Time to mark fabric and cut! Your material is now laid out (not many wrinkles). You’ll want to get an even line across top using your yardstick. Mark a straight line with a pencil along top (if darker material a pen will work or even chalk if you have it). Eyeball it to make sure it looks even, sometimes fabric store will not cut it even so it’s up to you. This will be your starting reference point (this will be a cutting line for you). Get your calculations for length for each: valance and curtain. Now measure from that straight line down for valance length needed, do this twice because it needs to be doubled for fullness (unless 60” width fabric). Make a mark. Do same halfway across and on folded edge. Now put your yardstick across from mark to mark and draw a line (this will also be a cutting line). Do same for curtains. Each curtain side gets its own length (unless 60” width fabric). Grab a couple of pins and pin just inside edges and lines of each section you marked. Cut along lines. You should now have 4 pieces cut, 2 for valance and 2 for each curtain side. Once again were going to mark, this time on right side of fabric. Open up your pieces, right side of fabric up, lay them out straight, using a pencil, lightly mark 3” down from straight top on each piece, make several marks across. Use yardstick to connect marks to make a straight line. Do same on bottom, 4” up from straight edge. Mark 1” in on both side edges of each piece. Mark all pieces. Make sure all marks are lightly placed on outside of fabric, but dark enough so you can see them. Sew two valance pieces together. Press seam flat. Sew outside edges of all pieces turning under ½” twice (will be 1” all together, pencil line should be on outside edges), press & stitch along inside folded under edge. Press up hems to inside of material along all marked lines. Fold them under ½ of width and press again. Stitch along that folded edge on inside. Holding fabric as you stitch to make sure fabric doesn’t bunch up. You should have a 2” bottom hem for each piece and a 1½” hem for top hem to slide curtain rods through. Make sure to backstitch when you begin sewing and at end to reinforce stitching from coming out. Voila’, there you have it! This process should only take about 1½ hours. Put your rods through top hems of curtains. Put up valance and curtains.

About the Author: Robin Hall has been a successful Tailor with over 30 years in business. She has sewn everything including home décor items. She has just started an online home décor store where you will find great products including great tips on decorating and home improvement. Stop by and see us/her at www.coollampsnstuff.com or send email with questions to sales@coollampsnstuff.com

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Once you have all your measurements for your slip cover pieces, start with largest sizes and mark everything out on your fabric, WRONG SIDE. You will need a yardstick or longer, measuring tool. A large square is good to have also. (Any hardware store should carry tools) Label all pieces; i.e. back back, front back, seat, sides or skirting, etc. Cut your pieces.

Holding your slipcover pieces up to furniture piece INSIDE OUT, pin seams together about every 2 inches lengthwise along seam. Make sure to center your pieces over furniture so you have equal seam allowance on sides, edges, etc. Back-back to front-back, pin. Seat to front-back, pin and so on. Sew these pieces together. Once you start sewing, your seams will only be about 3/8" instead of full 5/8". This gives slipcover a tiny bit of room to move when finished. I recommend getting some T-pins to use when you are making slipcovers for larger upholstered pieces, you can stick them into furniture and they will hold slipcover fabric in place when fitting pieces together.

Normally, I will pin fit whole slipcover together inside out on furniture piece, then go sew, removing pins along way. This is similar to a puzzle, make sure to sew all seams that dead end into other seams first. Once you have it sewn together, turn it right side out and fit it. Check for areas that may be a bit off and correct. From experience I can tell you it is usually pretty good if you can sew a straight seam. You can put some masking tape on your sewing machine face plate and mark 3/8" over from needle to help with this. Complete all finishing touches, stand back and take a picture!

This is a wonderful way to grow patience, skill and redecorate for less. There is time involved, but you will have a great sense of accomplishing a lost art! Have fun!

There is more to this than what I have here, but you should be able to get a pretty good idea of what to do and how. There are some very good books you can get from your public library and material/craft stores to help you and I would be happy to help, if you mail me at address below.

About the Author: Robin Hall has been a successful Tailor by trade for 30 years. She has sewn everything including home décor items. She has just started an online home décor store where you will find great products including more tips on decorating and home improvement. Stop by and see us/her at www.coollampsnstuff.com or send email with questions to sales@coollampsnstuff.com