The Simple Slipcover

I love my big green chair! It's about 15 years old and has great bones....but I'm tired of the fabric. It's a bit worn: my cats have left their marks (barf and fur) on the chenille. Plus, it's a bit dirty. Last month I removed the slipcover and took a chance on washing it - hoping that it wouldn't shrink. Good news: it didn't shrink and it cleaned up nicely. But as I was washing, I fell in love with the cream muslin foundation fabric. It brightened up my living room and looked clean and crisp.

So I thought about buying a new slipcover from the manufacturer (ROWE), but they no longer make this chair. I guess the company isn't doing so well. This is strange because this is an awesome chair - very well-made. Nonetheless, I decided to tackle the slipcover on my own.

I've never made slipcovers. And I'll admit that they scare me. Why? I'm a tailored gal--so that loosey-goosey look wasn't for me. I hate ties. I want it to fit. I considered ripping the green slipcover apart and using it as a pattern. Who knows. So I got out some books and found some websites and began my research. 

Several years ago, I ordered The Lazy Girl's Guide to Slipcovers from Pink and Polka Dot - it was helpful except some details were missing, like "what's the hem at the bottom?" I threw caution to the wind and took the plunge. I purchased a heavy-duty drop cloth from Home Depot, washed it, ripped it apart (there is a seam down the middle of it), and developed a plan of attack.

I love the Beachy Coral Slipcover - it caught my eye immediately. So I started with the ottoman. Easy, right? Well, not so easy. As usual, I over-thought everything and had unreasonable expectations.

Here it goes...for the next few days I'll be posting my progress! Please follow along:

The Simple Slipcover: ALL DONE!