I remember this couch our family had as a kid: worn, torn, stained, and oh, so comfortable. Unfortunately, it was one of those pieces of furniture that caused great embarrassment to me when friends came over; it just looked, um…gross. How I wished my mom could have whipped up a custom slip cover to hide the grossness, yet preserve it’s worn in shoe-like comfiness.
Kristi Maxwell might have been a couple decades too late to save my adolescent angst, but now, she can come to your refurbishing/restoration rescue. Her new eBook, “The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Custom Slipcovers” is a step-by-step instructional guide to making your own custom slipcovers, from sofas and sectionals, to chairs and chaises. There are loads of pictures and easy-to-follow tips and instructions that you can download, view, and print out in minutes. The cost is $10.
Krisit lives in North Carolina with her husband Chris and two girls. She is a self taught custom slipcover-er, and believes anyone can make a slipcover with even the most very basic sewing skills.
The first thing I usually ask before starting any project is how long will it take and how much will it cost? Kristi is very clear about her “guesstimations”: “It all depends on the size of your furniture and what type of fabric you choose”. For the sake of offering a “ballpark-guesstimation”, Kristi offers these approximate project time-frames and estimated costs to sew up one of her slip covers:
Chair: 6 hours, 7 yds/6.99 or 7.99 p/yd
Sofa: 2 days (or 1 day with a friend), 15 yds/6.99 or 7.99 p/yd
Chaise: 6+ hours, 7-8yds/6.99 or 7.99 p/yd
Sectional: 1-1/2 weeks, 30 yds/6.99 p/yd
This book is ideal for those of you who want to take the “sofa by the pillows” and make a real reconditioning change in your home. Kristi’s advice? “Don’t be afraid to cut fabric. Don’t be afraid to just begin somewhere and on some piece of furniture that you do not love right now. Just go for it.”
