Recliner Slipcover Tutorial

I am SO happy with this chairs transformation.  It brightens up the room, gives it the casual coastal look I am going for.  To read the story of the chair go here.  

For my tutorial I am just going to explain how I changed the look of the chair but not really how to sew a slipcover because I am not an expert. Here's the before again.

Here's my supplies.  I actually purchased 2-12'x15' drop cloths for this project but I only used about 2/3's of one.  I told you my sewing machine was basic right?

I wanted my lazyboy to not look like a "lazyboy" so I decided to just go for it.  I cut the back pillow off.  At this point I freaked out a little bit. Actually it was more like I hope my husband doesn't walk in right now..... not really he is very supportive of my creative whims. I then pulled out all the stuffing and added 4" foam.  I pulled the mauve fabric back over the foam stapling tightly and cut off the excess fabric.  No going back to Mauve for this chair because I proceeded to cut the bottom cushion out too. 

I decided I needed to make four slip covers.  This way it will be easier get the darn thing off to wash it. I made one for the back, one for the bottom half including arms, one for the footrest, and one for the cushion.  The Method I used for making my slip cover was just to simply lay fabric over the chair, pin, cut (leaving a seam allowance)and then sew. 

The back was by far the easiest part. It slips on then attaches to the bottom of the back with velcro. This makes the pleats lay nice and straight. The front part just sorta hangs there and is held down by the bottom cushion. Fancy.

The footrest I folded and pleated the fabric on the top were you could see it & used elastic along the bottom underside because the pleats hide any bunching.

Next I covered the seat cushion. I reused the bottom cushion foam because it was in great shape. I closed up the back with velcro. I have never attempted a zipper and I didn't feel like this was the time to start. Velcro is so much easier.  When covering a cushion I find the hardest part is getting the top cushion fabric to line up with the bottom cushion fabric.  It came out a little tweaked. Oh well a perfectionist I am not.  

The arms went pretty well. The hardest part was getting that darn pleated skirt straight and the right length.  I re-did the left side 3 times. At that point I was about to say forget it (lets just burn the mauve chair) but I was so close. 

The inside part of the arms are attached to the inside of the chair with velcro.

The back part of the arms are Velcroed to the back of the chair and the back piece covers that.

As you can see from the pictures when the recliner is fully reclining the back pulls away and the pleats drag on the floor.  It is far from perfect. For me it works and most important, it is not mauve. 

Remember what it looked like before?

I love it.