I get asked a lot why my sofa and armchair DIY kits don't come with cushions and my response is always that I would have to charge double the price for a DIY kit to include the cushions. They're easy to make, though, and you probably already have most of the materials you need.
Materials:
-base (can be cardboard, wood, or foam board)
-foam or batting
-fabric of your choice
-fabric tape
-fabric scissors
Start by cutting your base. You can use a variety of materials here (wood, foam board, or even cardboard); you just need something firm to attach the fabric to. To determine the correct size of the base, measure the length and width of where the cushion will go and cut your base slightly smaller than that. For this example, let's say we're making a sofa and you want to make a seat cushion. If you're cushion area measures 5" by 2.5", you need to cut your base at 4.825" by 2.375" (this means you're taking off an eighth of an inch from the length and the width. This doesn't have to be exact; just make the cushion base slightly smaller than the area it is going so the fabric has space to wrap around the cushion. For the cushion part, you can use foam or batting (just cut a few layers to get the thickness you want). Cut the cushion to the same size as the base. I just trace the base onto the foam and use fabric scissors to cut the cushion.
Now it's time to cut the fabric. You can use any fabric you want for this (old white under shirts are my go to). I think it would be so sweet to preserve a special dress your child has grown out of by creating cushions with the fabric. For my cushions, I use this 28ct. white even weave cross stitch fabric because the texture is just like a real sofa. Place your base and cushion on the fabric. My foam is half an inch thick so I like to leave about an inch of fabric extending from all sides. I use a square and a rotary cutter to cut my fabric by good ol' fabric scissors work just fine. Your fabric needs to be big enough to wrap around the cushion and have at least a quarter inch to adhere to the back of the base.
I am not a fan of sewing, and I avoid it at all costs so I use this nifty fabric tape to attach the fabric to the base. I prefer this over the iron-on tape because this is much faster, and I glue my finished cushions into the furniture anyway.
Lay your fabric on a flat clean surface and place the cushion and base in the center of the fabric. Apply a line of fabric tape to both of the long sides of the base next to the edge. Gently fold your fabric over and press it into the tape. Don't pull too hard because your cushion will get smushed at the edges. Repeat on the other long side.
To prevent my cushions from being too bulky, I like to cut excess fabric on the ends like you see in the picture above, but this is totally optional.
Apply a line of tape to the short ends of the base (the tape will slightly overlap with the fabric from the long sides). Push in the side of the fabric as if you're wrapping a present (see the second picture above); pull the fabric over (don't pull too hard or your cushion will be smushed at the edges); and gently press the fabric into the tape. Repeat for the other short end.
You're all done. I like to use craft glue to attach the cushions to the furniture to make sure it's extra secure, but that's totally optional. This method works great for sofas, chairs, and mattresses.
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @mini.adventures.co to show me how you make your cushions!
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