- 1). Determine how much fabric you need by first measuring the sofa cushions (with current material still on). Write the length and width measurements down on a piece of graph paper for each cushion, as well as the arms and back of the sofa. Draw a rectangle for each piece of the sofa, assigning a value for each square, such as 1 square = 4 inches. Label each rectangle with its corresponding sofa part. Add all the measurements and round up to the nearest half-yard. If you are recovering your sofa with a patterned design, add an additional 1 yard to your calculations to allow for pattern matching on your pieces (since some sofa pieces are too large to be cut from one piece of fabric).
- 2). Purchase fabric and cut the pieces according to your measurements. Mark the center top and bottom of each piece by making a small cut with a pair of scissors about 1/4-inch from the edge of the fabric.
- 3). Trace your rectangular shapes onto another piece of graph paper and label them. Cut them out and arrange them onto a piece of fabric so you can determine how to most effectively cut the pieces you need from your fabric, while using the least amount of fabric and matching patterns wherever possible.
- 4). Measure your graph paper pieces and transfer them to a cheap fabric, such as muslin. Lay your muslin fabric out along the floor and cut your fabric, allowing for a 1/2-inch inseam around the edge of every piece. Pin the muslin fabric around each sofa piece to determine the fit. Use a fabric marker to label the pieces. Remove the muslin, cut the pieces and arrange them on top of your rolled out final fabric. Cut your final fabric pieces and pin them to the muslin, so you do not lose track of which fabric piece corresponds to each sofa piece.
- 5). Strip the old fabric from your sofa. Sew your pieces together, allowing for a 1/2-inch inseam and zippers along three of the four cushion edges. Trim the excess fabric, turn the fabric right-side out, and place them in the sofa frame. Repeat this step for all cushions, then for sofa arms and, finally, the sofa back. Finish with the sofa skirt.
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