How to Make Tailored Slip Covers for Furniture

Use 2-inch strips of fabric and the cording to make piping to give your slipcover a tailored look. Sew the strips together end to end. Fold the strip in half width-wise, with wrong sides together, insert the cording and sew all the way down the length of the strip.

Cut a piece of fabric for the back of the furniture, taking careful measurements. Measure the length and width of the back of the couch and add 4 inches all the way around. Repeat the process, cutting a piece for the front of the couch.

Take the fabric for the back of the couch and sew the piping to it, matching up the raw edges at the top and the sides. Sew the piping to the right side of the fabric.

Sew the back of the tailored slipcover to the front only at the top seam with right sides together. Sew just beneath the piping strip. Place the front and back of the slipcover over the couch wrong side out.

Measure the length and width of the side of the outside arm of the couch. Add 3 inches to the top and the sides, but add 6 inches to the bottom to allow for attaching the fabric to the underside of the couch at the end of the project. Cut out the fabric.

Hold the piece up to the outside arm of the couch with the wrong side out and trace around the form of the couch with chalk. Repeat the measuring, cutting and tracing with the inside of the arm, except for the inside are, give the extra length allowance to the inside so you can tuck the excess fabric into the couch.

Attach piping to the right side of the fabric around the edges of the inside of the arm along the chalk line. Pin the two arm pieces together using the chalk line as a guide and sew. Sew the outside arm to the back of the slipcover and the inside to the front.

Repeat with the other arm. Repeat the measuring and chalking process to add the front of the armrest to the inside and outside arm pieces.

Attach a strip for the bottom front of the couch to the side pieces. Make sure to leave 6 extra inches at the bottom to attach to the underside of the furniture and 18 inches at the top to slip under the cushions and hold the slipcover in place.

Make new cushions by measuring the length, width and depth of the cushions. Cut out the fabric accordingly, adding 1 inch all the way around so you have three pieces: the top, bottom and side.

Sew some piping around the top and bottom. Sew the top and the side piece together and then add the bottom, leaving the back open for inserting the cushion. Insert the cushion and hand sew the back closed.

Flip the furniture over and use the staple gun to attach the excess length fabric to the underside.