Sofa covers: what they are, what fabric they are made from, how to choose, which is better - types and models of sofa covers

Why do you need a sofa cover?

It’s hard to imagine modern apartments without upholstered furniture on which children and adults can sit comfortably.
It is a pity to change the furniture when the upholstery made of woven materials and eco-leather loses its former attractiveness. To protect the upholstery from dust, dirt, snags, and abrasion, special covers were invented.

A cover can preserve the decent appearance of furniture - a product that is placed on the sofa to protect the upholstery from dirt, stains from cigarettes, and premature wear. It will be possible to avoid abrasion of fibers and the formation of unsightly puffs from cat claws.

For reference. To ensure that the textiles fully correspond to the overall style of the room, choose color combinations to match the color of the curtains or light curtains.

Different fabrics are used to sew a sofa cover.

How to choose the right sofa cover

Universal sofa covers are protection for upholstered furniture that can transform and complement the interior. Despite their recent appearance on the market, the products have become very popular due to their functionality, variety and availability. They are easy to care for and easy to use. Unlike classic bedspreads, they do not lose their shape, do not roll up or get caught in the folds of upholstered furniture. In this article we will look at how to choose a Euro-cover for a sofa by size, color, texture, and consider its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of a hand-sewn sofa cover

DIY sofa covers have the following advantages:

• relatively low cost;
• ease of use;
• ease of washing;
• the ability to bring furniture into line with the overall style of the interior;
• aesthetics;
• uniqueness.

By making several different models, you can experiment with the appearance of a piece of furniture. At the same time, such needlework requires very little time.

Material selection

Let's take a closer look at the important question - which fabric to choose for a sofa cover.

Velours

This is a wonderful choice for sewing a cover. It has a velvety texture, but compared to velvet it is a cheaper option. For the cover it is better to take wool or cotton material. This cover is easy to care for, it is a hypoallergenic material, and has good wear resistance. When washing, dirt is easily removed. But this option is available to everyone, since its cost is quite high. This cover is suitable for those who do not have pets in the house.

Flock

This is a durable material that is at the same time delicate and very soft. It is often called a substitute for velvet. Flock is practically not deformed, is easy to care for, and has water-repellent properties. Dirt and stains are easy to remove. The color of the material does not fade even in the sun. Dust glue in such a case is unlikely to start, which can also be attributed to its advantages. The material is so safe that a cover can be made from it for a children's sofa. But it is important to remember that sometimes it can cause allergies.

Teflon flock

This is flock that is impregnated with liquid Teflon. This impregnation is part of the fibers. Thanks to this feature, the material repels dirt, dust and water even better. It is almost impossible to leave a stain on such a cover. The material is very easy to wash. It dries quickly. Teflon flock would be a good option for those who have pets.

Microfiber

This is a very durable fabric that retains its appearance and properties even after a long time. There is microfiber impregnated with Teflon, which will be a wonderful option for a sofa cover. This fabric is stable, durable, almost invulnerable.

Cotton

The big advantage of the material is that it is completely natural. The most beautiful sofa covers are made from cotton. But the service life of the material is short, since it does not contain artificial materials. Often the material is coated with impregnation, which increases its service life. Such a cover wears out more slowly and fades less. But after washing, such a cover will shrink, which can be called its disadvantage. Still, for a children's sofa, a cotton cover will be one of the best options.

Jacquard

This fabric is very dense and durable. The material contains cotton, elastane and polyester. The fabric does not deform and is particularly durable. The surface of the jacquard is textured, giving it a very attractive appearance. If you sew a sofa cover from it, the look will be very solid and rich. This is an ideal option for a classic style interior. If you have pets at home, jacquard can be used, since it is very difficult to tear it or make snags.

Velvet

The fleecy material with a pile on the front side is made from natural or artificial silk, hypoallergenic bamboo. The texture, pleasant to the touch, is quite durable, allows air to pass through, holds its shape, does not shrink when washed, and can be easily cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.

Velvet is a soft material for upholstering a sofa.

Disadvantages include a tendency to fade under exposure to ultraviolet radiation and long drying times. Dust and small particles of dirt accumulate in the fibers. Despite the shortcomings, velvet sofa covers are also appropriate for classic interiors, as in the Rococo and Baroque styles. They go well with Venetian plaster walls.

Eco leather

High-tech synthetics completely imitate various types of natural leather, have no characteristic odor, stretch slightly, tightly fitting the contours of interior items. Cleaning requires special compounds that do not damage the surface film. The material fades and is short-lived: it is wiped off with stains and cannot be restored.

If the furniture is transformed, that is, unfolded and folded, covers must be selected in accordance with the design.

Eco-leather covers are short-lived, difficult to put on, bulky when stored, and pose problems with cleaning. The textured film quickly collapses from contact with traces of sweat and animal hair. The material does not tolerate cleaning agents with chlorine at all. This fabric is chosen by lovers of country style and ethnic styles.

Eco-leather covers are durable.

Chinille

This is a dense material, but at the same time very soft. Therefore, it is perfect for a furniture cover. Shinille is soft and pleasant to the touch. It looks very elegant. A sofa with such a cover will always make a pleasant impression and create comfort. Although the material is dense, at the same time it is quite light thanks to the acrylic fibers included in its composition. Chinille is best used for new furniture. He will not be able to hide the shortcomings of sagging sofas. You should not buy glue-based chinillas. This cover will not last long.

Sewing a sofa cover with your own hands

Once all the necessary tools have been prepared and the fabric has been purchased, you can begin taking measurements and sewing.

Note! It is recommended to pre-wash, dry and iron the material. Such actions will prevent possible shrinkage during operation.

Taking measurements from the sofa

You can sew a beautiful sofa cover only if you use a high-quality pattern. It is possible to cut a cover to fit the size of the sofa only if you take the measurements correctly.

Taking measurements from the sofa

To take measurements you will need a measuring tape. Use it to measure the sofa at its longest and widest point. This will be the length and width. You also need to take measurements of the armrests and headboard along the most protruding parts. To all measurements obtained, you must add 10 cm for hems and seam allowances. Add 20 cm to the edges that go inward. It is recommended to provide a fastener in the center of the product, so the cover can be easily removed.

Patterns of parts

Once all the measurements have been made, the results should be transferred to paper and the patterns drawn. Then cut out all the details on paper and attach them to the sofa. If everything fits, then you can start cutting on fabric. To do this, the fabric is ironed and folded with the right side inward. Then the parts are laid out on the material and pinned. After this, you need to outline the contours with chalk and, adding 2 cm, draw a second line along which the parts are cut out.

Jacquard covers for upholstered furniture

Calculation of material quantity

Before sewing a cover for a sofa in any room, you need to correctly calculate the amount of fabric. This stage is one of the first and most critical. First of all, you need to measure the length and width of the furniture, and then multiply the resulting result by two.

Microfiber sofa cover

For a more accurate calculation, after measurements it is necessary to draw the pattern details to scale, taking into account the width of the material, and also do not forget to leave seam allowances.

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Important! If the fabric for the cover has a pattern or geometric shapes, then the material consumption increases, since they need to be combined at the seams.

Secrets of quality tailoring

You can sew a beautiful and comfortable sofa cover with your own hands, even without certain skills. To do this, you just need to follow these recommendations:

1. For a cape, you need to choose a fabric that is not very stiff, but it must be dense.
2. It is best to make the pattern a little larger than the desired size. During the sewing process, it can be perfectly adjusted to the size of the sofa.
3. If there are animals in the house, then the fabric should be additionally sealed with foam rubber.
4. If minor mistakes were made during sewing, resulting in bad spots, you can hide them with the help of decoration.
5. The pattern must be made extremely carefully, carefully planning the sewing and joining of parts.
6. So that the cover does not experience stress when stretched, it must be made free. This product will last longer.

Do-it-yourself sofa cover for a children's room
Each time, sewing a cover will be easier, and the product will turn out more and more beautiful and better. Therefore, you can subsequently switch to more expensive textiles. Before sewing a Euro-cover for a sofa with your own hands, the step-by-step instructions should be carefully studied. If you are sewing a cape for the first time, it is recommended to use inexpensive material.

DIY sofa cover for the kitchen

Features of manufacturing covers

Any housewife who knows how to hold a needle and has experience in handling dense fabrics can take advantage of the knowledge of how to make a cover with her own hands. Of course, you can use a sewing machine, but mostly you will have to work by hand. Also an important and necessary skill will be the ability to make patterns. Suitable ready-made schemes are usually difficult to find.

How to sew a cover for a sofa? The simplest option is to use an old sofa cover. It must be cut into separate pieces and transferred to the selected material. This is a good way to practice your sewing skills.

But not every housewife has such an opportunity. Therefore there is another method. You can take some cheap fabric and try out the master class you like on it - there are plenty of them on the Internet and in specialized magazines.

After you check the sizing and how the cover will look on the sofa, you need to cut out the product and use it as a sample, taking a more expensive material.

As you can see in the photo of hand-made covers, the simplest solution is to put a cover on a sofa without armrests. Such furniture is used in interior design of cottages or children's rooms.

Instead of armrests, you can use small rectangular pads. In this situation, the shape of the cover will be extremely simple, and the decoration will be frills or flounces sewn along the bottom edge.

Shape, dimensions

Before sewing a cover for a sofa, you should consider that furniture comes in different shapes. Modern sofas can be rectangular, corner or shell-shaped.

Note! The sofa cover must clearly correspond to the shape and size of the product.

Depending on the purpose of use, all cases have functional varieties:

1. Universal - made of elastic material. It's easy to sew them with your own hands. Consist of two layers of special stretch textile.
2. Covers with a “skirt” are used to decorate interiors in country and Provence style. A special feature of such sofa coverings is the presence of a frill located at the bottom of the product.
3. Covers with an elastic band are stretched over the product and secured with a sewn-in elastic band. They are easy to make with your own hands, even without a pattern.
4. Eurocover - when sewing, only special textile material is used, which takes any sofa shape. Textiles consist of special fibers that have good elasticity. Such capes are considered practical. There is no need for careful measurements when sewing. Often these types of covers are used for corner sofas of any configuration.

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The size of the cover depends on the shape, design style and preferences of the owner. Measuring upholstered furniture must be done carefully and competently.

Note! To calculate the required volume of material for sewing a cover, you need to take two lengths and add two widths of the sofa to the result.

Cover for corner sofa with elastic band

Features of the cover for the corner sofa

When thinking about the interior of your home, you want everything in it to be perfect. But even expensive, good furniture gradually loses its presentation or becomes mechanically damaged. This is especially true for a sofa where children or pets rest.

You need to think about its safety in advance.

Advantages of using a cover for a corner sofa:

• Protection of upholstery from fading and wear;
• Easy to wash the cover when dirty;
• Possibility to refresh furniture at any time;
• Wide range of materials, including hypoallergenic;
• Saving money.

If everything is clear with a cover for a standard sofa, then a blanket for a corner sofa raises many questions.

Usually they are ordered or made independently. There are one-piece and composite covers. Sometimes only some part of the furniture is covered with fabric, and not the entire area.

The back is closed only if the sofa is not close to the wall.

A special feature of covers for a corner sofa is the need to secure it using special elastic bands, buttons or metal fittings. Otherwise, parts of the cover will constantly slide off.

Rules for caring for a bedspread or blanket

Recommendations for caring for blankets vary significantly depending on what material the product is made of. Before sewing a cover, you should familiarize yourself with the washing rules of the selected fabric and make sure that it will be easy to clean. In this sense, products made from scraps pose a certain problem, since different materials, pieces of which can be used in their manufacture, will require different care.

Tapestries, faux fur, jacquard, and pile fabrics can be vacuumed periodically. These materials collect dust, so they need to be cleaned regularly. Most synthetic materials can be machine washed on a delicate cycle and spin at low speed. Natural wool with the addition of artificial fibers is also machine washable. The product should be dried in a well-ventilated area away from heating devices.

It is not always possible to clean such products at home due to their size. In such cases, it is better to take it to the dry cleaner. Proper care of the bedspread will ensure its safety and beautiful appearance.

Types of sofa covers

Once such a product was used widely and everywhere. It has been replaced by modern upholstery materials - beautiful, wear-resistant, but not eternal. In addition, changing the upholstery or purchasing other furniture is not a cheap pleasure.

Today, leading European and domestic manufacturers offer to return to the well-forgotten old, improving its quality. A cover for any type of upholstered furniture has certain advantages and features:

• changes the interior in a matter of minutes;
• universal (suitable for different sizes, and even for transforming sofas);
• The length of the back is the only indicator that should be taken into account when purchasing a cover;
• you can sew it yourself;
• helps preserve upholstery;
• the material from which the cover is made is not allergenic;
• special impregnation repels moisture, fire and increases the service life of the product;
• the fabric is convenient to remove, easy to wash and put on again (follows the contour of the sofa);
• there is a wide range of shades (beige, black, gray, blue, etc.), textures (hairy, smooth, etc.) and models;
• Animals lose interest because... the elastic structure stretches behind the claws.

Good product quality depends on environmental friendliness and practicality. The seams must be strong, durable, without gaps in the filler (if any). A quality certificate is required.

But the main thing is that a sofa cover is an opportunity to save the family budget. In addition, you can use several options alternately. There are different types: with ties, elastic, Velcro, Euro covers. Each of them is worth getting to know better.

With elastic band

The tension cover does not just fit on the sofa, but is stretched, repeating the shape of all the curves of the product, and does not slip. This happens due to a sewn-in elastic band that can stretch and stay on the surface. At the same time, it is also simply removed.

This type of cover is suitable even for non-standard, elaborate furniture. To sew such capes, stretch fabric is used. For example, cotton, polyester or microfiber.

Sofa covers with elastic are much more comfortable than throw covers with ties. They completely cover the furniture, thereby hiding and not being conspicuous, as can be seen in the photo, and are also more convenient and easy to use. You don't need instructions to use them.

Velcro

The main difference from a product with an elastic band is that a special contact tape is used as a fastener to quickly and easily fasten one element of the case to another. This tape is colloquially called “Velcro.” It is used in the manufacture of covers for sofas, armchairs, chairs and other accessories.

Eurocase

A separate universal type of textile product is a Euro-cover, which fits perfectly on any structure. It doesn’t matter what configuration the furniture has or what its dimensions are. They are sewn from dense, durable, elastic fabric that stretches well and fits well to the walls of the sofa. Covers are sold ready to use. They are easy to care for, easily removable, washable in warm water (40°C) and do not require ironing.

There are many advantages to using such capes:

• easy to use;
• simple design;
• stylish design;
• hypoallergenic, pleasant to the touch, wear-resistant fabric washes well and does not shrink (will survive about 100 gentle washes);
• variety of colors and patterns;
• the product can be decorated and embellished.

Among the disadvantages are the following points:

• popular products are often counterfeited (an inexpensive model may turn out to be unoriginal with low-quality material);
• there are very bright, flashy colors that irritate the eye;
• convenient for a sofa book, in other cases you need to remove it when unfolding.

The idea of ​​​​creating a bedspread that instantly and urgently hides all the defects, stains and unevenness of the sofa arose from Italian craftsmen. A palette of green, burgundy and other tones helps you find the perfect design solution for any home.

On the corner sofa

The length of the back of a corner sofa can be from 3 to 5 m with a protrusion of the corner on the left or right side. Covers are sewn for them:

• on an elastic band. It is first stretched, then put on, the products are suitable for all types;
• capes. A whole blanket, a furniture-shaped cover or separate parts are draped over the sofa, ribbons or zippers are used;
• Eurocase. Dimensionless finished products are used regardless of protrusions.

The latest version of an elastic and stretchable cover will fit a corner sofa of any size, regardless of the presence or absence of armrests, a shelf or a bar. At the same time, it will add sophistication and color to the interior of any room.

On a straight two-, three- and four-seater sofa

To buy sofa covers, you don’t need to measure their dimensions down to the centimeter. It is enough to know the type of furniture: straight, corner, double (1.2m - 1.5m), triple (up to 2.1m) or with four seats.

A sofa of any size without armrests does not place any special demands on the cover. For furniture with two or three places, the product can be made of any fabric, of any type (elastic, Velcro, Euro-cover). The size depends on the number of seats. Coloring depends on taste preferences. There are also no special problems with a four-seater, bulky sofa. The main thing is that the cover is dimensionless and fits perfectly. Products for such sofas are usually used for corner options.

General recommendations for sewing

Despite the fact that a sofa cover is not a complex sewing item, the following recommendations should still be followed during its manufacture:

1. When purchasing material, it is best to take fabric with a margin of about one and a half meters. In the future, the remaining textiles during operation will be useful for possible repairs.
2. When cutting, you should not skimp. You can always cut off the excess, but you won’t be able to add material.
3. It is not recommended to sew the parts together immediately, neglecting basting.
4. Since the load on the seams during the operation of the cover is quite significant, it is recommended to stitch the parts twice.
5. To make the seam stronger, the thread tension must be increased. It is best to use reinforced cotton or synthetic threads for sewing covers.
6. Since too small stitches violate the structural integrity of the fabric fibers, optimal parameters should be selected. Recommended stitch length is 3 mm.
7. If there are pillows on the sofa, then it is best to sew a cover for them with a zipper or Velcro fastener.
8. To attach the cover to the sofa, you can sew piping or decorative cords to it. In this way the case can be securely fastened.

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If desired, you can decorate the sofa cover. In the form of decorations, you can use all kinds of frills, bows or embroidery. It should be borne in mind that accessories must be selected in the same style as the interior of the room.

European sofa cover with lace trim

Why does a corner sofa need a blanket?

The upholstery of upholstered furniture is perhaps the most worn part of it.

The fabric, no matter how durable it is, wears out over time, gets dirty, fades, losing its former brightness. Practical owners cover upholstered furniture with a blanket immediately while they are new, or use special covers. But if your corner sofa is no longer new, and you are wondering how to improve the situation, then use this moment to update the interior at the same time, because a good blanket can change the look of the sofa as if you had changed the upholstery.

Bedspreads made from modern fabrics are practical, easy to care for, and hypoallergenic. In addition, you can choose an expensive or economical option, or even have several of them - for different life situations or just a change of mood.

When designing your new bedspread, be aware that some natural fabrics shrink in the wash and may become distorted.

Another small drawback is that the blanket will have to be removed every time you lay out the upholstered furniture, and if this annoys you, choose the simplest design that can be quickly covered and removed.

The textile product not only protects the furniture from abrasion, but also, complementing it, decorates the overall interior

What to choose

Before you start choosing a cover for a corner sofa, you need to take measurements. Even if a small cover fits onto a piece of furniture, it will be too tight, and a large one, in addition to looking sloppy, will wrinkle and eventually wear out quickly.

The most comfortable and practical solution is covers that are placed on each sofa module separately.

If a piece of furniture is in the center of the room, then you need to consider models that can also cover the back. It is very convenient to have elastic bands that prevent the bedspread from slipping.

When selecting a material, the conditions of use and price are important.

Thin, inexpensive materials can easily be damaged or stained by small children and animals. But choosing a fur blanket in this case would be a mistake because of the difficulties in cleaning it.

The material can imitate the natural fur of a cheetah or chinchilla, arctic fox, mink or other animals.

The color of the cover for the corner sofa should be chosen based not only on your own preferences, but also in relation to the interior design. For those who quickly get bored with one style, there is a double-sided cover option, which has a different color on the front and back sides.

Bedspreads for a corner sofa can be either plain or colored.

Stylish and functional

With the help of covers, you can reliably protect your favorite furniture from wear and tear in almost its original form. Even with the most careful use, sooner or later you can see signs of dilapidation, fading of the upholstery in the sun or damage by pets. The appearance of the furniture will never be damaged if you use a protective cover. Fabrics for sewing covers are distinguished not only by a wide selection of patterns and textures, but also by increased strength and abrasion resistance.

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Sewing covers today is extremely popular, which exceeds the demand for such a fairly common service as furniture upholstery. The main advantage of this method of transforming furniture is the large selection of stylish interior options, which is limited only by your imagination and financial capabilities. It is enough to buy several sets of different styles - and you don’t have to worry that the decor in the room will quickly get boring. When choosing the color of the future cover, it is worth relating it to other elements of the decor: curtains or other design elements.

Photo of do-it-yourself sofa covers