Fabrics

I want to take a few minutes and talk about fabrics for slipcovers. While there are many beautiful fabrics available, they are not all created equal. I know, some are quite ugly and others are very exquisite, but that is not what I mean. Not all fabrics are suitable for slipcovers in general, and for the measuring method in particular.

To be able to achieve a tightly fitting slipcover, the fabric must be able to stretch to allow you to put the slipcover on.Then, so that the slipcover does not look baggy (unless that is the look you want), the fabric must be able to relax back to the original size.

The best fabrics for this method of making slipcovers will have the following characteristics:

* 100% cotton OR
* A cotton blend with a high percentage of cotton
* A tight weave
* The ability to stretch when pulled tightly and then recover/relax back to the original size

A few fabrics that meet these requirements.

* Cotton duck
* Cotton twill
* Denims

And here are a few that I won't work with for slipcovers.

* Silk or polyester taffeta type fabrics—no stretch
* Knit fabrics; too much stretch
* Rubber backed upholstery fabrics—no stretch
* Micro suede
* Stretchy chenilles