Simple Cushion Covers

While visiting family last weekend, we were watching HGTV and I was amazed to see my exact couch pop up on a decorating show. It's a lovely dark green microfiber suedey kind of couch, wears great and is pretty comfy. I got mine practically new from a neighbor with too much furniture on her hands. In the HGTV show, they kept the couch in the space, and in the reveal it was given gorgeous new accent cushions that took it from drab to fab. I was instantly jealous and determined to give my couch a little pick-me-up. My previous beloved khaki couch had an entire wardrobe of accent pillow covers, but for some reason I had never devoted any effort to dressing the green couch up as pretty. So Monday, I hit the fabric store, determined to recreate the look on the show. While I couldn't find the same styling of fabric their covers had, I did find 3 fabulous fabrics that worked well in my own home, so I immediately set to work on the sewing.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination. I can, however, sew a decent straight line, which means anything in a square or rectangle shape is fair game.

Here's the step-by-step for my cushion covers. Note I am too lazy to actually measure, so everything is eyeballed. I made 3 sets of cushion covers (plus a few other projects you'll see soon) in just a couple of hours after the baby went to bed. Since all 3 fabrics were in the same color family, I saved time (and thread!) by choosing one thread color to use for all 3 sets so I wouldn't have to rethread the sewing machine.

1. Measure out the fabric. I laid the cushion I wanted to slipcover on the folded fabric and just cut a square with a couple inches to spare on each side. Note the fabric is folded right sides together, so the unfold cut piece would look like a large rectangle. For my oversized pillow cushions, 1-1/2 yards made 2 slipcovers.


2. I hemmed the two sides that would be the opening of the pillowcase.


3. I sewed the sides shut, wrong sides out. Since I had extra fabric, I sewed with a pretty big allowance and then trimmed the extra away.


4. I checked the fit of the slipcover several times as I went along.


5. When the case was finished, I used iron-on velcro in a coordinating beige for closing it. I don't know how to do button holes or zippers, so velcro was the easiest choice for this sewing novice.


6. Voila! The couch is happy to be dressed!