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pattyk_64

Looking for a slipcover source other than SureFit

16 years ago

I'm looking for a slipcover for my wing chair, and have had a look at Surefit, but there seem to be mixed reviews. If I have a custom slipcover made, I'm looking at hundreds of dollars, not sure I want to go that route either. I've considered making my own, I do know how to sew but wonder if it might be an overwhelming project. I'm really just looking at something fairly simple, no pattern matching involved, probably just your standard off white cotton duck.

I would love to hear any advice or purchasing or sewing! Thanks so much!

Comments (17)

  • 16 years ago

    Well, there is always Target and JC Penny.

    FYI >> I bought a SureFit Ivory Muslin Slipcover and loved it. It wore well. Fit well. Looked great. The only reason I had to get rid of it was a guest spilled a glass of red wine on it and the stain would not come out. I also had a SureFit Green Velvet slipcover for that sofa so that I could change them between seasons. The Velvet one was great, but showed lint of course.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Target Wing Chair Slipcover

  • 16 years ago

    dilly dally, I've been curious about the stretch covers, I've always worried that they might look cheap somehow, but I've never seen them in real life, just in pics. What are your thoughts on that? When I've looked up the Cotton Duck covers in Natural (I haven't seen Ivory Muslin) reviewers say how you can see through the fabric, did you find that to be the case with yours?

  • 16 years ago

    >reviewers say how you can see through the fabric

    FWIW, I have a loveseat with the white cotton duck. I don't find that to be a problem, since my sofa had ivory fabric on it to begin with, but I can see that it might be if you had a dark, patterned fabric underneath. I can see the tag that marks the center front through the fabric (and since I have the one with the elastic rather than the ties, I can't cut that off, since I really need it to put things on straight).

    The biggest problem I have with it is that with a lot of use the fabric tends to pill in a way that surprised me a little--if you're old enough to remember how polyester behaved in the 70's, this is very similar, although the hand of the fabric isn't bad at all, otherwise, and it washes clean even after a lot of heavy use from lolling snackers.

  • 16 years ago

    I like the cotton duck because it has a tight weave and my cats are never interested in scratching it as they are a more loosely woven material like chenille.

  • 16 years ago

    Thanks everyone. It's for a chair that I have in my front entry so it won't get sat on much, just to put on shoes and such. Maybe I'll reconsider the surefit cotton duck.

  • 16 years ago

    Pattyk_64,

    I've never used the stretch covers. I have seen them on furniture in people's homes and they look "cheap". They are the kind of slipcovers that give me the willies just to look at them. One always imagines that the couch/chair is stained beyond belief and the colors offered in stretch slipcovers are not fashion colors. I just checked their website and the photos of the slipcovered items look awful. Mine looked good IRL.

    My SureFit covers were in Ivory(?) or (maybe it was Natural), cotton duck, and no way could I see through them. I had them on a black patterned couch too. I think the problem of 'see-through' would be with the knit stretch ones.

    The ones I had were woven and nicely fitted but still rather loose and casual, and gave the couch a 'Pottery Barn look'. Mine had an elastic band all the way around the bottom and a sort of ruffle. I do not see it on the website any longer. It looked somewhat like the Chantal style you see but in a solid color rather than floral.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chantal

  • 16 years ago

    I've seen the stretch covers once or twice when they looked okay (not great, but tolerable), but I think in order for them to work you have to have the exact chair they had in mind when they designed them. A couple of inches off in any direction and they are pretty bad looking, as dilly_dally said.

  • 16 years ago

    I just won a white cotton from surefit on ebay for 9.95. I'm in the process of sewing a slipcover for my queen Anne chair and couch. I figure I can "modify" the slipcover and save a lot of headaches. My style is cottage and I love mixing fabrics in this small room.

  • 16 years ago

    It may be different for a chair, but I got the 2 piece cotton twill from JCP for my sofa and loveseat (I got good deals for them new on e-bay), and oooooh, they were a pain. Per advice here, I tried the upholstery pins, but they always looked messy. I had to fix them daily. I was really disappointed!

    I may try to sew my own (I am just learning to sew) or like sduck, modify what I have. On the plus side, if you make your own, you can do ANYTHING. I saw a chair w/ a vintage chenille slipcover that I thought was very cute .. .the world is your oyster since you sew.

    Here is a link that might be useful: JCPenney 2 Piece Twill

  • 16 years ago

    Sewing a slipcover isn't nearly as hard as people make it sound. The sofa's slipcover is my first ever sewing project for anything more complicated than re-attaching a shirt button (the chair at the right was my second & last attempt) and I did it without experience, a pre-made pattern, instructions or a machine, nothing but a saggy Sure-fit slipcover, some extra matching fabric for the cushion & a box of Band-aids. Took me all of two days. If I can do it, anybody can. Go for it.

    Regards,
    Magnaverde.

  • 16 years ago

    Thanks for the encouragement Magnaverde, it seems everywhere I read that I need to make one out of muslin first, take it apart and then use that for a pattern. I just can't imagine going to that much trouble for one slipcover. I think I'm going to give it a shot on my own. Beautiful job on your slipcover, it looks wonderful!

  • 16 years ago

    I recently ordered 2 different sets of slipcovers from JC Penney, and they'll all be going back! I was looking for covers for a pair of wingback chairs we bought off of CL for $50.

    One cover was a stretch one (SureFit), and it definitely looks cheap.

    The second was a cotton duck, and it is so wrinkly and ill-fitting, that it will always look like a messy slipcover (and no way I'd iron it!)

    So, back to the drawing board for me. I searched and searched and searched online (and posted a similar question here), and it seems that good quality, pre-made slipcovers are hard to come by. Most websites are carrying the same small handful of brands of slipcovers.

  • 16 years ago

    Gosh, I just got rid of mine. I wish I had known someone could have used them for a pattern. Mine were custom-made and I had used them for 8 years and was tired of them and had my chairs reupholstered. They were very nice and very expensive to have made. In fact, upholstery was cheaper.

  • 16 years ago

    Magnaverde- bandaids to hold the slipcover together? LOL or your poor fingers? sorry it sounded so McGyver to me! Your slipcovers do look good!

  • 16 years ago

    I have 2 slipcovered sofas... one is a Rowe sofa that came with washable custom slipcovers and the other was a CL find with custom covers. I love them both! But, I have one of the stretch covers for a leather recliner (which the cat scratched) and I absolutely hate it. It doesn't stay in place and like someone else said it looks cheap.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Hi pattyk_64,

    My name is Andrea and I work for Mamma Mia Covers. Our company produces high-quality covers for all types of furniture. We guarantee that you will find a cover that suites your wing chair and meets all your requirements. Feel free to visit our website!


    Andrea,

    Mamma Mia Covers

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