Edit ArticleHow to Make a Slipcover for Your Papasan Chair Cushion Do you have one of those "papasan" or "satellite dish" rattan chairs? These chairs are easy to spruce up by recovering the cushion with a slipcover. All you need to do is measure the cushion, pick out fabric, cut it to size and sew it up. Your papasan chair will soon look like you just picked it up at a chic furniture store. Acquire about 4 yards (3.5 meters) of fairly heavy fabric. Twill, denim and some of the heavier decorator fabrics work well. Launder your fabric and press it smooth if necessary. Lay your fabric out flat on the floor and place your cushion on top of it. Trace a line approximately two inches (5 cm) from the edge, holding the marker as shown and using your forefinger as your distance spacer. Remove the cushion and cut along your traced line, smoothing crooked lines as you go. Fold the circle in half, then quarters, then eighths and trim the resulting edge even to get as perfect a circle as possible.

Fold the remaining, uncut fabric in half with selvage edges aligned. The selvage is the "original" edge of the fabric as it comes out of a loom. If you don't have the selvage edges, simply leave more fabric in the next step, so you can hem the edge an extra time. Fold your cut circle in half and lay the center fold approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) from the aligned selvage edges; 3 inches (7.6 cm) for non-selvage edges. 9Cut around the perimeter of your "original" half circle (using it as a stencil of sorts) to make two half circles that each have a flat, selvage edge. Clip the corners of your folded circle to mark the diameter line at the edge of the circle. Roll the straight edges of the half circles and hem them at 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). Sew the loop half of your "hook and loop" or "Velcro" to the top side of one hem, approximately one quarter inch (6 mm) from the edge. Note: Sew each edge of the Velcro rather than down the middle to avoid issues with your machine thread catching on the Velcro "hooks".

Sew the hook half of your "hook and loop" or "Velcro" to the bottom side of the other hem, approximately one quarter inch (6 mm) from the edge. Stick the two sides of Velcro together, which should cause your two half circles to form a full circle of material. Place your original circle and the newly formed circle right sides together. Pin the ends of your Velcro seam to the edge where you clipped to mark the ends of the Diameter of your circle.Puppies For Adoption In Freehold Nj Lay both layers flat, carefully smooth out any wrinkles and pin the edges together as they lie flat.Apricot Maltipoo Puppies For Sale In Florida Sew the outer, pinned edge.Disassemble Bathroom Faucet Handle

Open the Velcro seam and slide your new cover over your old cushion. Close the Velcro seam, smooth out any bunches, and throw that thing back on its frame. Relax in your chair, knowing that you can easily launder your new cushion cover! Measure your cushion before you start and adjust fabric accordingly. Heavier materials may require a more robust sewing machine and stronger needles. Needles and scissors are sharp. Ottoman Covers can transform your worn-out foot rest into a delightful new piece of living room furniture. A slipcover can also breathe new life into your favorite ragged sofa chair. Do you feel like your ottoman or sofa chairs could use a makeover? Whether your comfiest chair is run down or needs a new look, any of our high-quality slipcovers will do just the trick. No matter the state of your furniture, just throw on a fresh, clean, basic or patterned cover and watch as your long-cocooned foot rest or armchair bursts forth into a stunning butterfly.

Think all slipcovers are the same? Prepare to have your eyes opened. Our collection of covers is teeming with fits, colors, fabrics, and patterns sure to satisfy even the pickiest of furniture owners. Need a cotton, blue-and-grey striped cover for an ottoman? We have that in stock and ready to ship your way today. Care for a cozy chair furnished with stretchy, wrinkle-free, chestnut suede? We have that ready-made as well. Choose between stretch and non-stretch slipcover options--would you prefer a smooth fabric or a skirted look accompanied by patented Easy Fit� Clip-On fasteners? We don�t only strive to be the greatest purveyors of high quality sofa and ottoman covers; we are committed to providing our products with the highest quality customer care. Have a question about our covers or an order you�ve made? Get on the phone and speak to a real person or chat with one live on our site! If you prefer hashing your slipcover thoughts out in an email or a letter, we welcome those as well.

You can expect a speedy and relevant response to any and all of your queries regarding our handiwork. Call us today at 1-888-405-4758. This is a guest post from Karawynn Long, who writes about personal finance at Pocketmint. Karawynn is a semi-regular contributor for Get Rich Slowly. She has been blogging since before “blogging” was a word. Here at the Koke-Long house we’re in the market for some furniture. Our living room is currently semi-furnished with a comfortable but deteriorating Ikea couch and some leftover dining chairs; we’d like a nice armchair or two and some tables. I’ve mostly gone for Ikea ‘cheap and new’ furniture in the past, but I’ve been disappointed by its (understatement alert!) lack of durability. This time I’d like to try buying used but higher-quality. As I began to look around, though, I realized that I knew very little about what makes for a strong, long-lasting piece of furniture.

Anyone can identify a rip, scratch, or stain, or decide whether they like a certain color, without special knowledge. But judging whether a piece is likely to last two years or twenty — just by looking at it — is harder stuff. Here’s an overview of what I learned, with a checklist at the end. Wood furniture — composition I used to think hardwoods were hard and softwoods were soft. Actually, hardwood just means ‘from a deciduous tree’ and softwood means ‘from a coniferous tree’, and some hardwoods (like aspen) are softer than some softwoods. What you want on exposed surfaces is a wood that’s reasonably scratch-resistant. You can test this easily enough by attempting to draw a thin line with your fingernail across the wood; if it makes a visible dent (use a flashlight here if necessary) you know it won’t stand up to much use. Structurally, any kind of solid wood or sturdy plywood will do the trick. If plywood, look for at least nine layers. Check the wood for knots, even on unexposed pieces;

all knots are susceptible to cracks. Some woods, like pine, are ‘knottier’ than others, and therefore less desirable. Avoid particleboard, pressed wood, or fiberboard. Veneers — a thin piece of premium wood covering a lower-quality piece of wood — are often used even in very high-quality furniture. As long as the base piece is solid wood or plywood, the only drawback to veneer is that it limits the number of times an item can be refinished. Wood furniture — construction Joint construction is the main determinant of quality furniture. Anything held together with staples or nails is shoddy construction. Ditto if it’s glued and you can see the glue. Dowels (wooden pegs slotted into two opposing holes) are good, as are screws. The best joints are either dovetail (interlocking squarish ‘teeth’ — see photo) or mortise-and-tenon (narrowed end of one piece inserted into a hole in the other). Corners should have a reinforcing block attached at an angle. Look for thin sheets of wood between drawers in a chest of drawers or desk.

While not necessary, these ‘dust panels’ improve structural strength as well as protect drawer contents. Drawers should run smoothly on glides and have stops to prevent accidentally pulling them all the way out. The best drawers have bottoms that are not affixed to the sides but ‘float’ in a groove, allowing for minor expansion and contraction caused by changes in humidity and providing extra strength. Lift the piece at one corner — it should not twist or squeak. Check that all legs are touching the floor. Press on various corners to see if the piece rocks or wobbles. Upholstered furniture — composition For a sofa or chair with removable cushions, unzip a seat cover and have a look inside. You should see a block of foam wrapped with dacron, cotton, or (for very high-end cushions) down, preferably with a protective inner cover (usually muslin). Foam-only cushions are both less durable and less comfortable. If you’re buying new furniture, inquire after the density rating of the seat foam: you’re looking for 1.8 pounds or higher.

Removable back cushions may have foam as well but are more often loose fill. In the latter case, multiple internal compartments are preferred as they prevent the fill from settling. If there’s a tag or label, look for a cleaning code: ‘W’ means water-based cleaners, ‘S’ means solvent-based cleaners (‘dry cleaning’), ‘X’ means no liquid (vacuum only). Upholstered furniture — construction According to Consumer Reports, the oft-touted “eight-way hand-tied coil springs” don’t have a corner on comfort; coil, cone, sinuous, and grid springs can all work well. Best just to test the feel of the specific piece by sitting in various spots to see whether you tip or sink. If the cushions are removable, lift and press down on the deck underneath: you should feel even spacing and resistance to pressure. Squeeze the arms and back: ideally you should not be able to feel the frame through the padding. Lined skirts and ones with weights will hold their shape better over the long run.

Are the cushions reversible? You’ll get twice the wear if they are. Flip them around and make sure any upholstery patterns match up both ways. Tip: Consumer Reports has a nice diagram to help you assess upholstered furniture construction. That’s a lot of information. If you’re like me, you might find it difficult to remember all of these factors while you’re actually shopping at the furniture store. To make things easier, I’ve created a basic furniture shopping checklist. You may download the 35kb PDF or simply print the list below: Armed with this information, I feel much more confident about approaching future furniture purchases, both new and used. I hope you find it helpful too. GRS is committed to helping our readers save and achieve their financial goals. Savings interest rates may be low, but that is all the more reason to shop for the best rate. Find the highest savings interest rates and CD rates from Synchrony Bank, Ally Bank, and more. This article is about House & Home, Hints and Tips, House and Home, Shopping