Covering a couch for my son - finished - PHEW!

So, the main part of the couch is all covered and now I have the two cushions to do.  And, no surprise, they are weirdly shaped, too!!  I didn't make any patterns for the main part of the couch.  The pieces would have been way too large and I'm never going to make another cover for that couch ... at least I don't think I will.

But because of the odd shape of these cushions, I thought a paper pattern would be the way to go. Plus, I need two covers exactly the same.

I lay a large sheet of paper down, put the cushion on it and trace around it.

I plan to follow the seaming pattern from the original cushion, why reinvent the wheel? There is a seam in the center of the front edge

and a standard box type edge piece on the sides and back with a zipper. I will do a Velcro flap.

So, I determine the depth of the sides are 5" and extend the front 2 1/2" to bring the fabric from the front down to the middle of the edge, making a slightly curved dart in the one corner and add 1/2" seams all around.

This is what the pattern piece looks like.

And for my first mistake ... grrrr ... When I cut the chunks of fabric for pre washing, I cut the cushion pieces just a little too small and I have to piece the part that goes over that sticking out part. Well actually the fabric shrank more than I thought it would.

Now for the edge pieces for the sides and back, I draw a long 5" wide strip with 1/2" seams on either side.  Then use the main pattern piece to determine the length, by walking the seam line of the drawn 5" strip around the seam line of the main piece.

Again, I always make lots of notches and clips to make lining up the the fabric pieces for sewing easy.

I've made the back part of the edge piece into a divided piece with velcro in the same place the original cover had a zipper.

The edge piece is now ready to sew to the top and bottom. Note the flipped piece in lower right hand corner showing the piecing I had to do.

All sewn, ready to go on ... oh I hope it isn't too tight.

OK, mistake #2.  Because I wanted to get this done fast so this couch could go in the garage, making room for my new couch, I have been sewing like a banshee, was so confident of my pattern that I never stopped to check the fit ... 

It's quite a bit too large, but better that, than too small.

The bad part is I was SO confident that I already serged the seams.

I've serged every seam in this whole cover, so my son can wash it without it fraying badly.

So I will have to take apart the back and one side seam, recut and re-sew.  Fortunately that funny little sticky out part fits fine.

ALL DONE!

PHEW!!!!