How to Sew Bench Cushions
Assemble the items needed., Measure the flat seat of the bench - length and depth., Cut seven pieces of fabric., Measure out the first piece of fabric, adding a half an inch to each side for seam allowance., Calculate the size of the bottom pieces...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Assemble the items needed.
These are listed below.
You can buy upholstery foam in thicknesses of 2 inches, 3 inches, 4 inches, etc.
In this tutorial, the 3-inch thick foam is used. , Keep in mind that the cushion will sit inside any arms or supports, so don't measure beyond those.
In this example, the bench seat is 40 inches long by 15 inches deep. -
Step 2: Measure the flat seat of the bench - length and depth.
The first piece will be for the top of the cushion, pieces two and three will be for the bottom of the cushion, and pieces four through seven will be for the sides. , For a 40 inch by 15 inch bench, you will need to measure out a piece of fabric 41 inches by 16 inches.
The two pieces for the bottom or back of the cushion will overlap each other.
This is called an "envelope" closure.
It's like a pillow sham. , Add 6 inches to the length of the cushion.
For this project, your first piece of fabric is 41 inches in length, so adding six inches would give you 47 inches.
Now you're going to measure two pieces that will overlap about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way along the back.
The depth of the piece stays the same as for the first piece of fabric
-- 16 inches. , These will overlap on the back or bottom of the cushion cover, leaving an opening to insert the foam. , Adding half an inch for seam allowance to each side comes to 4 inches. , Measure two shorter strips of fabric 16 inches by 4 inches. , Use a cutting mat and a rotary cutter if you have them.
If not, good sewing scissors will do just fine. , After cutting out all the fabric, take a ruler and a pen or pencil and mark the corner of each piece of fabric on the back with a dot or circle one half inch in from the corner.
These marks are important as they will tell you where to start and stop sewing at each corner. , Take one of the long fabric strips and place it face down along the top of the piece, making sure the corners meet and the edges are even.
Pin it in place.
Do the same with the other long strip along the bottom of the fabric piece. , Keeping to a half-inch seam, sew the top fabric strip to the large piece of fabric, stopping at the mark near the corner.
Cut the thread and move on to the bottom fabric strip, again beginning and ending at your corner marks.
Press the seams toward the large fabric piece. , Take the shorter fabric strips and pin them in place, again matching corners and keeping edges even.
Make sure they're not pinned to the long fabric strips that are already sewn on. , Press the seams toward the main fabric piece. , Before sewing the back pieces on, you'll need to hem one end of each.
Using an iron, press a half-inch fold at the short end of each piece.
Then sew along the edge of each fold. , Do the same with the smaller back piece and sew both in place, remembering to start and stop at your corner marks.
You now have one very long piece of stitched-together fabric! , Take the end of one of the short strips where it meets one of the long strips and pin them together, taking care to keep any seam allowance from being caught in the pins.
Sew from one corner mark to the next. ,, Remember that these back pieces will overlap to form the envelope closure.
It might be simpler to sew one piece on, then sew the other over it. , Do both sides, top and bottom, then attach and sew the smaller back piece on. ,, Using your finger, the blunt end of a seam ripper, or the eraser end of a pencil, push each corner out as far as possible. , And you are done
-- you have a new bench cushion! -
Step 3: Cut seven pieces of fabric.
-
Step 4: Measure out the first piece of fabric
-
Step 5: adding a half an inch to each side for seam allowance.
-
Step 6: Calculate the size of the bottom pieces.
-
Step 7: Measure out two pieces of fabric -- one that is 14 inches by 16 inches
-
Step 8: the other that is 27 inches by 16 inches.
-
Step 9: The sides of the sewn cushion cover will need to be 3 inches to accommodate the 3 inch upholstery foam.
-
Step 10: Measure two long strips of fabric 41 inches by 4 inches.
-
Step 11: Cut out all seven pieces of fabric
-
Step 12: taking care to cut each side as straight as possible.
-
Step 13: Mark the fabric.
-
Step 14: Lay out the biggest piece of fabric right or "good" side up.
-
Step 15: Position your needle so the first stitch will enter the fabric at the dot or circle you've drawn half an inch in from the corner.
-
Step 16: Lay out the main fabric piece with the long strips sewn on
-
Step 17: right or "good" side up.
-
Step 18: Sew the shorter strips to each side of the main piece
-
Step 19: beginning and ending at your corner marks and avoiding the long fabric strips.
-
Step 20: Add a hem.
-
Step 21: With the main fabric piece again laid out right side up
-
Step 22: with the strips sewn on and also laid out flat
-
Step 23: pin the un-sewn or raw end of the larger back piece to one of the short end strips.
-
Step 24: Do the corners.
-
Step 25: Repeat for all four corners.
-
Step 26: To complete the cushion cover
-
Step 27: pin the loose ends of the larger back piece to the long end of the long side piece
-
Step 28: again taking care to avoid any seam allowances.
-
Step 29: Sew from the corner mark right along the long edge and over the hemmed end of the back piece.
-
Step 30: Taking care not to cut into your stitching
-
Step 31: clip each corner so the extra fabric won't bunch inside.
-
Step 32: Turn your cushion cover right side out.
-
Step 33: Insert the upholstery foam by tucking one end of the foam under the larger piece on the back of your cover first
-
Step 34: then putting the rest in under the smaller piece.
Detailed Guide
These are listed below.
You can buy upholstery foam in thicknesses of 2 inches, 3 inches, 4 inches, etc.
In this tutorial, the 3-inch thick foam is used. , Keep in mind that the cushion will sit inside any arms or supports, so don't measure beyond those.
In this example, the bench seat is 40 inches long by 15 inches deep.
The first piece will be for the top of the cushion, pieces two and three will be for the bottom of the cushion, and pieces four through seven will be for the sides. , For a 40 inch by 15 inch bench, you will need to measure out a piece of fabric 41 inches by 16 inches.
The two pieces for the bottom or back of the cushion will overlap each other.
This is called an "envelope" closure.
It's like a pillow sham. , Add 6 inches to the length of the cushion.
For this project, your first piece of fabric is 41 inches in length, so adding six inches would give you 47 inches.
Now you're going to measure two pieces that will overlap about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way along the back.
The depth of the piece stays the same as for the first piece of fabric
-- 16 inches. , These will overlap on the back or bottom of the cushion cover, leaving an opening to insert the foam. , Adding half an inch for seam allowance to each side comes to 4 inches. , Measure two shorter strips of fabric 16 inches by 4 inches. , Use a cutting mat and a rotary cutter if you have them.
If not, good sewing scissors will do just fine. , After cutting out all the fabric, take a ruler and a pen or pencil and mark the corner of each piece of fabric on the back with a dot or circle one half inch in from the corner.
These marks are important as they will tell you where to start and stop sewing at each corner. , Take one of the long fabric strips and place it face down along the top of the piece, making sure the corners meet and the edges are even.
Pin it in place.
Do the same with the other long strip along the bottom of the fabric piece. , Keeping to a half-inch seam, sew the top fabric strip to the large piece of fabric, stopping at the mark near the corner.
Cut the thread and move on to the bottom fabric strip, again beginning and ending at your corner marks.
Press the seams toward the large fabric piece. , Take the shorter fabric strips and pin them in place, again matching corners and keeping edges even.
Make sure they're not pinned to the long fabric strips that are already sewn on. , Press the seams toward the main fabric piece. , Before sewing the back pieces on, you'll need to hem one end of each.
Using an iron, press a half-inch fold at the short end of each piece.
Then sew along the edge of each fold. , Do the same with the smaller back piece and sew both in place, remembering to start and stop at your corner marks.
You now have one very long piece of stitched-together fabric! , Take the end of one of the short strips where it meets one of the long strips and pin them together, taking care to keep any seam allowance from being caught in the pins.
Sew from one corner mark to the next. ,, Remember that these back pieces will overlap to form the envelope closure.
It might be simpler to sew one piece on, then sew the other over it. , Do both sides, top and bottom, then attach and sew the smaller back piece on. ,, Using your finger, the blunt end of a seam ripper, or the eraser end of a pencil, push each corner out as far as possible. , And you are done
-- you have a new bench cushion!
About the Author
Jean Roberts
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: