P ersonally, slipcovers are one of my favourite ways to cover sofas and chairs that are used a lot. Some of my customers have work that involves a tad bit more dirt (farmers) then they want on the sleeves of their favourite chair. I have two small dogs who stay at home while I am at the shop; they are on my sofa day and night, so I need to be able to throw my slipcover in the wash about once every two weeks. Imagine cleaning fabric on a sofa that often! The upside is easy cleaning, the downside is it cost more then upholstering. Let me begin by dispelling a myth. Upholstering your furniture does not cost more then a slipcover. In fact, slipcovers cost more. Imagine making a prom dress from scratch for your chair. Every chair has sleeves, skirts, a waist, etc. A chair may have twelve different pieces of fabric, each designed to fit perfectly. Solid fabrics take far less time than a patterned fabric, as patterns have to line up or it will look wrong. Although our custom slipcovers cost more then something you can buy online, the difference is custom slipcovers will fit perfectly. There really are no slipcovers that fit all chairs or sofas. There are companies that make sofas and chairs to be slipcovered again and again, such as Ikea or Crate and Barrel. Recently, we replaced a Pottery Barn sectional slipcover at a price less than it cost to buy a new one online. Is there one fabric better than the rest for slipcovers; something that drapes well, is soft and washes well? Sunbrella is used most often, and it has all the above qualities.
Material Girl makes the best slipcovers on the Island, but be prepared to spend a little more to get a superior product. We are worth it.
Christine Zareck, Material Girl Fabrics (Photo: Sara Bakker)
(Photo: Susan Snow)
CUSTOM HOME FURNISHINGS
565 North River Road, Charlottetown 902.218.7128 materialgirl.pei@gmail.com www.materialgirlfabrics.ca
(top) Slipcovered armchair. (middle) Kitchen bar stools with slipcovers (above) Anna Bebeshko, seamstress
FALL 2021/WINTER 2022 www.pei-living.ca
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