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How To Hem a Slipcover with Welt Cord

A welt cord hem adds such a pretty, and professional finish to a slipcover. It works great for chair and sofa slipcovers that don’t need a skirt. If your furniture has exposed legs, a welt cord hem will help show them off.

Fitted Slipcover with Welt Cord Hem

The hem on this wingback slipcover (above) is edged with welt cord and attached to the bottom of the chair with Velcro. The Velcro helps keep the slipcover from riding up and creates a smooth, taut hem line.

I’m often asked how I get this look. In today’s post, I share my tips and tricks for hemming with welt cord.

Slipcover Hem Velcro Placement

Step 1: Mark Hem & Velcro Placement

Mark the slipcover hem cut line during your pin fitting. Note the chair bottom edge and then add seam allowance. The amount of seam allowance must be equal to the seam allowance on your welt cord strip. I work with 3/4 inch seam allowances.

Tip: If you’re concerned the hem line will shift, shrink up or become uneven after you’ve sewn the slipcover, add extra length during your pin fitting. Then, put your sewn slipcover on the chair and mark the hem cut line.

Before you lift off your pinned slipcover, mark where the Velcro will start and stop on each side of the chair. I place Velcro at least 1 inch away from the legs.

Attaching Velcro to Slipcover Hem

Step 2: Sew Velcro to Slipcover

After you complete sewing the slipcover, attach the welt cord and 3/4 inch wide Velcro loop to the hem allowance. Here’s how:

  1. Stitch welt cord to slipcover on right side along hem edge.
  2. Serge raw hem edges all the way around the slipcover.
  3. Stitch Velcro loop face up to welt cord seam allowance on wrong side of slipcover.
Velcro Stapled to Chair

Step 3: Staple Velcro to Chair

Attach the 3/4 inch wide Velcro hook to the chair. Here’s how:

  1. Turn furniture upside down to expose bottom.
  2. Cut Velcro hook tape to fit distance between legs minus 2 inches.
  3. Place Velcro end 1 inch from leg and line up the long edge with chair bottom edge. This area should be a hard surface.
  4. Using a staple gun, staple Velcro to chair every 2 inches or less.
Natural Canvas Slipcover

Step 4: Install Slipcover & Secure Velcro

Put the finish slipcover on your chair. After you have everything smoothed, tucked-in and zipped up, flip the welt cord hem up under the chair edge to attach.

Not all hems trimmed with welt cord have to attach to the furniture. The natural canvas slipcover above doesn’t have Velcro.

I rarely use Velcro on my welt cord hems. Instead, I drop the hem line 1/2 inch below the chair bottom edge, then add my seam allowance. This bit of extra length hides the chair edge should it ride up.

To make the welt cord lay smooth and straight, I pin fit the slipcover snugly around the bottom edge. I also stitch in the ditch each slipcover seam just above the cord to hold the hem allowance in place.

Cotton Canvas Sectional Slipcover

This big green canvas sectional slipcover is hemmed with welt cord. No Velcro. And the grey sofa slipcover below is also hemmed with welt cord. I didn’t use Velcro on that one either.

Custom Fit Sofa Slipcover Grey

Using Velcro on welt cord hems is optional. Decide what works best for the look and function of your slipcover.

Thanks everyone for following my blog! – Karen

Business Ebook for Slipcover Makers

2 Comments

  1. Awesome post Karen! Your slipcovers are soooo beautiful and so well done!! I love the welt cord on the hem edge and will definitely try it on my next slipcover – hopefully my own sofa😊 Thanks for sharing these instructions!!

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