Slipcover Before/After (Nearly done)

Before/After of the slipcover... (not quite done yet... still need to do back cushions and skirt)

Adding an extra couple inches of batting to the seat cushion filled out the bagginess. (See how baggy the cushions were in the pic below)

I've hemmed the main slipcover and measured for the skirt and marked it by pinning piping where it will be positioned...

Step-by-step pics of the process to this point:

1. After both arms were sewn, the next step was to make the back...

2. I pinned a rough rectangle to the back, then pinned piping onto the exact edges, leaving the seam pins pinned, (and of course removing the pins that held the rectangle to the couch) and then I took the pinned piece to the sewing machine to baste the piping on.

3. Then I sewed the inside back to the outside back along the top seam, going not quite to the corner. (Those corners that are tricky get all the seams that converge there to come together nicely).

4. In the next pic, it's hanging together, but not done being fitted. During all these fitting steps, you put the slipcover on the piece inside out, so you can pinch pin the seams to fit. At this stage, the outer seams are all finished, and now I'm working on the inside seams. It's a lot of taking off and putting on of the slipcover. (I left one of the side-back seams open for the lower 20 inches to allow for putting it on and off. (I'll put velcro on that seam). (The platform is an old pink sheet).

It'll look better once I have the back cushions done ... and then I'll be on a hunt for the perfect collection of throw pillows in the perfect palette. What I have here is a mishmash of any old thing I could find around the house. (eg. The grey striped thing is a tshirt wrapped around a pillow form).

I've been browsing all the lovely cottagey blogs for inspiration on palette. Any ideas/advice/inspiration would be appreciated. I'm not so good at the whole color/decor thing... I can use help!