How Much Fabric Do I Need For A Sofa Slipcover

How Much Fabric Do I Need For A Sofa Slipcover?

This question is really 3 questions in 1. How much fabric do I need to cut to make a sofa slipcover? How much will it cost? Can I reuse old sheets? In order to answer any of these, I need to know some things about your sofa.

There are standard sofa sizes that can help you guesstimate how much fabric you'll need, but if you really want a snug slipcover that's easy to get on and off, take the time to measure your sofa.

Measure the length of the back of the sofa from arm to arm. This is the width of the fabric you'll need to buy. If it's wider than the fabric you can buy in stores (usually 54 inches), you'll have to sew two pieces together. Buy enough fabric to cover the back of the sofa at least down to the floor, and probably to within 6 inches of the floor.

Measure the length from the top of the back of the sofa to the floor. This is the height of the fabric you need. Multiply that number by two and buy that much fabric. That will be enough to cover the back and part of the front of the sofa.

Measure the length of one arm of the sofa. This is how wide the two side pieces of fabric must be. You'll need enough to go from the floor to the top of the arm. Buy enough fabric for both arms.

If your sofa has cushions, measure the seat and the back cushions separately. The seat cushion should be covered by one piece of fabric long enough to go around the entire perimeter of the cushion and high enough to cover the entire height of the cushion. The back cushion should be covered by two pieces of fabric -- one to cover the front and one to cover the back. They should be high enough to cover the height of the cushion and long enough to go around both sides of the cushion and meet in the middle of the cushion back.

Add 6 inches to the width and height of every piece you cut, since that fabric will be folded over to make the seams. Add 3 inches to the length of any piece that goes from the floor to the top of the sofa, since you'll need some extra fabric to tuck under the sofa.

Now you know how much fabric to buy. As for cost, it will depend on the type of fabric you choose. If you're reusing old sheets, the cost will be zero. You can use an online fabric calculator to estimate the cost of new fabric.