Time for a change – Part 2 (Cutting the ottoman slipcover)

The TOP or UP of my fabric.

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Put the TOP/UP edge of the fabric to the BACK edge of the ottoman. Feel for the cording on the ottoman – you can feel it through the fabric – and be sure to leave the fabric overhang the cording by about an inch (1″) for seam allowance in the back and on the one side.
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TOP/UP of fabric to BACK of ottoman

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Fabric hanging beyond cording for seam allowance.

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Using four (4) of your T-pins you will anchor the 4 corners to the TOP of the ottoman.
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Stick the T-pin through the fabric and into the ottoman:
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Anchoring with T-pins

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Push the T-Pin through the ottoman and back up through the fabric.
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Anchoring to ottoman

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The fabric anchored to the ottoman will look like this:
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Fabric anchored to ottoman

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Do the same thing to the other three (3) corners. Make certain you DON’T stretch or pull the fabric — just sort of smooth it across the top of the ottoman, making sure the fabric and/or pattern is running straight across, then anchor in place.  WATCH THE TIPS OF THE T-PINS – THE BABIES ARE SHARP and you’ll end up with blood all over your fabric!!!!! (tip learned from experience – if you do bleed on the fabric, your own spit will get the blood off a lot better and quicker than ANY cleaner on the market. Since the blood is YOUR dna, only YOUR spit will work — even on white — honest! But if you’re drinking something at the time, like coffee or cola, rinse out your mouth first. Yeah, been there, done that, too.)

Cutting the top

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Note in the picture above that I’ve marked the CORDING with  green dashes.  The Blue line is where I’ll cut. I don’t do this marking on the fabric, I’ve only done it here for a visual.
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Go ahead – cut the fabric. Again, the pic below has the cording/seam line of the ottoman marked in green. I’m cutting on the imaginary blue line. 

Making the cut

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Do this all the way around the ottoman.

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Slide a pin down through both side pieces.
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Run a line of pins down the side — as straight as you can get it.
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When you’ve finished the first corner, move on and do the exact same thing to the other three (3) corners.
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Once all four (4) corners are pinned together — making certain NOT to catch the ottoman in the pins, take your scissors and cut off the excess — leaving about an inch (1″) for seam allowance.

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Now your slipcover will look like this:
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You’re ALMOST there!!!!!
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Now, smooth the cover back down and using your sliding ruler, stand the ruler up alongside the ottoman. The 1 should be towards the floor or your flat workspace. Feel for the cording beneath the cover. Mine is at 10 3/4″ but to make my life easier, I’m going to mark my skirt line at eleven inches (11″).

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To mark the line, I’ll use chalk. Simply run a dash on the fabric at the 11″ mark.
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Move the ruler over six inches (6″) or so and make another dash with your chalk. Keep doing this all the way around the slipcover. Make sure to put a chalked dash on both sides of the side seams.
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Get a piece of paper and a pen/pencil.
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I marked my skirt at eleven inches (11″). HOWEVER, I don’t want the actual skirt to drag on the ground, so when I do make the skirt, I’ll make it 10 1/2″ to keep it half an inch from the floor.  So, on the piece of paper, I’m going to write down — SKIRT = 10 1/2″. I’ll store that slip of paper WITH the slipcover — in fact, I’ll pin the paper to the cover, so it doesn’t get lost.
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Remove the four (4) anchor pins from the top:
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BEFORE whipping the cover off the footstool, fold over the BACK section of the slipcover and mark an “X” on the UNDERSIDE/INSIDE of the cover.  (you’re going to want to know front from back in the next segment.)
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Fold up the slipcover.  If you’ve accidently pinned any of it to the ottoman, you’ll have to reach underneath to find out where, then unfold the cover and release and redo that pin. Oh, it happens. Alot.
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Now, put the cover, the piece of paper with the skirt measurement and all the remaining fabric (WE AREN’T DONE WITH IT YET) into a bag for safe keeping.
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In the next session, I’ll show you how to make cording and attach it to the cover. It’ll be fun!!! HONEST.
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For the next session, you’ll also need a standard yardstick and a cutting board:

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If you’re trying this at home and have any questions, please, feel free to post them here and I’ll get you an answer ASAP if not sooner.

Until next time – take care and be well.

Diva Denise Lynn