by Karen Powell, The Slipcover Maker
Types of Slipcover Canvas
............................................ 3
Best Canvas Weights
............................................ 5
Wrinkles & Shrinkage
............................................ 6
Canvas Slipcover FAQ
............................................ 8
Beyond Basic Canvas
............................................ 9
How-To Preshrink Canvas
............................................ 10
About This Ebook
............................................ 11
©2014 Karen Powell
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Cotton Canvas: the most popular canvas used for washable slipcovers.
• Casual and relaxed looking, works well in tailored and shabby-chic style slipcovers
• Easy to find at low prices in a variety of solid colors, prints and weights
• Hand-feel varies: brushed soft, flat and smooth, crisp, stiff, grainy or coarse.
Cotton Duck Cloth: duck is another word for canvas. Cotton duck and cotton canvas of the same
weight are the same fabric when it comes to slipcovers.
• Looks like cotton canvas and wrinkles like canvas
• Hand-feel ranges from soft to very stiff depending on weight (single-fill vs. double-fill) and
and type of finish (un-dyed, dyed, pre-washed, etc.) Read more about duck cloth weight on page 5.
©2014 Karen Powell
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Cotton Blend Canvas: made with cotton and another
fiber such as polyester, linen or hemp.
• Cotton/poly canvas usually wrinkles less than 100%
cotton canvas
• Look for 15% or less poly in the blend to maintain a
cotton feel
• Linen or hemp added to cotton canvas gives the fabric
subtle texture and strength
Cotton duck cloth #12 weight, Big Duck Canvas.
Denim Canvas: cotton canvas woven with colors indigo
and natural.
• Looks like blue jean fabric but without the twill lines
• A laundered finish or brushed surface works best
• Avoid rigid feeling denim canvas. It is often too stiff
for slipcovers and doesn’t soften with wash.
Linen and Hemp Canvas: my favorite types of canvas
because of the natural, rustic beauty.
• Linen canvas and hemp canvas have a similar slubby
textured look
• Washable, heavy weights work the best
• Allover soft crumpled appearance after washed
• No hard wrinkles like cotton canvas
• Softer, more floppy drape than cotton canvas
Brushed Canvas: cotton canvas with a soft surface.
• Different levels of brushing result in different hand-feel
• Wrinkles less than un-brushed cotton canvas
• Heavily brushed canvas may pill after wash and wear
• Pet hair and lint stick easier to brushed canvas
than the un-brushed version
Carr Go Brushed Canvas 8 ounce, color Natural,
from Carr Textile.
©2014 Karen Powell
Drop Cloth Canvas: un-dyed medium to heavy weight
cotton canvas drop cloth typically of second quality.
• Coarser hand-feel than dyed cotton canvas
• Sometimes a drop cloth is more budget-friendly than
buying canvas by the yard
• Comes in different sizes, each one is pieced together
with one or more seams
• Expect high shrinkage and some flaws
page 4
Most popular canvas weights for
slipcovers:
• Light weight, 7 ounce
• Medium weight, 8 to 10 ounce
• Heavy weight, 12 ounce
• Heavy weight #12 (11.5 ounce)
Ounce refers to unit of weight per square yard.
Choose a weight based on how you
will use your slipcover.
• Light weight or “drapery weight”
Best suited for slipcovers that get
occasional use and few washings.
• Medium weight
A good choice for everyday slipcovers
that require only one or two washings
per year.
• Heavy weight, 12 ounce
Best option for high traffic slipcovers
that require frequent washing. Great for
families with pets and/or kids. Provides
better coverage for dark upholstery
than the light and medium canvas
weights.
• Heavy weight, #12 (11.5 ounce) – refers to un-dyed cotton duck woven with 2-ply yarns
This #12 weight canvas has a double fill instead of a single fill (yarns woven across the width
of the fabric). It’s denser and stiffer than 12 ounce weight. Makes a tough, heavy-duty slipcover.
Slipcover in natural cotton duck, #12 weight.
©2014 Karen Powell
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Cotton canvas always wrinkles. Some canvas fabrics have a normal level of wrinkle, which will relax
with wear but rarely press out completely. And, some take on deep set wrinkles that stay in the fabric
forever no matter what you do to get rid of them. Un-dyed natural canvas usually wrinkles much more
than one that’s dyed a color.
Cotton canvas can have high shrinkage. I consider high shrinkage to be 4” to 6”per yard on the length.
100% canvas usually shrinks more than a cotton/poly blend. Un-dyed natural canvas may shrink more
than one that’s dyed a color. Brushed canvas usually shrinks less than un-brushed.
This 10 ounce cotton canvas from Big Duck Canvas has moderate wrinkle after washed and pressed. Most of the
wrinkle softens and relaxes as the slipcover gets used.
©2014 Karen Powell
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• Save money. Before you buy yardage for your slipcover, wash and dry a one yard sample. If you
don’t like how much it wrinkles and shrinks you’re only out the cost of one yard.
• Avoid surprises later on. A wash test will also reveal right away if your fabric pills, fades and how
well it covers your furniture.
How-To Wash Test Your Canvas:
❶ Buy a one yard cut. This is important to do for every type of canvas you’re
considering for your slipcover.
❷ Machine wash and dry. Wash in hot water, no detergent. Tumble dry on hot.
Remove from drier promptly when completely dry.
Tip: If you don’t have other items to dry with the one yard canvas, throw in a big towel.
This will keep the fabric from wading up into a ball forcing it to wrinkle and crease more.
❸ Press. The level of wrinkle you see after pressing the canvas is how it will look in
your slipcover. Some wrinkles might soften or fall out as the slipcover is used.
❹ Measure the length. Note the number of inches the one yard canvas shrunk.
You will need to add those inches to each yard needed for your slipcover.
❺ Feel the hand. Does the canvas feel soft and supple after it’s washed? If it feels
stiff and boardy, chances are it won’t soften up in a slipcover.
Cotton/linen printed canvas.
©2014 Karen Powell
Woven ticking stripe canvas.
page 7
Q: Canvas or denim; which one works best for a slipcover?
A: Both fabrics work great for slipcovers. Each one has its own unique look, feel and function.
Consider the look you’re going for, your budget and what kind of use your slipcover will get. Buy one
yard each of the canvas and denim you like, wash them and throw them over your furniture to see
which one speaks to you. For my own slipcovers, I use denim more often than canvas because I like
the appearance better; it’s less flat looking and has a softer wrinkle.
Q: Will white or natural color canvas cover my dark color upholstered furniture?
A: Most white and natural 12 ounce canvas and #12 weight duck will cover dark colors. Test a
sample to be sure.
Q: I have kids and pets. Which canvas should I use for my slipcover?
A: A heavy weight 12 ounce cotton canvas that is tightly woven and feels dense will hold up well to
frequent use and washings. If you need a tougher, more protective slipcover go with a #12 weight
cotton duck cloth.
Q: Is inexpensive canvas good quality?
A: Price does not necessarily reflect the fabric’s quality. I bought a $5/yard canvas and found the
quality to be better than a $24/yard canvas fabric I tried. I’ve also purchased cheapie canvas from a
discount fabric retailer and was very disappointed with the amount of flaws and extremely high
shrinkage. You can find out a lot about the fabric quality by doing a wash & dry test on one yard.
Q: I bought canvas that is pre-washed. Do I have to pre-shrink it before making my slipcover?
A: Yes! A fabric labeled “pre-washed” means the fabric has been finished in a way that makes it feel
soft and supple. That might mean it actually was washed but it doesn’t mean all of the shrinkage has
been removed. Be sure to pre-shrink your canvas yardage so your slipcover doesn’t shrink later on.
Q: I want a durable canvas for my slipcover but I don’t like wrinkles? What do you recommend?
A: 100% cotton canvas in any weight will wrinkle so I would opt for the cotton/polyester canvas I
review on page 10 or use a 14 ounce washed denim. Both are durable and have minimal wrinkle.
Q: I found a cotton canvas I like but its Dry Clean Only. Can it be washed?
A: The best way to find out is to wash test a yard. I have washed many dry-clean-only cotton fabrics
and most of them turned out great. Sometimes they shrink more or fade easier than a washable fabric
so be sure to test a sample before you commit to a lot of yardage.
Q: How can I reduce the stiffness and wrinkles in the canvas slipcover I just made?
A: Frequent wear and washings will eventually soften the hand-feel and wrinkles somewhat. I’ve tried
fabric softeners, vinegar, baking soda and drier sheets. Unfortunately, they don’t work.
©2014 Karen Powell
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Drapery Weight Prints
Light weight printed canvas
in a variety of patterns:
• Florals
• Geometrics
• Stripes and checks
• Ikats
• Conversationals
Look for washable drapery
weight prints in 100% cotton
that are densely woven.
Avoid sheer and loosely
woven canvas prints.
©2014 Karen Powell
Woven Stripes & Checks
Medium weight canvas with
a yarn dyed pattern:
• Ticking stripe
• Gingham check
• Buffalo check
• Awning stripe
Look for designer prints that
can be washed. Some “Dry
Clean Only” canvas prints can
be machine washed. Wash
test a yard to be sure.
A woven pattern looks the
same on the front and back
of the fabric.
100% cotton, cotton/linen
and cotton/poly work best.
Good for slipcovers that get
occasional use.
Fabric.com
OnlineFabricStore.net
HouseFabric.com
Designer Home Decor Prints
Brand name light to medium
weight printed canvas:
• Waverly
• Robert Allen
• Amy Butler
• ...and many more!
Good for everyday slipcovers
that get moderate use.
SlipcoverFabrics.com
HancockFabrics.com
ArtisticFabrics.com
BuyFabrics.com
CalicoCorners.com
Joann.com
Look for cotton stripe and
check designs that are
tightly woven and washable.
Good for slipcovers that get
moderate to frequent use.
DecorativeFabricsDirect.com
WarehouseFabricsInc.com
HabermanFabrics.com
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❶ Cut canvas into 5 yard lengths. Or, cut longer lengths, up to 8 yards, as long as the
fabric fits in your washing machine and dryer with room to spare. Avoid packing the
yardage in too tight, it will cause deep set wrinkles.
❷ Machine wash canvas in hot water, no detergent. Wash one fabric length at a time.
Don't crowd the yardage with other laundry items.
❸ Tumble dry on hot, no dryer sheets. Wet yardage wads up into a ball pretty quickly in an
average size drier. It’s really important to remove the fabric, unwind it and put it back in
the dryer about every 5 to 10 minutes during the first half hour of drying. It’s a hassle
but believe me this is the best way to minimize wrinkles.
❹ Remove canvas from dryer promptly when dry. If you won’t be using your fabric right
away, roll it on a cardboard tube rather than folding it. This will keep fabric free of
creases.
Pressing is optional. If your preshrunk yardage has big, raised wrinkles that interfere with
draping the fabric smoothly as you do the pin fitting you might want to press it flat. I
sometimes mist the fabric with a water spray bottle as I press.
©2014 Karen Powell
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The advice I share is based on my professional experience
as a slipcover maker, as well as, a textile developer for
over 25 years. Your experience with the fabrics I mention
may vary depending on how you
use and wash them.
All of my fabric reviews and images are my own.
I have no promotional affiliation with the fabric
companies I include in this ebook.
Visit my blog for inspiring slipcover makeovers:
http://slipcovermaker.com/
copyright © 2014 Karen Powell
All content, graphics and images found in my digital e-goods are the
property of The Slipcover Maker and author, Karen Powell, unless
noted otherwise. Copying or reproducing my content in any way
without my authorization is prohibited. My content is copyright
protected and may not be used for personal profit.
©2014 Karen Powell
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