How To: Make An Ottoman Slip Cover

My parents generously handed-down the couch from their basement to help us fill our family room. I remember helping my mother pick out the fabric for this couch when I was in middle school to match our newly finished basement.  It saw its share of sleepovers and movie nights, but held up well and made the journey to Iowa ten years later.

Hoping to make the couch my own, I switched out the throw pillows for a pop of color and made plans to re-purpose the ottoman. I've partnered with my sewing machine on a few projects throughout the years, so I decided to put my skills to the test by making a slip cover to match my new pillows. I figured I was off to a good start when I found the perfect color fabric (I have found that there are many versions of rustic orange).

A few hours later, the ottoman was like new! Whether you are like me and want to bring new life to an old piece, or if you're just looking to add a splash of color or texture to a room, this is a small way to make a big impact. I was able to complete this project for only $15!

What you'll need:

• Fabric (I recommend upholstery or a heavy cotton so it can take some wear and tear)
• Thread
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape
• Straight Pins
• Decorative Trim (optional)
• Sewing Machine (tip: if you don't own one you can 'rent' a seat at a local sewing shop!)

What you'll do:

Step 1: Purchase your fabric. My ottoman is a 20" by 20" cube and needed 1.5 yards.

Step 2: Cut 5 pieces of fabric. These will be the sides and top to your slip cover.  Measure each side and add an additional inch so you have room for your hem. For example, the side of my ottoman was 16" high by 20" wide, so I cut 4 pieces at 17" by 21".

Step 3: Sew your sides together with a 0.5" hem (remember that you made each piece 1" bigger than you needed, to allow for a 0.5" hem on each side). Be sure to sew inside out so your hem will be concealed in the inside of the slip cover.

Step 4: Slide your cover over the ottoman and correct any hems that are too tight or too loose.

Step 5: Fit your top piece to the sides.  With your 4 sides inside-out and snug around the ottoman, lay your top piece face down.  Secure to the 4 sides with straight pins.  Then, pull the cover off of the ottoman and sew it together on the sewing machine with a 0.5 inch hem.

Step 6: Turn the cover right-side out and slide over the ottoman.  Again, make note of any hems that need to be pulled tighter or loosened and make those corrections.

Step 7: Most likely, you will have small holes in the top corners that the sewing machine couldn't reach. Simply turn your cover inside out again and hand-stitch the corner together.

Step 8: You are almost done! Finish the bottom of the slip cover with a small hem around the base.

Step 9 (Optional): Hand-stitch a decorative trim on the top, bottom, or sides of your cover.

Step 10: Admire your work!