Advice on making sofas cover please

[JonahAndTheSnail]

I'm looking at recovering my caravan sofa and would like to attempt to make a zippered cover I can take off to wash. I'm not super experienced with a sewing machine but have made basic items like curtains before, so I'm expecting this project to be a lot more challenging!

The shape of the cushions has me stumped due to the buttons and the curve at the edge (where your knees are if you're sitting). Do you think the simplest way to tackle this would be to line the covers with some type of padded interfacing to cover where the buttons are? If so can anyone link me to the type of material that would work for this. I'm also thinking I'll need to shape the curved bit by sewing in an extra piece of fabric.

Any suggestions on how I can tackle this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

If you want to cover where the buttons are, a thin upholstery foam layer might work, attached to the cushion rather than the cover for ease of washing.

for the shape of the cover, I'd basically cut 2 of the blue shape for the ends and one long rectangle for the green to wrap round. The underneath could be a cheaper, different fabric. Fasten the opening with Velcro.

the back cushions would be similar.

basically, draw round the cushions onto something like wallpaper and add a seam allowance (although you want them to be slightly snug so the cover doesn't wrinkle),

Thanks @SoupDragon the diagram is really helpful. I think I was overcomplicating fitting the curve, but what you've drawn and described makes a lot of sense

Good luck :)

Does the existing fabric have a nap like a chenille?

You may find that you're going to spend your life straightening the cover you make if so...

I did recliner cover recently. I'm paused on completing the second. lol But it was interesting.

My advise is use some old sheets or something similar to lay out your pattern, like @SoupDragon said, start with paper pattern outline, transfer to sheet material and tack or pin. Use that to figure out the little gotcha's before you start cutting your actual material (the price of fabric!!).

That allowed me to keep making adjustments to the fitting before I cut my final pieces.

Does the existing fabric have a nap like a chenille? The texture is somewhere between a chenille and a stiff toweling, but a fairly low pile. We're not overly bothered about aesthetics as we have two dogs! Mostly concerned with the dogs making it smell doggy/getting mud on the cushions, as the cushions look almost new and are apparently one of the more expensive items to replace.

That's a good tip about making a prototype from old sheets. I'd had the same thought as I've been storing some old duvet covers in the loft for years as I may need them for a project like this. The lazy part of me was telling me not to bother, but I do think it will be time well spent given I'm an amateur sewer!