Slipcover advice for loveseat

Just purchased an Ultimate Slipcover for a hand-me-down loveseat. The loveseat is an odd shape, with attached back cushions, removeable seat cushions, padded arm rests, and curves instead of right angles on the back part of the couch where the sides attach. Kind of overstuffed maybe? This is a good approximation of the style.

The slipcover is 2 pieces, one fits over the couch sans seat cushions, with a skirt that wraps around the lower part of the couch to the back where there are adjustable straps so it fits snugly. The other piece covers the seat cushions. Here is the slipcover (although I got the loveseat not sofa size).

This is my first ever slipcover. I see that they’ve come a long way from what I remember slipsovers being, more like floral-patterned fitted sheets thrown over an ugly couch. Still, it screams slipcover. It’s sort of loose and wrinkled and cheap looking, and this was the higher-end slipcover from Target. My first order of business will be ironing it, to get out the wrinkles, but it still seems like wrinkling and untucking will be a problem. I want it to look as much like a “real” couch as possible. I’m willing to do minor upholstery/sewing work, but don’t know the best way to proceed.

  1. Have you ever gotten a slipcover to look like the picture on the package, i.e. like it’s not an ugly couch will an ill-fitting cover on it?

  2. How did you do it? Did you do the Trading Spaces trick where you put it on inside out, pinned it where it needed taking in, and sewed it? Did you use fasteners like staples or upholstery tacks to hold it in place in the crevices?

  3. Any other general slipcover advice?

I’m very disappointed now. The couch is really comfy but has some seams pulling apart and is a rather ugly green that totally doesn’t match. I was really hoping the slipcover would be like an instant makeover. Like I said, I’m willing to tweak it. I have a sewing machine, and the removeability isn’t necessary, so if using fasteners of some sort to keep it in place/make it fit better, I’ll do it.

I’ve never had a problem with getting the slipcovers to look like they do in the catalogs. The trick is to tuck really tightly, then…never, ever, under any circumstances sit on it.

:smiley: