MAKING LOOSE COVERS
SOFT FURNISHINGS ARMCHAIRS & SOFAS
There are so many different styles and finishes for covered furniture that it would be impossible to explain all the steps in making every type of cover, but there are some general principles that you can adapt to suit the particular shape you are covering. 1 If you are using a fabric with a bold pattern, position a motif in the center of each of the main panels of the chair or sofa, on the back or back seat cushion(s), on the center of the seat, the front seat panel and over the top of each arm.
It will be easier to do this if you find and mark the center of the chair to start with, and align each motif as you work. Join the sections of each part of the chair as you fit them, and then join them all together when you have trimmed and finished the seams. The usual order is to start with the inner and outer back sections, shaping darts at the corners or taking tucks to ease fullness on a rounded shape. Then fit the arms, the inner panel to the outer panel first, then the front panel.
Next fit the seat and front panel together at the front of the seat, then fit the sides of the seat to the lower edge of the inner arms, and the ends of the front panel to the front arm panels. Finally, join the arm and seat sections to the back, first along the back of the seat, then over the arms and finally down the outer corners. If it is a wing chair, make up the wing sections first, and then fit them to the inner back panel. Always follow the rules for trimming and clipping into seam allowances, and press and finish each seam as you stitch it. It may be difficult to finish the seams once further sections have been joined.
Where seams cross, taper any piping into the seam allowance, trimming the cord from the piping to reduce bulk so that you can stitch seams across each other. 3 On most styles of sofa, you will have to join widths of fabric to make up the full width of the back, seat and front panels of the cover. Use a full width of fabric down the center of the panel, with narrow strips joined selvedge to selvedge down each side, Slip-tack the seams to ensure any pattern matches.
Allow panels around the sides of the seat and down each back corner to tuck into the cracks between the upholstered sections of the chair or sofa to hold the cover in place. Do not trim the seam allowance from these tuck-ins until you have tacked the cover and are happy with the fit. There are many different shapes for the arms of chairs. For simple, rectangular shapes, there is often a gusset over the top and front of the arm. If you have to join strips to make up the gusset, position the seam at the front angle of the arm. For heavily stuffed, curved shapes, gather the fabric over the head of the arm and fit it to a front panel shaped to match the outline of the arm.
Around the lower edge of the cover, allow a 20cm turning under the chair. Clip away the fabric to fit around the legs or castors of the chair leaving a 6 mm seam allowance. Then neaten the edge with a strip of fabric cut on the bias. Make a casing all around the lower edge and thread a tape through it to draw the cover tightly under the chair or sofa. 6 Down the opening edge at the back corner(s), allow a wider seam allowance and press the turnings towards the back of the chair. Fit hook-and-eye fastenings or a zip by the overlapped method.
Before fitting a valance, mark the level of the valance on the outside of the cover with chalk or pins, checking it is the same height from the floor all round. For a gathered valance, make up a strip of fabric allowing at least 1 times the measurement around the chair. Neaten the sides and lower edge with a 12 mm wide double hem. Gather the long raw edge. Position the valance on the cover, with right sides facing and the valance lying upwards, so that the seam lines match. Stitch in place, and then press the valance downwards. 8 For a crisp finish on a tailored valance, cut the lower part of the cover off just below the marked height of the valance.
Make up the valance and re-join the strip you cut off to the seam joining the valance and cover, sandwiching the top raw edge of the valance between the cover and the lower strip with the casing. Stitch together, then layer the seam allow- ances and press them upwards.