Saturday, February 17, 2018

Crochet Sofa Armrest Covers

My mother was a crochet expert. I wish I'd taken the time to learn from her, but my life seemed too busy at the time. Now that I'm retired and live in an off-the-grid float cabin I have plenty of time to learn new skills.

I needed a book for guidance. Crochet: A Basic Manual for Creative Construction by Mary Tibbals Ventre (Little Brown and Company, 1974) is perfect. It has detailed photographs and easy to follow directions.

Making Crochet Sofa Armrest Covers

We purchased a sofa in 2013 and brought it up the lake in our boat. Now I've decided to make armrest covers before there's any more wear. 

I picked a single crochet pattern involving a circle and a rectangle. Stitched together they form a snug armrest cover.

Directions for a spiral circle from Crochet by Mary Tibbals Ventre:

Make a foundation chain of three stitches and then make seven single crochets into the third chain stitch from the hook, which is the first stitch of the foundation chain. Mark the completion of the first round. (I used a small safety pin.) For the next round make two single crochets in each single crochet stitch of the previous round for a total of fourteen stitches. Mark the completion of the round.

For the third round, again make two single crochet stitches in each single crochet stitch of the previous round, for a total of twenty-eight stitches. After these three rounds, fewer increases are needed to keep the circular form flat. The number of increases will vary with the kind of yarn used, hook size and tension. A more or less accurate way of making a larger circular form is to alternate rows of single crochet that are not increased with rows of single crochet that are increased.

Directions for the rectangle:

Make a rectangle large enough to cover the sofa arm. Mine began with 75 chain stitches and then row after row of single crochet. The tricky thing for me was to remember to do an extra chain at the end of each row before turning to maintain the same number of stitches. Crochet 101 at The Stitchin' Mommy has excellent step by step illustrations.

Stitching it together:

I used a craft needle to weave in the yarn tails where I had to join pieces together. Then I lined up the end of my finished rectangle with the circle and stitched them together with matching yarn. I liked the spiral look of my circle so I chose that for the outside.

The result was a perfect fit. And using single crochet made a thick durable cover to protect the sofa arms from further wear.


Do you crochet? How did you learn? What kinds of things have you made? -- Margy

16 comments:

  1. A lovely idea. I love the colours. I used to crochet a lot years ago. I made a bedcover while doing night shifts, when I was off my room mate would take it to work on during her shifts so it grew quickly. I don't think it would be possible now, the nurses seem busy all night long. Glad you have survived the recent rough weather.

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    1. Well, it wasn't quick for me. I started in August and just finished the first one. Still need to make one for Wayne's side of the sofa. I would imagine nursing is a very busy career. We are heading for Palm Springs for a long weekend so guess we picked a good time with all the below zero temps coming. - Margy

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  2. Covering your fabric sofa arms is a great idea. I love crochet and taught myself as a teenager from one of mom's pattern books though I never had much time to make things over the years. I'm starting to do more again. Not only is it relaxing but it is very practical art.

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    1. I like to crochet because I can listen to music, talk and still work on it. Maybe if I had a more difficult pattern that would be hard though. - Margy

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  3. I would like to learn how to crochet or knit one day down the road. I can't imagine it's easy to get furniture out there so an absolute necessity try and extend the life of furniture to its maximum is critical - great solution!

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    1. Yes, getting things to and from the cabin requires a boat. Fortunately ours was big enough for a sofa. Getting it inside was a problem until we removed one side of the sliding glass door. Whew! - Margy

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  4. The arm covers look great Margie. I love to crochet, can’t really remember when I learned, just it was a long time ago. I do remember kearning the basics of knitting in primary school in Britain many, many years ago.

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    1. Teaching myself has been fun, but I haven't tried a complicated pattern yet. - Margy

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  5. Margy, I love this project! My parents keep handtowels on their arms of the couch. It's annoying when they fall off (to me, anyway) so I'm going to be measuring their arms and get on this one, ASAP!

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    1. After I figured it out myself I saw the same thing available online. But it was fun using my own yarn and doing it myself. - Margy

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  6. What a grand idea - love the look of the arm covers. I am having my good, sturdy 30 year old chair reupholstered (in a light colored fabric) and this is the perfect idea for keeping the arms clean. I will find a soft, pale color to coordinate and make them when the chair is finished. I do crochet - learned when I was 7 and living in Alaska in a fishing village, no other people there but our family all winter. Now I can crochet just about any pattern, from doilies to bedspreads or clothes, or outfits for my dolls. Not that I do all that much crochet these days - but I really enjoy it when I do. I like to crochet out on the deck in the summer, with birds hopping about and a light breeze.

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    1. You sound like my mom. She was an expert. I'm still doing single crochet. But that works for this project. - Margy

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  7. Thanks for the share with this. I am making two sets for my Granddaughters recliner. She has downs syndrome and food crumbles end up on her chair arms. They wanted something they could wash. I've crochet since I was a child. Passed along by many members of my family. I've made a little of everything, except human clothes. I've done doll clothes. I love it. Nearly always have it in my hand if I'm sitting watching TV or riding in car.

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    1. I'm glad the idea helped you. I wish I had taken the time to learn to crochet from my mother. She made some amazing things with detailed patterns. I'm teaching myself from how-to books and starting with simple stitches. This project was perfect for single crochet since I wanted a tight weave. - Margy

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  8. Love this and want to make them for a friend. Can you tell me how many rows you did for the circular/end? Also, how many balls of wool were used to finish one arm cover. Thank you in advance

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    1. It's been a while. I used the directions that I put into the post and continued to make the circle until it fit the end of the sofa arm. Maybe you can find out the diameter of your friend's sofa so you can make it the right size. I re-used some yarn from another project so I'm not sure how many 10 oz skeins of Red Heart yarn I used, maybe 3-4 to make both arm covers. I could have been more. I just kept making enough rows so the whole sofa arm was covered and I could tuck the end at the back. Sorry I can't be more specific. - Margy

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy