Upping my slipcover game! Two new DIY slipcovers

Upping my slipcover game! Two new DIY slipcovers

• 3.16.2016

Phew! What an accomplishment! This weekend I crossed a major to-do off my list: Update my amazing vintage slipper chairs with new covers, since the slightly too-thin white canvas ones I made in 2010 (!) were getting pretty tired. They never fit perfectly, and I didn't have a good solution for the bottom edge so I just left them hanging, mostly covering the fabric, and they were a little too tight so it worked... but it was time for an upgrade.

Part of the reason I didn't upgrade sooner was that the home decor selection at most fabric stores is pretty limited if you want a basic color. There are tons of fancy prints, sure, but if I wanted a solid color, the best choice is the canvas-ey stuff I used back in 2010 (it comes in lots of colors) and it's just not strong enough. So when Organic Cotton Plus wanted to work with me on another project, I thought using one of their many durable, upholstery-weight fabrics would be perfect!

I asked Yasmin at Organic Cotton Plus which fabrics would be good for upholstery--she recommended their canvas, duck (including finished duck which is noticeably softer and pre-shrunk), natural denim, and the colorgrowns. I really liked several of the choices and colors, so Yasmin helped me choose the denim for the chairs, since it's super soft and still very strong, so it would be the most comfortable choice while still holding up to plenty of use over time. (Organic Cotton Plus sent me the fabric for this post.)

Again I used the previous slipcover pieces for my pattern, but had to add and subtract inches here and there to make them fit better. For the bottom edge, I found a super strong corded elastic and made a casing for it to keep things in place.

I also sanded, filled, stained, and finished the wood! It was really looking shabby but I hadn't taken the time before. It really makes them look much better!

The "before"...

...and the "after." Fixed the wood, made the slipcovers!

Much better fit this time.

They looked so plain without throw pillows on them, but my pillows are pure white and grey--do they clash with the off-white, or is it okay because everything else in the room is also a neutral?

I love these vintage chairs so much (I paid $5 each for them at Goodwill Outlet in 2008 or 2009, I kid you not... they rolled them out onto the floor and my friend and I pointed to them and said "We'll take them!") and am so glad to have them looking good again!

Thanks to Organic Cotton Plus for sending me the fabric for these slipcovers!