to create such a cover are the following:
- Flock or artificial velvet substitute. It is very soft, pleasant to the touch. The great advantages of this material are its characteristics: it is easy to clean, does not undergo deformation, and does not change the color intensity of the paints even after prolonged exposure to the sun. It is also important that this fabric has good water-repellent functions due to its high density. Also, it is in flock that linen mites are least likely to appear. The material is very light and easy to use, but can sometimes cause an allergic reaction.
- Cotton or wool velor. This fabric is not capable of causing allergies, is not a source of static current accumulation, and has long term use and is very easy to clean, does not deform after washing. The disadvantages of this material are its decent cost, as well as relatively high fragility, for example, cat's claws can quickly render such a case unusable.
- Microfiber or artificial suede substitute. It is advisable to give preference to fabric that has been previously impregnated with a special Teflon mixture. Not only will it be soft and pleasant to the touch and wear-resistant, but it will also repel water, grease and dirt from its surface. This fabric feels very soft and pleasant to the touch. It does not fade in the sun or become deformed, and does not cause allergic reactions.
- Teflon flock– universal fabric for sofa cover if there are animals or small children in the house. It has the same qualities as regular flock, but in addition to them, it also repels any type of dirt from its surface and does not absorb water at all. It is almost impossible to get such a cover dirty.
- Jacquard- This is a fabric with increased strength indicators. She doesn't give in various types deformation and does not change its size during operation. Soft and pleasant to the touch, it has an expensive and presentable appearance. Quite easy to use and care.
- Leather. It is quite rare to see a leather cover on a sofa. Indeed, such material is not often used, due to its high cost and certain inconveniences during operation. If you still decide to sew just such a cover for furniture, then it is better to use artificial leather.
- Flannel stretch. Usually a fabric with a compression effect is used. These covers are very easy to wash and dry. They stretch easily and completely follow all the contours of the furniture. It is the least expensive compared to other materials.
- Cotton– This is a natural material for a sofa cover. It has many colors and textures and does not cause allergies. It’s just that hard-to-reach stains are difficult to remove from it, and during the washing process the fabric may shrink too much.
It is still better to give preference to denser fabrics, since their service life is much longer. In addition to the fabric itself, to create a cover you will also need threads, needles, patterns, and preferably also sewing machine. Although you can do without it.
Dimensions
In order for the case to look beautiful and last a long time, you need to choose the right size. Sofa covers can be dimensionless, double, triple and corner. In order to decide which size you need, you just need to take simple measurements. The dimensionless cover can be made from any material. His distinctive feature lies in the fact that the lower and side parts of the fabric itself are located on a special elastic band like an accordion, so you can stretch the cover over a sofa of any size and shape. This cape is called “Eurocover”; its distinctive feature is the use of very dense material and heavy-duty elastic bands. In order to find out the sizes of other types of covers, you need to measure the height of the sofa itself and the length of its back. Thus, a double sofa has a backrest with a length of 120 cm to 150 cm, and their height does not exceed 100 cm.
A three-seater sofa usually has a height of up to one meter, but it can be 10 cm more or less than the specified one, and the back length is in the range from 150 to 210 cm. With covers for a corner sofa, everything is a little different. There are standard covers on sale, designed for sofas up to one meter high and with a back length from 300 cm to 450 cm. If the dimensions of your furniture are different, then before sewing you need to measure the same parameters and create a pattern for the future cover in accordance with them. A wide variety of cases are available for sale. But only a hand-made cover for your favorite sofa can emphasize the individuality of the room and become a real decoration of the interior.
How to create?
In fact, making a cover for your favorite sofa with your own hands is not so difficult. All you need is to stock up on tools, choose fabric, buy it in the required quantity and follow our short instructions. The easiest way is to make a cover for a sofa without armrests, so if your cover is the first one you have sewn with your own hands, it is better to start with it. Stretchable covers, which can be sewn both on sofas with and without armrests, will be no more difficult to manufacture. The most labor-intensive thing to make is a sofa book cover.
But regardless of the type of sofa and the size of the cover created for it, you must first decide on the amount of fabric that will be needed for the job. In order to get to know her exact quantity, you need to measure the length and width of your sofa, multiply the resulting numbers by two, and then add them together. The total amount is the number of meters of fabric required.
- The pattern is the very first stage. To create it, you need to take measurements from the sofa and put them on thick paper, completely observing all the curves of the furniture. The process is quite lengthy, so you can make it simpler. Take an old cover, rip it open and trace it along the outline on paper, from which you can then cut out the pattern itself. It is best to make the pattern without a skirt; if necessary, this detail can be made later. Now the resulting pattern is applied to the material from the inside out and outlined with an overlap of 1 cm around the edges.
- Necessary tools. They are: paper or cardboard for the pattern, measuring tape, chalk, the fabric itself, threads, needles, wooden slats, scissors and sewing machine. In some cases, you can do without a machine, for example, if you are sewing the simplest covers that take the shape of a sofa with elastic for furniture without armrests. You may also need safety pins and regular pins; it is better to prepare them in advance. To create a pattern you will need a large free space, it is better if it is a table with a large tabletop.
Step by step instructions
Here we will look at several options for sewing covers for sofas, depending on their design and size. P sewing a cover for a sofa with an ottoman without armrests or a regular one.
- Make a pattern according to the size of your sofa.
- Transfer the resulting pattern onto the fabric. It is very important not to forget about the overlap here. Ideally, it should be equal to 1 cm, but if the cover is sewn for the first time, then you can leave more free space.
- Now you need to connect all parts of the fabric together with a regular seam. This will not only connect the parts of the pattern into one whole, but will also help make working with the sewing machine easier in the future.
- Now all the seams are sewn one by one.
- If the cover has an elastic band, it is necessary to cut off the required amount and apply it to the bottom of the cover before it is stitched around the edges. It is worth remembering that the elastic will stretch, so its length should be slightly more than half the length of the lower part of the fabric. It is best to measure the length of the bottom of the sofa with the stretched length of the elastic band, and then the top.
- The elastic is applied to the fabric and traced along the width. Using chalk, a line is drawn on the fabric, which determines the position of the elastic inside the future cover.
- Stitches are made using a needle and thread, which form the location of the elastic in the fabric, that is, a kind of tunnel for it.
- The elastic is inserted into the cover and all seams are basted carefully stitched on a machine.
- You can determine the location of the elastic in advance when creating a pattern. and while sewing together the parts of the future cover, perform the last two procedures.
If you decide to choose the option of creating such a cape for a model with an armrest, then the sequence of actions should be as follows:
- Calculation required quantity material. The length and width of the furniture are alternately multiplied by two, and then the resulting numbers are added together.
- Using thin wooden slats, the fabric is attached to the sofa. It is best to do this at the joints of the backrests and seats, as well as the armrests and backrests.
- The fabric is pressed onto the edges of the armrests and at the corners of the furniture itself with special clamps. You can use a regular construction stapler.
- The slats and clips are decorated with fabric. Decorative elements in this case are selected individually depending on wishes.
- The sofa cover is ready.
The advantages of such a cover are the simplicity and speed of its production, but the disadvantage is that it cannot be removed, cleaned and washed regularly. The cover for the sofa book is sewn as follows:
- Remove patterns.
- Transfer the patterns to the fabric and cut them out.
- If necessary, mark the location of the future elastic band. It is preferable that the cover for such a sofa be elastic.
- Now the fabric parts are sewn together. The nuance here is that the cover will not consist of one whole canvas, but of several. Therefore, the cover for the back, seat and armrests is sewn separately.
- All seams are additionally sewn on a machine.
The cover for a corner sofa is considered the most labor-intensive to manufacture. We have prepared the simplest one for you step by step instructions its creation.
- Using safety pins you need to attach the fabric to the sofa.
- All rectangles, namely the sides, back, seat and the armrests are highlighted with pins.
- Using thread, you need to sweep away all the parts, completely repeating the curves of the furniture. You can use regular chalk instead of thread. You need to start from the upper parts of the sofa.
- Unnecessary parts of the fabric are cut off. It is important not to forget to leave an overlap.
- Now all the cut out parts are sewn together in pairs. Please note that this case also consists of two parts: upper and lower. Therefore, parts of the backrest and the seat of the corner sofa are sewn separately.
- Then the covers are turned inside out and fitted to the sofa. If necessary, it is necessary to mark on the fabric where it is necessary to narrow or, conversely, widen the seam.
- After the changes made are implemented, and the cover is completely stitched by machine.
Of course, in each specific case the process of making a sofa cover will be different. But his sewing skills come with practice. In order not to be disappointed in the result obtained, you need to listen to the advice of more experienced seamstresses:
- If the cover is being sewn for the first time, then it is better not to use very expensive material.
- It is necessary to purchase fabric with a small margin, one or two meters will be enough for this. The excess material can later be spent on decorating a finished cover, masking its minor flaws, or reupholstering chairs and armchairs.
- Always check the accuracy of your measurements. The proverb “Measure twice and cut once” is very relevant in this case.
- There's no need to rush. It is better to try on the future cover after estimating the details. If any inaccuracies are identified at this stage of sewing, they can be corrected.
- Always leave at least 1cm of fabric overlap. When creating the first cover, the fabric overlap can be up to 8 cm long. The excess will then be easy to cut off.
- If you are sewing a cover for a sofa in the house Where there are a lot of children, it is better to use waterproof material. This will extend the life of your product.
- Sewing such a cape requires time and perseverance.. Therefore, try not to be distracted by extraneous matters.
At first glance, it may seem that sewing such covers is a difficult and tedious task. In fact, quite the opposite. A sofa with removable covers can change its appearance as often as you want. At the same time, with each case you sew, your skill will increase, and the time spent and the amount of work will correspondingly decrease.
