A Good Canvas for Casual Sofa Slipcovers

When I make a canvas slipcover I typically use a 10 oz. or 12 oz. duck (canvas). But this time my customer wanted a canvas that was even more durable. So, we went with a #12 cotton duck from Big Duck Canvas in color Natural. It turned out great!

What’s the difference between a #12 and a 12 ounce? The #12 weight is more tightly woven with more yarns, which gives it a denser feel than the 12 oz.  It also has a smoother texture, not as grainy as the 12 oz.

At first I thought this canvas would be too heavy and not supple enough for a slipcover. When I preshrunk the yardage it came out of the washer stiff as a board and heavily wrinkled. It stood up on it’s own! But after about 30 minutes of warm tumble drying it relaxed and softened.

Cotton utility canvas, like this one, wrinkles. It’s the nature of the fabric. I was able to press out some of the big wrinkles but veins and soft wrinkles will always be there. Fortunately, my customer likes the casual, lived-in look of the wrinkled surface. I have to say, for this slipcover makeover I really like the look, too!

This cotton duck slipcover is weighty and substantial. It will probably outlast the life of my customer’s new-used sofa!  Another nice feature about this slip is the two zipper openings at the back.  This allows super easy on and off especially for arthritic hands.