‘More Custom Slipcovers’ not for beginners

I’m not a novice when it comes to creating slipcovers. I’m working on recovering a patio set, but in that case I just removed the cover, took it apart and used the fabric as a pattern to cut and sew my new slipcover. The techniques in “More Custom Slipcovers: Easy to Make and Snug-Fitting” by Marge Jones fit the fabric to the existing piece, pin the seams and then sew it together to make a slipcover.

Even though I’m not a beginner, and I’m pretty good at understanding how things go together, I had trouble following the instructions. I felt like I was reading a knitting pattern that was one level above my skill level. I kind of got the concept, but not enough to execute it on my own.

The workmanship seems solid and I have no doubt Jones is an expert home decor sewer. But part of the problem is no custom slipcover project is going to be the same. Each piece of furniture has its own set of dimensions and nooks and crannies that present its own set of challenges. So while Jones provides plenty of examples, the instructions are pretty general, and at times not complete.

For example, in the ottoman slipcover example, there are instructions to cut four strips for the fabric, but there is no mention of cutting fabric for the corner covers, which in the photo are clearly a separate fabric piece from the four skirt panels. If the readers are anything like the students in my quilting classes who need step-by-step instructions to make a project, that omission would cause a big problem.

Another issue I had with the book was the photography. There were photos of each step, but they were not taken by a professional photographer. There are harsh shadows, the pins are hard to see and sometimes lack the details needed to fully understand the step that is to be completed next. The photo quality would be acceptable for a blog, but it is lacking for a published book.

Lastly, I just don’t think I’m the target audience for this book. I just turned 30, I’m into graphic modern prints and solids for my home decor. The fabric used in this book looks like something my grandmother would have bought in the 90s. There are beach shells, large blue florals that look like a dress I wore in grade school and a giant leafy print in a greenish gray that I doubt has ever been featured as the Pantone Color of the Year. If that sounds like a wonderful fabric choice to you, sorry, but it it definitely doesn’t fit my modern tastes.

“More Custom Slipcovers: Easy to Make and Snug-Fitting” by Marge Jones is available now from Schiffer Publishing. Click here to read more about the book.

Schiffer Publishing provided a copy of “More Custom Slipcovers: Easy to Make and Snug-Fitting” by Marge Jones for review.