Ottoman Slipcover with Box Pleat Skirt {sewing technique}

You like??  I made this ottoman cover out of a shower curtain!  

(Read below to see how I did this.)  

In addition to the curtains, I made a new slipcover for our ottoman. I'd say it desperately needed it!  I made this green slipcover 6 yrs ago. I'd say it had a good run. But now it is worn out and an eyesore.

The cover is not the only problem. See what I mean:

And now...my shower curtain-turned ottoman slipcover:

Going for QUICK here, on my Living Room Redo...I followed this tutorial at Tatertots and Jello as a basis.  Then, I added a box pleat skirt on the bottom vs. the pleated ruffle from her tutorial. (I knew my husband would oppose anything remotely girlie for the living room.) I followed her tutorial but when it came to sewing the corner seams I had some trouble getting nice corners.  (Will tell you about that next time.)





















***My best advice for making this slipcover, is to try-on the cover at every step of the project.  In theory, you sew a box and slip it over your ottoman.  Easy, right?  Except when your ottoman is melting over the side!  Like mine.  I had to constantly tweak my pins and seams.  My goal was to disguise it's out-of-shape-ness.

{Sewing Technique} for adding the box pleat skirt:
TIP: I used the hemmed edges (bottom and sides) of the shower curtain for my pleated skirt. That way I didn't have to hem it!
1. My skirt was 6" so I cut 6.5" strips off each side and bottom hem. Sewed them together to make one long strip.
2. Add up your side lengths and add 12" for each corner. Ex: (2 x long side) + (2 x short side) + 4(12") + seam allow = total length of the skirt

3. Start pinning skirt to cover at a side, then pin along to the corner.

4.

5. Create the pleat at the corner by bringing outer pins #1 and #3 (under) to meet the center pin #2. Smooth and pin, pin, pin.

6. Pin skirt to cover and continue pinning to next corner. Repeat steps 4, 5, 6 until you have three corners pleated and pinned.

7. On the 4 pleat, working towards this last corner seam, pin skirt to cover on both sides of the corner until you get a big "loop" in the skirt.

8. Flatten this ruffle loop evenly to make the last pleat. It may or may not be exactly 3" pleats like the others. That is fine. Pin pleat in place. Pin to cover.

9. Sew the skirt to the cover.

I don't know if this was very helpful to anyone else (unless you are making a slipcover like this one), but at least now I have this technique documented because I am sure this won't be my last time doing this.  Thanks for bearing with me!

Are you loving this blue as much as I am?  (in case you wondered, got the shower curtain at Target)

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