My customer got lucky with this estate sale treasure. English rolled arms, feather cushions, turned legs and good bones. This, my friends, is an ideal chair for a slipcover makeover.
Keep reading to see the before and take a tour of Nellie’s charming living room. You’ll love how she uses white slipcovers and blue + green accessories to unify her different furniture styles for multiple seating areas. Continue reading
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What exactly is oatmeal fabric? It’s a cotton-linen blend, or poly-linen, woven with two colors: natural and undyed flax. Most oatmeals take on a grainy texture and rustic appearance after washed. The flecked cloth is a versatile alternative to solid neutrals such as natural and beige.
Look, feel and weight vary greatly in oatmeal fabrics. So does the performance i.e. coverage, level of wrinkle, washability, etc. Explore! Here are several I like for home decor:
You can find affordable used furniture at Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Chairs and sofas in good shape just waiting for a slipcover makeover.
This medium weight, tightly woven chino twill is a good option for making slipcovers when your home sewing machine can’t stitch through thick denim.
Big Duck’s #12 weight canvas is different than 12 oz. canvas. Both work for slipcovers but #12 weight is made with 2-ply yarns, which means it’s more durable and less grainy.
Don’t judge fabric by the price. Fabric priced at $25 per yard isn’t necessarily a better choice for slipcovers than a $10 fabric. Just as a $5 fabric isn’t really a steal if it pills, shrinks-up or stretches out soon after you start using your slipcover. Shop smart. Buy a one yard cut to test shrinkage, coverage and durability before you commit to yardage.
This month I’m celebrating my 6th year in business and a move to my new workroom here in Michigan! I’m now tucked into a small, efficient live/work space with lots of natural light, wood floors and nature views. No commute and less stuff to manage. Yay! I’m looking forward to sharing more slipcover makeovers with you from my little creative spot.
All for now! –Karen
Are you thinking about replacing your white slipcover with color? If bright and bold isn’t your style go with a rich neutral.
That’s what my customer did for her pair of tuxedo arm sofa slipcovers. She chose Big Duck’s 12 oz. cotton bull denim in color Mushroom, a versatile earthy shade that blends nicely with other neutrals and colorful accents.
No welt cord for these classic covers. Instead, I finished the seams with an edge stitch. Clean and simple.
