Slipcover Pros in Atlanta this March

March 26-29th

International Window Coverings Expo

Georgia World Congress Center

Atlanta, Georgia

Come, join us in the Slipcover Network exhibit booth.

Plan to join us as we share slipcovering with the trade.
I just hear through the grapevine that Shirley, Angie, Claudia, Julie and I will be there.

Sure would be fun to have a lot more of us!

I will be doing a presentation on Wednesday before the exhibit floor opens, then Claudia and I have been asked to present in the Construction Zone.

If you have never been before this is a great show regarding Interior Home Decor.

Slipcover Design Contest 2008

NOW IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY

This is your opportunity to show off how creative you can be, to peers in the industry and potential customers alike.

Votes will be cast by ballot for the: Best Designed Slipcover

All voting will be done during the 2008 Slipcover Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana June 25-27.
Entries must be post marked no later than June 1, 2008 to be eligible for the contest.

1st Prize in will receive:
Full admittance plus all supplies for classes to the Slipcover Summit in 2009 ($400 value)
1 yrs Directory listing and Slipcover Press (full Membership with the Slipcover Network $45 value)
Photo of award winning slipcover to be used in all advertising regarding the Slipcover Summit and Slipcover Network, plus choice placement on the 2009 Slipcover Calendar.

2nd Prize will receive:
1 yrs Directory listing and Slipcover Press (full Membership with the Slipcover Network $45 value)

Gift Certificate Value from Home Fashions U ($45 value) Choose from Books, DVDs or Supplies in relations to the Sewing Fabrication Industry.

Photo of award winning slipcover to be used in all advertising regarding the Slipcover Summit and Slipcover Network, plus choice placement on the 2009 Slipcover Calendar.

3rd Prize will receive:
Gift Certificate from Home Fashions U ($45 value) Choose from Books, DVDs or Supplies.
Photo of award winning slipcover to be used in all advertising regarding the Slipcover Summit and Slipcover Network, plus placement on the 2009 Slipcover Calendar.

Slipcover Design Entry must submit:
1) Quality 8x10 photos shot from 4 sides of Slipcover
Make sure to high light special design features of the slipcover in a close up photo.
2) Brief description of how any special design features were accomplished should be included in the entry.
Photo will only be returned if a self addressed envelop is included with submission.

Name_________________

Address_______________

City___________________

Zip code_______________

Email_________________

Website_______________

Phone_________________

Mail to: Slipcover Network
1101 Ave D C102 PMB 128
Snohomish, Wa. 98290

Questions about the contest
slipcovernetwork@email.com
800-267-4958

Laurie's Ideas Slipcover After the Summit

Laurie received a Scholarship to the Slipcover Summit in June of 2007

Here is an idea she picked up during the Summit and has used it in one of her jobs for a customer.






What a great idea Lauire! You can reach Laurie at rbrule@comcast.net

Olson Slipcovers Happy New Year

Stagging and wanted to use the old furniture.

Sofa before the Slipcovers

The Slipcovers on the sofa

delivered poly suede slipcover

my first, and I have good news and regular news about that. No, I didn't take photos, it wouldn't have photographed well the good points, and it had good points.

the priority was cat claws, and I think we chose well for that. Another issue was wipeability, and I think we chose well for that.

As you know, there won't be any chance to press the final cover, and that is a hard thing for me to shake off.

My major concern is with maintenance, when air does not pass through it's a problem.

Air is expelled when we sit, and then the furniture is gasping for air when we get up. The poly sticks where our rear ends slid it to. That's the description, not a judgement.

In this case, I'd be happy to repeat the effort for the same priorities, as cat claws and need to wipe for cats is certainly a hard goal to plan for. The poly suede was very good for that.

Just a report that my old brain still has some flexibility.

Little old ladies and their ridiculous rates

Just got off the phone with a potential customer. She moved a Queen Anne chair into another room, and the "eggplant slipcover she had made "just a few months ago" doesn't match anymore. It's "very clever, with Velcro on it so it doesn't move - can you imagine doing all that at her age?"

A "nice old lady" made it, you see. For (get this) $70.

I think I'm gonna be sick... No, really - this is making me physically ill.

Everybody bug Rusty

tell him we need a man's perspective. Tell him we need him in June.....

Rusty is a high volume double on half old urban slipcover workhorse like we sometimes talk about.

so as to avoid the trawlers I am writing it so it won't highlight

slipcover it

at

yahoo

dot


com

who's in Trenton or near by ?

who can give me a sizing up of the slipcover market there ?

I do mean specifically Trenton or north as opposed to Philly, who works that area,, anyone we know ?

Fabric sources

Claudia will be teaching a class at this years Summit on Fabric Sources, but in the meantime, let me suggest some words to Google.

Min Fab , Carr Textile, cut yardage textiles. Others here may give you specific links.

There are no shortage of fabric jobbers, though you'll want to be very specific in your quizzing of these companies before paying for books.

Personally, I only ever use cotton 8 ounces per yard or more, and I only ever order from folks who actually have stock.

You'll want to know what you are willing to sell, as 99% of what books they may ask you to buy will be appropriate for windows but perhaps not slipcovers.

Making copies

the only ways I have discovered that work for me are :

making a double on half cutting with the real fabric, trimming the seams down to the intended seam allowance, complete with all the signals you give yourself. Take out the pins, and make another ( or make 12, or 200 ).

or: making a single on half fitting, out of the real cloth or muslin, trim, use signals, and then make not only your duplicates but the second half of the first cutting, if you used decor fabric to fit with.

these are reasonable strategies if you have certain insurance.

leave plenty of skirt hem, to individualize copies if need be.

Triple check your assumptions that matching furniture is alike enough to do this, then use the largest one. Only differences within certain tolerances merit using absolute copies ** read below.

Use cotton fabric, soak and dry ( if that can be done safely ) to increase elasticity. Think how elastic works in your clothes, same here.

Never assume a pattern or an original cutting can be used to copy to a less elastic fabric than the one fitted, never. It will likely be too small, unless you leave big seams, and even then, it's likely not good. Only copy to the same fabric, or to a more elastic one.

If your copies turn out too large, this is easier to fix than if they come out too small, obviously. *** you may copy your duplicates with a larger seam allowance and then try one each to individualize, this is possible with enough patience and perhaps more trips.

Copies can be better than if fitted one by one from a couple perspectives. Yes, the fit won't be as good. But, the seams will all be in the same places, as will be the motif. If the cord stands out and the pattern placement stands out loudy as well, then copies can be very good.

Double on half will be offered at the next Summit, and this is where all copy strategies begin, double on half.

Once you do it you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.