What to hear a shocker? I want my living room to be more white. I know, I know. Right now, it just seems to be all the same creamy color. My walls are the same color as my couch which is the same color as my ottoman, rug, and carpet. My own fault for picking cream things. I'm really going to paint my walls...eventually. But until then, I'm in the process of trying to get my furniture not so creamy and little more white. I am in love with
Ikea's white slipcover furniture, and would love it more to buy the sectional. But right now, it doesn't make any sense to do that. I have a perfect couch that I love. I can't slipcover my couch (I could try, but it wouldn't look pretty) so instead, I'm made a slipcover for the ottoman. Here's the ottoman before:
I got it for around $30 a few years back (score! I know) and it has seen better days after having a toddler and my husband not care about what they put on it or where they wipe their hands...mainly the toddler on that last one :) So, now with a slipcover, I can wash it when it gets too dirty...or just keep it stashed away until company comes over and throw it on to pretty things up.
I'm not a seamstress or an upholsterer...so, trust me, if I can do this, anyone can. It's all about straight lines and two important concepts. Measure twice, cut once. And doing everything inside out.
Since my ottoman is a perfect square, it made things really easy. The top measured 33x33 and the sides 17x33. So, I made one cut of fabric for the top at 35x35 and the sides at 24x35. I then laid the top on the ottoman first and secured the sides to the top with some pins.
I took the empty shell off and sewed a half inch seam where all the pins were.
Next were the sides. No need to pin them down on the ottoman (you can if you want). I just lined them up sewed a half inch seam 12 inches down and stopped.
At that 12 inch mark, I then folded the fabric and pinned it in place on the side that is going to be outside not inside.
I then sewed it in place, creating an 1/8th seam. It ended up looking like this when it was done. It creates a cute little permanent pleat.
Next was to hem everything below the pleat. I just folded the seams over and hemmed it about half an inch once again.
I then folded the bottom half all the way up to the pleat creating a pocket fold and sewed it in place. I like the way the hem is big and you can see it in the flaps.
I then went an extra step and pinched the top seam and sewed an 1/8th inch line around it. It creates a more 'done' look than just leaving the seam as is.
I love how it turned out! If I were to do it again, I would raise the bottom pleat a little higher. But all in all, I'm happy with how this turned out!
It only took an evening to finish, and that was with dinner, riding bikes, playing, etc. So, making the cover could totally have been done in like 2 hours.
The best thing about this, is that if you crave that cute Ikea white slipcover look, and you have a coffee table, you can still just as easily make a cover for it :) Because....why not?
I love how this brightened up the space just that much more! And how it's completely breaking up the creamy yellow that I hate. Now, eventually, instead of everything being cream, it will probably be all white :) lol
I got this fabric from Hobby Lobby. I think it's like white denim. Cost was $6 a yard. I used about 3 yards to make it. So, $24 for the cover! As you can see, I also added some white pillows to my couch that I made out of the same fabric to unify things.
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