Seat Cushions

I have been so UNmotivated this winter.  I have many projects that need doing outside, but I just can't bring myself to get out there and be productive.  Super lazy is what I've been.  I'm accomplishing very little inside, too, but I did do this.

Seat cushions for my daughter-in-law's dining chairs, which she requested as a Christmas present.

I got her to make a pattern by tracing her chairs for me.  Then I pinned it on the fabric.

Since I was using a two inch thick cushion, I had to cut the fabric one and a half inches larger than the pattern.  If you're a seamstress, you will already know that the fabric is doubled so I could cut the top and the bottom piece at the same time.  The one and a half inch extra fabric is meant to allow for the thickness of the cushion, plus a half an inch seam allowance.  I marked both lines with a pencil.

The pattern is marked where the ties needed to go, so I transferred those marks, as well.

While I waiting for the patterns to arrive in the mail, I went ahead and made the welting that I would need.  I've made welting several times, but never can remember exactly how to make the bias tape, so I went back to my favorite bias tape tutorial here.   So, after I got the seat fabric cut to size, I was all ready to sew the welting onto the top piece of fabric.  For those of you new to sewing/upholstering, pin the welting to the right side of the fabric, matching up the raw edge of the welting to the raw edge of your cushion.  It will seem backwards when you do it, but don't get confused.  This is the way to do it.  Clip the seam allowance of the welting at the corners so that the welting will turn smoothly.  I used as piping foot so I could make my seam right up against the welting cord.

A reminder...cut your cushion foam with an electric knife.  I've found that using scissors just results in a big jagged mess.

I made all of the ties ahead of time and had them ready to go.  I pinned the ties the same way as the welting - right side of fabric, raw edges together, then pinned the bottom fabric piece to the top (which already has the welting sewn onto it).  After sewing it all together except for a small slot in the back, I stuffed the foam cushion in, wiggled it around until it was positioned correctly, then hand-sewed that spot securely together.

The chairs that these cushions are for have three back supports on them, one wide one in the middle back and a narrow one on either side.  Instead of having three dangling ties, which I think would look too busy, I made these little straps for the two side supports.

Theoretically (I don't have the chairs here with me to test), these little straps will just snap around those supports to keep the cushion from sliding around.

The larger support in the back will have this strap tied in a bow, like so.

 

All done!  

I made two smaller cushions for the grandson's little chairs, which are a different design that the adult chairs.  They have the traditional two back supports, hence the two ties.

The cushions are now winging their way to their destination.

HO, HO, HO!  Merry Christmas!

To see pics of cushions on chairs, go here.