How to Make a Stylish Sofa Cover

comments (3) February 25th, 2009

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Erika Kern, contributor

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After: My new throw protects my sofa and is 1,000 times more stylish than my last attempt at covering.

Before: No matter how many sheets and blankets I put on my sofa, it always seemed as though Gracies hair made it through to the upholstery.

The fleece back is comfy and a bit more subtle than the graphic print of the canvas front. The scalloped quilting adds intrest to this simple throw.

After: My new throw protects my sofa and is 1,000 times more stylish than my last attempt at covering.

Photo: Erika Kern

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My dog loves two things: rolling in the dirt and sitting on the couch. This would be fine if I had a crummy couch but, honestly, my couch is one of the nicest things I own and I'd really like to keep it that way. Sure, I could keep her off the couch, but I swear it would break her little heart. I looked into buying a cover, but all the pet-resistant covers I found were $60 or more. I tried sheets and blankets, but it just looked like someone was always sleeping on my couch and they really didn't help; it seemed the hair would work its way through.

So, faced with a dilemma, I did what any crafter would do. . . make my own pet throw. I used fleece on one side to attract the fur and canvas on the other to prevent the fur and dirt from making their way through. Also, my throw cost me $28 and is far cuter than anything I've found commercially.

Want to make one for your couch?

Here's what you'll need to make a 72-inch by 55-inch throw:

2-1/4 yards of polarfleece
2 yards of canvas (I used this print from Ikea)
Scissors
Safty pins
Thread in a complementary color
Sewing machine with a walking foot
Quilting gloves (optional but so very handy!)
Straight pins

First, square off the ends of your fabric and trim the selvage from the edges of your fleece and canvas. My canvas measured 59 inches across and I trimmed 2 inches from each side, making it 55 inches.

Lay out your fleece and canvas. Allow at least 2 inches of the fleece to extend past the edges of the canvas. This will allow for any shrinkage during the quilting process.

Once your fabric is laid out, figure out how you want to quilt your throw. You can do a simple grid or series of straight line stitches or you can even hand-tie it. I decided to follow the scalloped nature of the pattern of my fabric so I didn't have to mark anything. If you do have to mark your throw, I strongly suggest using quilting tape. It makes marking your quilting so much easier.