A while back, I recovered my mom’s sectional couch for her. I’ve recovered several pieces of furniture before, varying in complexity, from dining room chairs to tufted loveseats. Recovering this sectional was a high-impact project that was actually pretty simple since the couch is pretty square.
I approached covering the couch like a would draping a garment. I didn’t have to start with precise measurements or worry about running out of fabric because my mom bought the whole bolt (that’s the way she rolls). I really enjoy the occasional home dec sewing project and find the problem solving around draping a dress very similar to draping a couch, and both are fun for me. But I know a lot of garment sewers (and quilters) hate home dec projects. Have you ever re-covered a couch? Would you ever re-cover a couch?
One fun design bit was figuring out which direction to cover the corner of the sectional. Mom’s house is small and there is a fireplace in the living room which means that there really isn’t any other way that her couch can ever be arranged. So, knowing that the arrangement would stay the same, I suggested that I put the grainline of the corner piece on the diagonal. Although my mom is very creative (and a phenomenal home decorator), she insisted that she never would have thought of that, which made me proud of myself :)
We opted to leave the cover as a slip-cover instead of tacking it to the frame so that it could be removed and washed if necessary (since my mom has dogs and cats), but it’s a snug enough fit that washing it is only for special occasions.
I added a layer of foam to the seat of the couch so it became a little bit more comfortable – a very easy task for a square couch. Mom has been delighted with the “new” couch, so the project was definitely a success. And, although she’s a phenomenal quilter, she was intimidated by the task, so I was glad to be able to help.
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You are brave, Erin. I wouldn’t even consider that. And it looks great too. Is it surfboard fabric? LOVE that.
Author
I do’t think it’s supposed to be surfboards, but the geometric shapes are pretty surfboard-shaped aren’t they?
I like that fabric! I bought some old arm chair that I felt in love to reupholster…I haven’t be brave enough yet to start that project.
This made me smile, as my mum’s sofa/couch is on it’s 3rd slip cover set – all made by her over the last 25 years (and getting increasingly more fitted). I don’t think it’s ever not been covered for more than a couple of weeks as she’s worried about damaging the fabric (which is very chintzy, unlike any of the covers she’s made). I really like the latest incarnation, which is brown with yellow sofa cushion covers, green sofa arm protector thingies (what are they called?) and is finished off with a red cushion on top. It sounds foul but the effect is lovely and reminds me of a Mondrian painting.
I would be daunted by a task, but she did the latest recovering in the last year (she’s in her late 70’s). However, today I had to help her cut out and pin tape on the fabric for the first ever Roman blind that either of us have made as she couldn’t get her head round it. Blinds are rectangular and much more simple than sofa’s!
Author
Oh what a lovely story! The description of the latest does sound a bit odd, until you describe it as a Mondrian painting and then I bet it’s lovely! How very sweet of you to help your mom with the blinds – isn’t it funny how simple things can be intimidating even when we’ve already tackled much harder?
“protector thingies”
Antimaccars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimacassar
Sometimes, I have dreams about buying an entire bolt of fabric. You win daughter of the year! x
Have never recovered any furniture but my couch has that same fabric – just with a brown background. I confess, I had a professional reupholster it.
Author
What a coincidence that your couch has the same fabric!