Do you have an unsightly but comfortable and well-made sofa? Are you working with a tight budget? Is your house full of kids and pets? Do you have fickle taste in decor?

Slipcovers are the answer to almost every decorating dilemma. They cloak brown tweed sofas, cost about half what reupholstering would, come clean in the washing machine, and change the mood of a room as fast as you change your mind.

For all their problem-solving abilities, they're also easy. If you can sew a simple cafe curtain, you can sew a slipcover. We've compiled everything you need to know, from measuring to making a pattern to assembling the pieces-plus tips for putting on finishing touches. Let the makeover begin!