How to make DIY slip covers. Anyone know?

[girlcitizen]

Hey all- I got a great deal on a semi-decent looking couch but it doesn't match any of my stuff.  I want to make my own slip covers and for them to be as easy as possible to make! - I don't really have a sewing machine at my disposal.  Is there anyway to just buy some fabric and just throw it over or something? Thanks!

[PinkyK]

I have "made" slip covers with a sheet before just by buying a sheet big enough to cover the entire couch then neatly tucking it in all around.  You know in the arms and under the cushions and stuff. Now in that case the couch was against the wall and the sheet did not cover the back so it was OK that the ugly dirty back of the couch was not covered.  If it was going to show I just would have bought two or three sheets. 

If you want it to work REALLY well and you find a deal on sheets you should get three sheets.  Take the cushions off of the couch and put down the first two sheets to cover the front, sides and back.  Then put the cushions back on and cover them with a third sheet.

Instead of sheets you could use fabric and just "hem" the edges with fuseable interfacing, the kind you just need an iron for. Sheets are just easy and you can find them cheap.

[girlcitizen]

wow! thats such a great idea.  i have enough money for some sheets so i think i will take you up on that.  taking it even further...i wonder if its possible (this is a very cheap couch) to cut up some sheets and hot glue them to the cushions - that way each individual cushion has a cover, and then add a sheet for the front, back and sides. hmm...

[PinkyK]

Hot glue would probably work. However, the advantage to NOT hot gluing them is you can very easily take the sheets off and wash them.  Which is always a good thing for me. I'm the queen of dropping coffee and food on the couch! But if you are neat, and I know people who are, hot glue would probably work.

[girlcitizen]

thats a really good point too. ok, one more question and i'll stop bugging you!   Do you think I could just pin the sheets down perhaps with those little clothing pins you buy in the sewing aisle?  you know, the ones with the ball on the top?  I'm looking for a way to make sure it is secure but i do like your idea about washing because i have animals...

[PinkyK]

How about safety pins?  That way the slip cover will stay secure, you can take them off when you need to, but they won't poke people when they sit down either.

Velcro could work if only the stick on Velcro stuck better.  If you are willing to hand sew it on maybe....

Other people might have ideas too.....

[ConcreteJungler]

There are pins made especially for slipcovers.  They look like wee corkscrews with a clear button on the end.  These are more secure than regular dressmaker pins and a little easier to use than safety pins.  You just have to remember where you placed them when you want to go back and remove them to do the washing.

Surefit makes machine washable slipcovers.  If you're in the US, you can buy them from Target and Wal-Mart and online for under $100.  Then again, if you had $100 kicking around, you could buy a MiniUltra sewing machine and make tons of stuff.

OK, back on subject, Googling revealed these pins are called "twist pins."  Here's a picture: http://www.hancockfabrics.com/jump.jsp?itemID=22088&itemType=PRODUCT