Making Custom Outdoor Cushions for Your Outdoor Patio Furniture Making your own custom outdoor cushions requires fabric that is specifically designed for outdoor use.
Viable options include polyester or acrylic fabrics, oil cloth, vinyl, or duck cloth.
These materials can resist sunlight and mildew, preventing damage that could easily ruin an ordinary fabric, making them materials ideal for outdoor furniture.
In addition, you'll require access to high density foam for determining the thickness of the cushions.
These items can all be found at most fabric and upholstery stores.
This how-to guide will walk you through how to create your own outdoor cushions which are ideal additions to your wicker furniture.
Taking measurements The initial steps of making your own outdoor cushions require some important measurements.
First, measure the seat of the chair in which the cushion will be placed.
Determine how thick you'd like the cushion, and purchase a piece of high density foam accordingly.
Make sure that the foam fits the chair.
You'll also need to purchase a zipper that will reach at least as far as the back edge of the cushion.
These zippers can be found in most fabric stores.
Cutting the fabric Begin the next process by cutting two pieces of outdoor fabric, each piece roughly one inch longer and wider than the cut of foam.
Then, cut a strip of fabric that is half an inch wider than the foam, and the length of one long end and both short ends of the previous cut of fabric.
Cut another strip of fabric that's one and half inches wider than the last, and make sure it's the length of one of the long edges.
Then, cut this strip in half, relative to length.
Pinning and stitching Now pin the two narrow strips together by their right sides.
Use seam a 3/4-inch seam allowance to baste them together.
When sewing cushions, you'll need to decide which needle to use in relation to the thickness of your fabric.
The zipper is then pinned teeth side down to the seam allowance and stitched by the zipper tape to the allowance using of a zipper foot.
Then, topstitch the zipper on both sides, getting as close to the teeth as you can, once again using a zipper foot.
With a seam ripper, remove the basting stitches and loose thread, and unzip the zipper.
The final steps Put the zippered fabric and the remaining strip of fabric together by their right sides.
Stitch them along their short ends.
Put the long edge of the strip around the edges of the one piece of fabric.
Pin the strip to the edge, together by the right sides, and then stitch them with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Then, pin the longer edge to the other piece of fabric, stitching them by their right sides.
Place the cushion cover right side out and insert the foam into the cover through the opening.
Zip it together, place the cushion in the seat, and you're finished.
Once you're done, be sure to familiarize yourself with ways to keep cushions clean so they'll last.
Viable options include polyester or acrylic fabrics, oil cloth, vinyl, or duck cloth.
These materials can resist sunlight and mildew, preventing damage that could easily ruin an ordinary fabric, making them materials ideal for outdoor furniture.
In addition, you'll require access to high density foam for determining the thickness of the cushions.
These items can all be found at most fabric and upholstery stores.
This how-to guide will walk you through how to create your own outdoor cushions which are ideal additions to your wicker furniture.
Taking measurements The initial steps of making your own outdoor cushions require some important measurements.
First, measure the seat of the chair in which the cushion will be placed.
Determine how thick you'd like the cushion, and purchase a piece of high density foam accordingly.
Make sure that the foam fits the chair.
You'll also need to purchase a zipper that will reach at least as far as the back edge of the cushion.
These zippers can be found in most fabric stores.
Cutting the fabric Begin the next process by cutting two pieces of outdoor fabric, each piece roughly one inch longer and wider than the cut of foam.
Then, cut a strip of fabric that is half an inch wider than the foam, and the length of one long end and both short ends of the previous cut of fabric.
Cut another strip of fabric that's one and half inches wider than the last, and make sure it's the length of one of the long edges.
Then, cut this strip in half, relative to length.
Pinning and stitching Now pin the two narrow strips together by their right sides.
Use seam a 3/4-inch seam allowance to baste them together.
When sewing cushions, you'll need to decide which needle to use in relation to the thickness of your fabric.
The zipper is then pinned teeth side down to the seam allowance and stitched by the zipper tape to the allowance using of a zipper foot.
Then, topstitch the zipper on both sides, getting as close to the teeth as you can, once again using a zipper foot.
With a seam ripper, remove the basting stitches and loose thread, and unzip the zipper.
The final steps Put the zippered fabric and the remaining strip of fabric together by their right sides.
Stitch them along their short ends.
Put the long edge of the strip around the edges of the one piece of fabric.
Pin the strip to the edge, together by the right sides, and then stitch them with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Then, pin the longer edge to the other piece of fabric, stitching them by their right sides.
Place the cushion cover right side out and insert the foam into the cover through the opening.
Zip it together, place the cushion in the seat, and you're finished.
Once you're done, be sure to familiarize yourself with ways to keep cushions clean so they'll last.