Pick your favorite fabric and make this tie-on seat cushions, it surely will give the hard ladder chairs in your kitchen a comfy makeover . It’s so easy that anyone can do it, you only need a basic sewing skills!
Materials and Tools
- 1 yard (91 cm) of woven fabric
- 16-inch (40.5 cm) square pillow insert
- Basic sewing kit
Steps
- Use your scissors to cut a piece of fabric measuring 31-inch (79 cm) by of 16½ inch (42 cm) and another one with 7 inch (18 cm) by 16½ inches (42 cm) as the cushion body. Cut the other four 13-inch (33 cm) by 1½ inches (4 cm) strips for the ties.
- Press the long edges of the strap about ¼ inches (6 mm) to the wrong side, then fold each part in half lengthwise and press it. Do the top-stitch along the folded strips, open side as near to the edge, then backstitch at each end. Repeat all four ties.
- Place the larger rectangle fabric face up. On one of the edges of the 16½ inch (42 cm), measure 3 inches (7.5 cm) from each corner. At each point, fix the end of a strap with pin so that it is perpendicular to the edge, extending 1/2 inches (1.3 cm) over the raw edge, and then baste it in place (Photo A).
- Put the 7-inch (18 cm) X 16½ inch (42 cm) fabric face down at its top, lining up the edges of 16½ inches (42 cm) and fix them in place with pin. Do straight stitch to this length with a ⅜ inch seam (1 cm), and then backstitching at each end. Cut carefully the excess fabric of ties that extend over seams
- Hem the opposite 16½ inch (42 cm) side of the shorter rectangle. Fold to the wrong side of the ¼ inch (6 mm), then press, then fold again ½ inch (1.3 cm) and press and top stitch the ⅜ inch (1 cm) from the edge.
- On the remaining 16 ½ inch (42 cm) side of the larger rectangle, fold to the wrong side ¼ inches (6 mm) and press. Measure 3 inches (7.5 cm) from each corner and pin a tie. Baste to hold. Fold the edge ½ inches (1.3 cm) to the wrong side and press, then top stitch ⅜ inches (1 cm) from the edges.
- Fold two times to the raw end of all straps, which is ¼ inches (6 mm), then ½ inches (1.3 cm) and top-stitch back and forth several times to close.
- Put your work face up in front of you. Fold the larger piece in half so that the strap is aligned with the strap on the other side. Fold the smaller part at the seams at the top of it (Photo B). You should have a rough (imprecise) square. Pin and then stitch with a ¼-inch (6 mm) seam around the entire perimeter.
- Trim off the excess of the corner and flip the right side of the pillowcase out. Slide in the pillow insert to complete.
Covered Buttons Cushion
- Arrange buttons on the top of the cushion like the 5 dots of a die, then mark those spots with dress makers’ chalk.
- Using a long upholstery needle and strong thread, sew straight through the back of the cushion, through a mark on the front, through the shank of your covered button and back through the mark to the other side. Repeat this a few times, pulling tight — you need a tough thread for this so it doesn’t break!
- Tie thread off on the back side. Needless to say, this will permanently attach your insert inside the cushion, but it looks so great and makes the whole thing a bit less pillowy to sit on.
You can use any kind of fabric you like to match your home or room, and you could easily make outdoor cushion just by switching to outdoor fabric. Let’s give it a try today as it wont take you a day to make few adorable cushion that surely can make a different to your room and especially your uncomfortable chair!