Back in March, I took some unhurried decorative play in the master bedroom.  I just felt stuck in this room.  The bones were there, but I was having trouble finishing it off.  I couldn’t make up my mind on the smaller pieces of furniture, what to hang on the wall, or how to make it a polished, finished space.  During this time of experimenting, shuffling around furniture, and rethinking things, I decided that the ticking fabric on the chaise was limiting my options to some extent.  I liked how several fabrics I already owned worked with the Aviary Toile, but not the ticking stripe.  An easy option was to make a slipcover for the chaise.

I covered it in an antique linen sheet and it immediately confirmed that thought.  I like the ticking fabric and it’s still in like-new condition, so a slipcover is a perfect way to change the look while protecting the ticking fabric in case I want to show it off again.

For those who have asked, the chaise is the Lily Chaise Lounge from Birch Lane.  At the time I ordered it, I think it only came in the blue ticking, but it can now be ordered in over 100 different fabric options.

The back cushion was connected, so I decided to cut it off in order to make the slipcover more fitted to the chaise and the individual cushions.  This means that I will have to patch the back of the cushion if I want to use it with the slipcover off again, but I was willing to live with that.  I’ll probably keep it slipcovered for several years.

Since making covers for the cushions is my least-favorite part, I did that first to get it out of the way!  You can find a video tutorial on slipcovering cushions HERE.  If you have to make a cushion to replace one that is sagging or damaged, you can find a tutorial showing that process HERE.

You can find the complete video slipcover tutorial series here…

part one | how to sew custom piping

part two | cutting the fabric 

part three | pinning & sewing the fabric

part four | sewing the wings & arms

part five | skirts, ties & cushion cover

While this tutorial walks through the process of making a slipcover for a wing chair, the process is identical for a chaise as long as it is symmetrical.  If it is an asymmetrical chaise, the inside-out pin-fitting method I typically use and teach will not work.

I also make a different style of skirt – one with kick-pleats on the corners instead of a ruffle.  I felt like a ruffle might look a little stuffy and bulky on this specific chair.  A kick-pleat is a little simpler and cleaner.  I made tie closures for the back out of linen the same way I did in THIS TUTORIAL.

For the material, I used 10 yards of 4c22 linen in Mix Natural from Fabrics | Store.  I was able to get it on sale for just over $6/yard, so it ended up being less than $80 to make a linen slipcover for this chaise.

I did wash the linen prior to sewing, so it would be washable after it was made.  Since 10 yards of fabric is a lot to put in a residential washer and dryer, I cut the piece in half and washed five yards at a time.  I ironed the fabric once the pieces were sewn.

The thing I like about working with linen and antique fabrics is they are forgiving.  Linen has this relaxed, loose quality, so it’s okay if it’s not perfect.  I’ve gotten much better at sewing over the years, but I’m not a perfectionist at all!  Done is better than perfect when it comes to slipcovers in my book!

I love how this chaise is now a little quieter and lets the other fabrics in the room shine.  When my mom visits, we’re going to sew lots of pillows and make the bed crown to sprinkle the fabrics I’ve selected around the room.  I can’t wait to see it all come together!

For more posts about the master bedroom, you can click HERE.

For more furniture makeover posts, click HERE.