Easy Ottoman Slipcover

Winter is a great time to do some little home improvements.  I mean, you're stuck inside anyways.  Can't lay out on the deck or pick flowers, which is what I'd rather be doing.  So... This month I'm busy being crafty and organizing my house.  I do it every year, about this time, when I'm dying to work outside with dirt and power tools.

Here's an easy project that you might like to do.  It's crafty AND cheap.  And useful.  What's not to like?
You may have seen something like it on TV, but they always go too fast and I end up forgetting about it.   So, I just sortof figured it out on the fly...



I got this amazing chair at Goodwill for 12 dollars!  It was sortof hairy and the ottoman was trashed, so the manager gave me a break.  But, I must also tell you that it WAS NOT stinky.  That's where I draw the line.

First thing I did before it even came into my house was SCRUB the heck out of it.  Here's where investing in a good carpet and upholstery cleaner makes sense.  It cleaned up really nicely and I figured out that it was a custom made chair from a fancy store.  (I love to google a bargain and see what it was worth originally.  It makes me even happier.)

The chair was in good condition, but the ottoman ...yikes.

It was a little crooked-y and smashed down, so I covered it with some old bedding foam.

Then, I laid the fabric out over the top and cut it out to fit.  I did the same thing with the sides.  This is the stuff you see on TV room makeovers all the time.  But I never tried it before.  It's really easy.

You're basically making the thing inside out and cutting it to size on the fly.  Just pin it together along the seams and then slip it off to sew it.

Once it's sewn together, turn it right side out and check the fit.  It's nice because you can keep adjusting until you get it right.  It should be pretty snug.  Choosing a fabric with a random pattern helps hide imperfections.  If you care about that.  I used to.

At this point you can either hem the bottom edge or staple it onto the ottoman.  Since my fabric was a dark color, I probably won't be washing it much, so I decided to staple it on.  Also, I liked the little feet.

Be sure to fold under the edges and pull it tight.

Make little pleats on the corners to keep them snug.

If you need to un-staple and readjust the fabric, that's easy too.  I did it several times....

Ta-dah!  Isn't that cute?

 I'm obsessed with birds, so I love this fabric.

I got it on the clearance rack.  I don't know exactly how much you need, since every ottoman is a little different.  You can just measure the sides and top and figure that out pretty easy.  Mine was about ten bucks.  So that makes the whole deal under $25, chair and all!!  

Coffee break.  Ahhh.  Another bargain victory! 

p.s.  You can do this project.  Seriously! There's lots of step-by-step instructions online with more detail.  I'm just here for the inspiration.  : )