Slipcovers are removable covers that slip over a piece of upholstered furniture. They can extend the life of a piece or update decor - change a look by changing a slipcover.







Prepare the Pattern for Cutting
1. Mark upper edge of all muslin pieces; label pieces. Check that all seamlines, darts, gathers and pleats are marked. Mark dots at intersecting seams; label.

2. Remove muslin. Add 6mm ease to back edge of outside arm at lower corners. Add 13mm ease to sides of outside back at lower corners. Taper to marked seamlines at upper corners. Remove the pinned tucks near back corners of skirt pieces. Mark 'foldline' at lower edge of muslin for self-lined skirt.

3. True straight seamlines, using straightedge; true curved seamlines, drawing smooth curves. Do not mark seamlines in pleated areas.

4. Add 10cm to lower edge of inside back and back edge of deck.

5. Mark the lower edge of inside arm from a point 10cm away from seamline at back edge to 13mm from large dot at front edge; repeat for sides of deck.

6. Mark back edge of inside arm from a point 10cm away from seamline at the lower edge to 13mm from large dot; repeat for sides of inside back.

7. Check lengths of seamlines for adjoining seams; adjust as necessary to ensure that seamlines match.

8. Fold pleats on marked lines. Mark seamlines in pleated area; add 13mm seam allowances. Trim on cutting line through all layers of pleats. Add 13mm seam allowances to any remaining seams. Cut pieces on marked lines.

Laying out and Cutting Fabric
1. Centre large motifs, such as floral clusters, on the back, sides, cushions, and on the top of the arms.

2. Centre the prominent stripe of striped fabrics on the centre placement line of the outside and inside back pieces and on the cushion pieces. Decide in which direction the stripes will run on the arms; usually it is preferable to have stripes run in the same direction as those on the skirt.

3. Cut the skirt pieces for a self-line skirt, placing the foldline at lower edge of skirt on a crosswise fold of fabric. Self-lined skirts hang better than single-layer skirts with a hem.

4. Cut arm pieces, right sides together, using the first piece as pattern for cutting the second piece.

5. Mark names of pieces on wrong side of fabric, using chalk.

6. Transfer all markings, including notches and dots, from the muslin pieces to the slipcover fabric.