DIY: Simple Sew Bench Slip Cover

By Kate Riley May 12, 2009

I’m feeling a bit more like royalty today, since I found the perfect little bench for my master bathroom vanity.  I snagged this little bench off Craiglist for $10 that had (allegedly) “never been used” by the owner.  While the tots were resting, I whipped up some extra padding and a simple slipcover and voila – my little bench is now fit for a queen.  Or at least the Queen of My Castle

Before and After:

before and after bench

  Here she sits in my master bath:

vanity

** Pay no attention to the missing glass in the upper cabinets.  We just got the mirror to the double sink vanity a few months ago.  This bathroom is a work in progress… going on year three.  The master “shower” is currently being used as a storage closet. :-( 

I had to cover that horrid fabric on the bench and add some padding, so I trimmed the foam, and used an old T-shirt for batting.  Why pay $6 to $8 for batting when you’ve got an old T-shirt hanging around?  I attached the foam to the seat with a staple gun.  

trim foam

staple batting

A T-shirt works just as well as cotton batting on a small piece of furniture:

t shirt batting

How To Make a Simple Sew Slip Cover for a Bench or Ottoman:

First, cut your top piece of fabric and leave an extra inch all around for the seam.

cut top

Next, cut four strips of fabric and pin them to your top piece.

pin sides

Attach the four strips to your top piece of fabric with a simple seam.

attach sides

Here’s what it looks like before you’ve sewn your corners together:

Bench Slipcover 031

Once your four sides are attached, form the corners by pinching the fabric together, and pin the seam.  Then use your sewing machine to sew the four sides together.

pinch corners

Here’s what it will look like when the four sides are attached, and your four corners are sewn together. 

corners attached 

Next, trim the bottom of the sides in preparation for your final hem.  Make sure the sides are even on all sides.   

trim with scissors

   Hem the bottom, and you’re done !

hem

Final slipcover:

bench final

bench under vanity

Although I contemplated stapling the fabric to the bench, the nice thing about a slipcover is that I can throw it in the wash.  After all, this is where I primp, and where my five year old and I sometimes play with makeup, and in all the amusement, lipstick accidents are bound to occur. 

Have you slip covered anything in your home ?

14 comments

  1. great job! I have picked up a few of these little benches over the years and they are just in storage waiting for me to transform them! Maybe this will be my push to get them done. Thanks!

  2. Fabulous. I love that fabric. I’ve been looking for a bench to go at the foot of our bed, so I’ll save your wonderful tutorial!

  3. just found your blog from Living With Lindsay. and OMG! love it! I had to grab me a cup of tea and an now going through all your DIY projects. We are cut from the same cloth girlfriend! Lovely home!

  4. I love it love it! I picked up a bench yesterday at Goodwill {$3.99!} and plan on redoing it this weekend. I have no idea how to do and was going to wing it but this is a HUGE help!

    It’s a keeper! :)

  5. I love it!! and to be able to buy something for 10 bucks and make it look that great is awesome! :)

  6. Oh!!!! This is exactly what I’m talking about….except I really want to do the tufted one…;) Still searching for the bargain bench. Our neighborhood (620 homes) is having a NEIGHBORHOOD garage sale this weekend…I’ll be on the hunt! Will definitely show some pix. I’ll get there.

  7. Great job! And I love the fabric in your tutorial. I am thinking that is one I’d like for the roman shades I need to make for my bedroom.
    I have not MADE slipcovers yet (my first project is a small chair) but I had a local seamstress make some for me. They turned out great! I have pictures of them on my blog if you wanna see.

  8. I would love to get together for a weekend and just sew with you – wouldn’t that be fun?

  9. Love how it turned out! I agree that it’s best as a slipcover when it comes to make up ;)

  10. Very cute! I love that you did it slipcovered instead of upholstered–great idea!

  11. Hello hunnie, sweet website! I really like this blog post.. I was curious about this for a while now. This cleared a lot up for me! Do you have a rss feed that I can add?

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