Tag Archives: washable slipcover fabrics

Slipcover Denim: Beyond White and Natural

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Do you love the look of denim slipcovers but want more color than white or natural? You’re in luck! Cotton bull denim and yarn dyed denim fabrics are showing up in all kinds of colors — from earthy neutrals to saturated brights to classic blues. Here are a few colorful denim slipcovers to spark ideas for your next project.

Arhaus Baldwin Cotton Denim Custom Slipcover

This Mist cotton bull denim is a chalky sage-aqua color. You have to see it in person — it’s soooo pretty. I’ve been drooling over it ever since I made a slipcover copy for this Arhaus Baldwin chair.

A cheery yellow denim slipcover and sunshine streaming through the window. You can’t beat that happy combo 🙂

Burlap Brown Custom Denim Slipcover

Denim fabrics in warm shades of brown, earth and mushroom are versatile neutrals. A good option when you want to hide dirt and pet hair. I made this slipcover with 14 oz cotton yarn denim in Burlap Brown.

Classic Indigo Denim Love Seat Slipcover

Classic indigo denim never goes out of style. I used heavy weight, medium shade indigo yarn dyed denim for this project.  This darker shade looks great, too. Washes, wears and fades beautifully just like a pair of old school Levis.

Grey is another versatile color that looks fantastic in cotton denim slipcovers no matter the style. Like any color, grey hues vary greatly. Right now Big Duck Canvas stocks several shades from light grey to charcoal.

Want more denim options? I share more resources on my DENIM page.

Chaise Slipcover Copy in Taupe Denim

Worn and Faded Chaise SlipcoverAndrea’s old chaise slipcover had all the classic signs of a well-loved piece:  thread bare, faded, pulled seams and baggy cushion covers

In spite of its worn-out condition, her slipcover made a good template to copy. To improve the fit, I loosened up the body and took out the excess from the cushion covers.

For this slipcover copy, I used 12 oz. Taupe Cotton Bull Denim from Big Duck Canvas. Taupe is one of their new colors, which is a chalky grey-cast neutral. Very pretty!

Chaise Slipcover Copy in Taupe Bull Denim

 

Slipcover Makeover with Indigo Ikat

Indigo Ikat Chair Slipcover by Karen PowellIndigo ikat fabrics make the most beautiful slipcovers. I’m crazy about about the inky blue ethnic patterns, the authentic woven designs as well as the printed versions.

For this chair makeover my customer chose Magnolia Home Fashions Java Ikat Navy. It’s a cotton decorator fabric of medium weight yet it’s substantial enough to cover the thick, textured upholstery. Don’t worry about the dry clean only label. You can machine wash and dry it without any problem. Nice!Magnolia Java Ikat Slipcover by Karen Powell

 

Washable Natural Denim Slipcovers for Lakeside Living

Washable slipcovers are a must-have at my customer’s welcoming home on Lake Michigan.  The original white sofa and chair slipcovers held up well to kids, dogs (a lot of dogs), overnight guests and even the occasional cat.  But after awhile even the toughest slipcover starts to loose it’s shape and show signs of wear. It was time for a replacement.

Before: original white twill slipcovers

Before: original white twill slipcovers

For this slipcover makeover I used a heavy weight natural denim on the living room sofa and chairs. This is one of my favorite fabrics for kid and pet friendly slipcovers.  It’s comfy, strong and washes well.  And, it’s really good looking, too!

AFTER: new natural denim slipcover

AFTER: natural denim sofa slipcover

AFTER: natural denim chair slipcover

AFTER: natural denim chair slipcover

White Denim for Slipcovers

White Denim Slipcover Inspiration

White denim slipcover inspiration.

Post updated 2.9.14

One of my favorite fabrics for white slipcovers is bull denim. What is bull denim? Basically, it’s blue jean fabric without the indigo. Instead of blue yarns woven with white the fabric is dyed all one color like white, natural or other solid color.

Bull denim is a medium to heavyweight cotton twill fabric that’s made with thick yarns. You might have seen bull denim labeled “laundered” or “washed”. That’s a good thing because those are types of finishes that make the denim feel supple, which is what you want when making a slipcover. This type of denim fabric is durable without being stiff, offers really good coverage and it wrinkles less than most canvas fabrics.

I prefer the substantial feel of 12 to 14 ounce white bull denim over the lighter 9 to 10 ounce especially when I need to cover an upholstered piece that is a medium to dark color. Be sure to buy a one yard piece to test shrinkage and coverage before you buy large quantities. Each weight and brand of bull denim differs from each other in shrinkage and performance.

It’s likely you’ll find bull denim at your local fabric store. If not, check these online retailers: housefabric.com, onlinefabricstore.com and fabric.com.

Tip:  if you find a cotton bull denim you really want but it’s labeled Dry Clean Only buy one yard and wash test it. That’s what I do. I machine wash it on warm and tumble dry on hot. Many times I find the fabric washes just fine and shrinks within reason for the type of projects I do.

Photo credits: chair photo with dog by Robin Stubbert, DIY sofa slipcover at Apartment Therapy, little white sofa at The Lettered Cottage and August Blues white denim chair.Â