How to Make Bench Pillow Cushions

Use your imagination to choose a fabric to cover a bench pillow cushion.

Use your decorating and sewing skills to make a bench pillow cushion for a cozy window seat, dining table bench or coat stand in the foyer. The cushion will add an accent to the room, and provide comfortable seating at little cost. A bench pillow cushion is a different from other cushions because it is a solid rectangle made of high-density foam, rather than a puffy cushion made with loose filler. You can expect this to be a weekend project, less if you are experienced with sewing.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Extra-loft foam batting
• Scissors
• Small can of spray adhesive
• Decorator fabric
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Needle

Instructions

1. Measure the bench for which you will make the cushion. Purchase a piece of 5-inch thick high-density foam 1 inch shorter and 1 inch narrower than the bench.

2. Cut two pieces of extra-loft foam batting, each the same size as the cushion to cover the top and bottom.

3. Measure the circumference of the cushion foam, then cut a piece of foam batting 5 inches wide, and the length of the circumference. It is okay to cut this last piece in two sections.

4. Spray each piece of foam batting with a thin coat of spray adhesive. Align the piece of batting with its corresponding foam cushion section, then press down firmly so the batting adheres to the cushion.

5. Cut two pieces of decorator fabric each 2 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the bench cushion. These pieces will form the top and bottom of the cushion cover. The extra 2 inches is to make sure the cover is not too tight as well as to account for the seam allowance, which is the distance from the edge of the fabric to the seam you will make to sew two pieces of fabric together.

6. Measure the perimeter of the top cover. Cut one piece of decorator fabric that is the length of the foam cushion plus 1 inch, and 6-1/2 inches wide for the bench cushion cover gusset. (The gusset is the piece of fabric that covers the sides of the cushion.)

7. Set the sewing machine stitch dial so that the machine sews six stitches to the inch. Use an all-purpose polyester thread that matches your decorator fabric.

8. Place the two ends of the gusset together with the right sides facing each other. The right side is the side of the fabric that you will see when you put the cover on the cushion. With the sewing machine, use a straight stitch to sew the two ends together, making the seam 1/2 inch from the edge of the fabric.

9. Pin the top of the cushion cover to the gusset of the cover with right sides together. Place straight pins about six inches apart, perpendicular to the edge of the fabric. The gusset should fit exactly around the perimeter of the cover top. Sew the gusset and top of the cover together on all four sides using a ½-inch seam allowance and a stitch length of six stitches to the inch.

10. Follow the same procedure to attach the other edge of the gusset to the bottom of the cushion cover. Start pinning at a corner of the bottom cover to make sure it will be properly aligned with the gusset. Leave a 30-inch opening on one of the long sides of the cushion cover. Turn the cover so the right side of the fabric is facing outward.

11. Insert the foam cushion covered with foam batting into the cover. Hand sew the opening closed using a needle and thread.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray adhesive on one piece of batting at a time, so the it does not dry before you place the batting on the cushion.

• Take out each pin before the foot of the sewing machine reaches it in order to avoid breaking the sewing machine needle.

• Cut away the extra fabric on the inside of the cover at the corners so the corners will be sharp when you put the cover on the cushion.

References

• Better Homes and Gardens: How to Sew Box-Edge Cushions
• HGTV: Window Seat Sewing Projects