Cheap sofa covers

[maximo]

Hello ! I'm moving to a new flat on saturday, and it is furnished. However, the sofas ( one 3 seater and one 2 seater ) in the lounge are VERY ugly, and I don't like the idea of just covering them with a throw as I'm forever straightening the one I have at the moment. Does anyone know where I can find cheapish sofa covers ( simple ones, the kind that have ties on the sides ) ? I have looked on ebay and argos, but no luck. Any idea ? Thanks in advance.

[Buenchico]

I try to avoid posting negative responses but I think that I've got to say that you're seeking the impossible.

No two sofas seem to have the same shape, which is why you can't buy 'universal' sofa covers (and why throws have become so popular). The most well-known supplier of sofa covers is Plumbs. In days gone by, when there were only a few manufacturers offering a few designs of sofas, Plumbs did offer a range of ready-made covers. (I can remember my parents buying from this range, on a couple of occasions, in the 1960's. We probably spent far more time trying to pull those covers straight than you ever spend on straightening your throws!). These days, with so many different sofa designs, Plumbs only offer a made-to-measure service and they don't come cheap! :
http://www.plumbscovers.co.uk/pl_sofa/sofa_covers.asp

[Buenchico]

(continued) . . .

I think that you're going to have to rely on using throws but, as I've said, you might well spend less time straightening these than you would on straightening expensive sofa covers. (The last set of sofa covers my parents bought from Plumbs were made to measure and we still had to keep straightening them!). I suggest heading for a 'cheapo' shop and buying several throws. If you've got lots of throws on a single sofa, it won't show if they move around a bit, so you won't have to keep straightening them. (I bought a couple of pairs of lined curtains, at �9.99 each, on Wednesday from just such a shop. They were next to the throws, which, I happened to notice, were all within the �5 - �10 range. So, at those sort of prices you could probably buy quite a few throws without breaking the bank).

I'm sorry that this post doesn't directly answer your question. I hope that someone will post another answer to say that I'm spouting a load of rubbish and that they can point you towards a source of well-fitting cheap sofa covers. I fear, however, that you might have to live with the throws.

Chris

[maximo]

Thanks Chris ! This seems to explain why I couldn't find any on ebay or online shops...Ah well, throws it is then ! I was just worried because those sofas are a kind of fake leather material, and I'm thinking the throw is going to slide right off them. Maybe I'll be able to find a way of tying the throws somehow ! Thanks again for you answer, very complete as usual.

[Buenchico]

Thanks for your response.

Just a suggestion for you:
There's a'stick-&-sew' type of Velcro available. One strip is sticky-backed (so that it can be attached to the sofa) and the other has the usual fabric backing (so that it can be attached to the throws). It's available from most haberdashery shops and from some DIY stores. (Make sure you get 'stick-&-sew' and not the 'stick-and-stick' version). Worth a try, perhaps?

Chris

[wendilla]

i had this problem a few years ago when I wasnt ready to buy a new suite. In Marshall Wards catalogue they do stretch covers that you can mould to the shape of your settee.There are other companies do them and they are not very expensive.

[ruthann58]

littlewoods cataloge do them page 818

[lion heart]

au natural do really nice throws depending on what your looking for!

[sooze1964]

Hi, I have a similar problem and could not afford even second hand covers. I overcame this by buying some home dye, I was able to dye all covers including10 large cusions for less than £30.00. Good Luck