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.
103 comments:
WOW! I can't believe how great the Lazyboy looks now. Great Job.
wow! awesome....you did great!
You are sooooo talented!!! Fantastic. Mimi, I am not sure if you are accepting awards but I have nominated you for the versatile blogger award so if you are willing to accept this then please visit my site within the next 24 hours where you will see my post and can accept my offer.
Great blog!
Your recliner now looks lady like and fit for a queen....sweetness! Mel's Cabin enjoys your post and thanks for your comment too.
That is incredible! Someday....far far in the future, I plan on being able to sew and make slip covers. But for now, I'll have to pick my jaw up off the floor and look at yours!
Best,
Ashleigh
I'll never look at a recliner the same way again! Who would have thought it could be slipcovered like that? Your slipcover is fantastic and the pleating is a great detail. Enjoy your new chair! :)
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wow! I'm very impressed! I sooo need to do this to my loveseat and chair.
very nice!
gail
Mimi - THAT is GORGEOUS! You totally turned that recliner around - I can't believe the difference. It's awesome!!! I'm following you now - JenT
This is so inspiring! I have a recliner that the cover is getting really worn. I may just have to try to slipcover it! Thanks for sharing.
I was debating on whether or not to get rid of my old rocker/recliner. But now, I know I've got to slipcover it. You did a fantastic job! I don't care for the look of rocker/recliners but I don't think I could live without mine either. Thanks for the inspiration!!
You did a wonderful job transforming your lazyboy! It looks absolutely amazing! I have an old worn out recliner and I am inspired to cover mine now!
Blessings,
Janet
Fabulous! Congratulations!
hugs from Brasil
Cidinha
Wow!! Amazing transformation! The chair looks great! You did a wonderful job. The drop cloth material can be used in so many ways!
I am in AWE! Can't imagine ever pulling something like this off. Great job!
This amazing! I am so impressed. You did a fantastic job, thanks for sharing this project.
Denise
Totally fabulous - I admire your guts for the undertaking and the result is in a word "wow". Nice job.
That is seriously unbelievable! Wow and wow.
Great job!! I am in the middle of 2 wing chair slipcovers and can see all the hard work you put into yours! Kudos for taking a recliner on!! :)
Hugs,
Victoria
That is amazing! My husband really wants his recliner back after I took it hostage upon completing my living room renovation. Maybe now I will reconsider! Once again, great job!
Great creativity! I also hate the lazyboy recliner, but I LOVE yours!
Wow!! I am so impressed! You are amazing. Keep up the good work.
Great job! You can't even tell it is a recliner!~Hugs, Patti
fantastic! i've been looking at ours & thinking the same thing but tho't it impossible - now i know i can do it...thank you!
What you did with your old recliner is so amazing!! I have been wanting to cover my husbands burgandy leather recliner for way to long and now I have hope that it really can be done. Do you think I can pull the same thing off with a leather chair, especially if I will not be removing any padding. The lines and padding on the chair look good I just wanted another color / look in the livingroom, everything else in there is cream and beige and tan. Thanks for the tutorial!!! Tamela
Oh wow, Miss Mustard Seed was right -- I totally stayed away from lazyBoys because i thought they were impossible to slipcover!
This is awesome!
BTW, I laughed at your personal description, "i found my people and I want to play!" That's how I felt when I found out there were people online who build things like me, too!
((hugs))
Hi, Came over from MMS. I had to comment because I am thoroughly impressed!!! I never thought there was any hope for those Lazy Boy types! You seriously did an amazing job. It is fabulous.
Heidi
I have to comment on your amazing job well done! I have a "Frasier chair" in my room that my husband loves and I well...dislike to put it mildly. This is a wonderful tutorial for a novice sewer like me. Thank you! You are so inspiring and this turned out just fabulous. Jaw dropping transformation!
My family loves our Lazy Boys to watch TV but they are getting worn out and LB doesn't make our recliner model anymore. What you have done is EXACTLY what I want ours to look like. I am SO impressed!!!!!!!!! You are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!
What an amazing makeover!
WOW! I am inspired... I may just tackle my grandmother's tub chairs this weekend!! Thanks for sharing :) Becky
That is amazing!!! YAY for you! that was so clever!
Cindy
Wow you did a great job. It turned out wonderful & is very impressive... Don't think that I could ever tackle something like this & have it turn out so great...
that is genius, you have some awesome skills. i have a party wednesday i would love for you to link this.
http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com/
Doing it in pieces was a great idea. It looks so neatly done too. I would never have that kind of patience! Great job! You would never know by looking at it that it's a recliner (and was mauve in a previous life).
You did an amazing job...it looks beautiful.
I too journeyed over from MMS. I've been wanting to try slipcovers for so long, but was just now in that place...ya know. But that doesn't mean that the ideas stop churning.
You are a wonderful seamstress and I adore the
pleats.
You did awesome!
Cindi @ Rustique Art
http://www.rustiqueartblog.com
That is a beatiful makeover! To make the top & bottom cushions line up, place them wrong sides together, either before or after cording,and cut notches in the center front, sides & backs. Then once you sew the bandig on one piece, mark the notches and pin to line up. Hope this makes sense. I'm off to Good Will to look for a recliner!!
I am so impressed with this makeover!!! In all my days, I've never seen a slipcover for a recliner. Very clever to use velcro around the bottom and back. I used buttons on mine but if I ever attempt it again, I'll remember velcro. You totally transformed that chair. Looks beautiful!
You have a lovely blog. Following along! :)
This is more than amazing.
Holy man, you just became my favourite person... my poor mother, who is quite stylin' has to live with almost this exact same chair, as my stepdad refuses to give it up and I REALLY wanted to find a way to slipcover it so it was less nasty sitting in the living room. (I have noticed that it has been relegated to sitting by the window so that the dog can sit on it and stare out the window while the humans complain that there is not enough places to sit. Go figure...)
I am seeing a new weekend project on the way!
I should emphasize that whilst this chair looks better with a slipcover, my mother's version has holes, is threadbare, missing a leg so it's lopsided and is a much less attractive version of gray. Didn't mean to imply that your chair was nasty ;)
Wow you did a great job. I sew alot but I would hesitate to tackle a recliner, beautiful!!
I haven't had time for blogging but just wanted to take a moment to tell you that I think you did a fantastic job on this recliner. Quite the inspiration for me to move along further on my simple chair! Just awesome!
One word. Brilliant!
You are my super star. You rock girl.
thanks so much for sharing this at my party!
Way to go girl!! I've already commented once but this one deserves another!!
I think you may soon have a new fan- my husband. He really wants a recliner and seeing how nicely one can be transformed, I think he may get one for father's day. Thanks!!
That is just beautiful. You have great skills!
Wowza girlfriend! I am so excited for you! What a great transformation! I am truely envious of people who can do crafty stuff like that and I love that you love to do it! :-) Thanks for finding my blog! Hope to see you soon. :-)
Wow this is absolutely genius!! I hate how ugly recliners are but my husband has a bad back and can pretty much only sit in a recliner. Thanks for posting this! Someday I will attempt! And your looks just wonderful, great, great job. I recently made my first slipcover for a wing chair, here is the link to it!: http://www.honeybearlane.com/2011/03/my-wing-chair-slipcover-reveal.html
Heidi
WOW...I love it too! This is great...you just save dme tons of time...I have a recliner (but a couch) that needs a serious overhaul and now I do not have to figure out some of the steps. THANKS! I am a new follower!
Holly
504 Main
Wow you did an amazing job! Great Makeover!!!
OMYGOSH! This is freakin' awesome! You did a fantastic job! People ask me all the time about slipcovering a recliner! I will send them here!
The chair looks fabulous. You really put a lot of thought and ingenuity into the design...outstanding!
I would say you are awesome sewer. Piping and pleats are not easy. This looks awesome and I love the coastal look too. Great job!!
you did a great job with this. I have never seen anyone slipcover a recliner before.
How incredibly awesome are you? That slipcover is amazing! I am in awe of how you put it all together, not to mention, how great the chair looks.
That is so clever! Wonderful transformation!!
Wow! Impressive. Now if you could just come on over to my house and whip one up for the chair I have been meaning to slipcover for over a year! Thank you for the inspiration :-) It looks fantastic!
Speechless!!! WoW!
You absolutely rocked my socks off with this--GREAT job!
oh my gosh!!! are you sure that is the same chair and you are just pulling our chain???? it looks incredible!
Ok, that's it. You just gave me the courage to go and buy a drop cloth and make a slipcover for my recliner chair. Yours looks amazing. I saw you over at Remodelaholic and started looking around your blog and found this post. I am your latest follower. I would love for you to come and check out my blog and follow me back at www.diybydesign.blogspot.com. Thanks so much. Your blog is great.
Good JOB!!! I have done thousands of slipcovers (literally), but I still refuse to do recliners. I did one once and swore I'd never do another and I haven't. I love the idea of doing it in separate pieces, so it still functions correctly. AMAZING!!!!! Love the pleats on the bottom too.
Oh..oh..oh! I have a tan lazy boy that looks just like that. Better yet, I already have a drop cloth all bleached and ready to use. Love. That. Recliner. Great job!
Genius! Gorgeous work, well done. Gotta try this!
oh my gosh! How amazing is this! I'm a new follower!
NICE!
nice post great job...THAT is GORGEOUSIt looks absolutely amazing really i love this chair...Thanks for sharing...
I am so impressed! The chair is gorgeous! I'm doing a post on recliners and referencing this! Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Tammy
I just saw this over at Tammy's. I am so impressed. It is a huge change! I would never guess that was the same chair. You really did a great job!
So great ) I have my eye on some craigslist chairs I may just have the courage to go get, thanks to your handiwork! Super job!
Oh my gosh, You did an amazing job with the slipcover. I think velcro was a great choice even if you were an expert in placing zippers :-)
WOW!!! Will you come do mine??
craftythriftydecoratingwifemom.wordpress.com
Awesome! Great talent!
Looks awesome! Did you wash the dropcloth first? Came over from mms, new follower! Would love for you to check out my blog and follow! I love refoing chairs and I have always reupholstered them, but just getting into slipcovers and I appreciate your tutorial!
I think you did an amazing and awesome job! I've sewed all my life, but have never tried making a slipcover. I MAY now be inspired!
Happy New Year!
CAS
This was super inspiring. Was just browsing the diy community for motivation to beautify my recliner and now I have it. I doubt mine will turn out anything like yours since this is only my 3rd sewing project and I only skim through instructions for ideas lol but I'm still pumped to just go crazy with it :)
I heard that drop-cloths are bad for recovering furniture, as they're not the right fabric weight. But I was thinking about recovering my chair with them before I'd heard that. Did you think it was tough?
that is the best looking lazy boy I have ever seen!
Oh, please, I beg of you, come to my house and do my chair!! I will trade you beautifully painted furniture, homemade bread, a homecooked dinner and some candles. Please??? this is exactly what i want my chair to look like but i am way to intimitated to do it. Did i say please? GREAT JOB!!
Blessings,
Michelle
www.reimaginedjustforyou.wordpress.com
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! This is so beautiful! I've been looking on and off for months, trying to find a recliner slipcover for a favorite chair that needs it badly. I will risk failing a few times, if need be, because I'm not much of a sewer, but will do whatever it takes for this look. It's EXACTLY what I've been hoping to find!! So very appreciated!
This is great and gives me hope I might be able to do the same. What kind of foam did you use? (does it smell like foam, is the big question -- my daughters both hate the smell)
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This is fantastic, thank you for sharing! I'm going to try this with my husband's ratty la-z-boy that he won't give up.
This really is brilliant and looks so stylish. I need you to come and sprouse up my ugly mobility chair. Such a dull point in my living room.
I am helping my mother decorate her living room. My father's recliner is identical to yours, and we have chosen a heavy white cotton to use as a slipcover. This blog post couldn't be more perfect!! Thank you for sharing!
You are a genius! I made a slipcover for my husband's big ol La-z-boy a couple of years and have never been happy with it. I would have never thought of cutting out the chair cushion in order to simply cover it. I am totally going to do this. Any tips on cutting the cushion out of the chair and keeping it intact?
Oh. my. gosh. That is AMAZING! AMAZING!!!! I'm in total awe.
That is the most amazing slipcover I have ever seen. We have an ugly old lazy boy but I never thought I could recover it!
Beautiful job. i wondow your husband liked the recliner with out the back pillow. I really want to do this to our recliner. I have reupholsetered some but I think slipcovers are much harder. Brilliant idea of making seperate covers!!!
I owned an upholstery shop for years and you've done a beautiful job. Congratulations!
I owned an upholstery shop for years and you've done a beautiful job. Congratulations!
Congratulations!
OMGosh!!! This is awesome! I need a slip cover for my wingback chair, but they are expensive!! I have to try this, I love the fact that you used a canvas dropcloth...awesome! Can you please tell me where you purchased those, my Walmart only carries plastic dropcloths....thank you again!!
~Barbara
Hi! I believe I picked up my drop cloth at a local True Value Hardware store. You can also find them at the big box stores as well. Good luck with your slipcover!
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WOW! You did an amazing job!
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To say you did a fantastic job is putting it mildly. You have done much better than a lot I have seen with way more experience. If I were not going to do my own, I would BEG you to do mine. I have checked several places for the drop cloths and found you can get them at Lowe's pretty cheap. Yours looks pretty white, did you bleach it first? I am getting ready to do a sofa but no ruffle of pleats for me. I felt it was a great idea to take the back cushion out, never would have thought of that myself. Thanks so much for posting this.
You did an awesome job! It looks great. I helped recover a sofa and swore I would never attempt anything like that again but you have inspired me to rethink that plan.
What a beautiful transformation! It doesn't even look like the same chair!
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