How to Make a Cushion Cover

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

A cushion cover takes a lot of fabric but not a lot of tools, practice or patience. It takes less than half an hour to complete and doesn’t require much skill, so it’s a good introductory project for anyone just learning how to sew. With an envelope style cushion cover like this, there are no zippers, buttons or button holes to sew in, making it a nice, relaxing project with a nap-ready result.

Fits snugly on a 20 x 20 Ikea cushion.

Tools Needed

  • fabric scissors
  • chalk pencil (or something for marking)
  • long ruler
  • pinking shears (or serger)
  • point turner (or similarly shaped object)
  • 1 yard or metre of a sturdy, woven fabric like twill or canvas for one pillow (1.5 yards for two). I will be using lightweight cotton twill from Spoonflower.

How to

Step 1

  • With fabric running lengthwise and folded in half so selvage sides are together, use a ruler and chalk pencil to draw a straight line to trim up the cut end of your fabric.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Step 2

  • Measure 21¼” from your first cut and draw a straight line. Cut.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Step 3

  • Rotate the fabric so you are measuring from the one folded side. Measure 24″, draw a straight line and cut. (Save the cut away piece for your next quilt.) You should now have a long rectangle.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Step 4

  • Hem the two shorter sides of your lovely new rectangle by folding the edge over 3/8″, pressing with your iron, folding over again ½”, pressing again and sewing at the 3/8″ guideline on your sewing machine.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Step 5

  • Fold one of the hemmed short sides over by 6″ with wrong (printed) sides together.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Step 6

  • Fold the other side over to meet the folded edge. Press folds to hold them in place while you sew.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Step 7

  • Sew along entire open side with 5/8″ seam allowance. Finish the seams with pinking shears or a serger, if you have one. Trim the corners close to the stitching so they will turn out neatly.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Step 8

  • Turn your new cushion cover right side out. Using a point turner (or similarly shaped object) work the fabric into the right places for a nice, crisp corner. Press to remove any wrinkles.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

Don’t forget to wash and line-dry fabric before starting to prevent your finished project from shrinking. Give it a quick ironing, on reverse side of print, for more accurate measuring and straighter cuts.

How to Make a Cushion Cover | Sophster-Toaster Blog

All photos by me.

DIY Saturday IV: Making Curtains II

This week, I finally made curtains for the windows of the front room of my apartment. I’ve lived here for two months now but I was determined to stick to my $40 budget, which meant waiting for my choice fabric to go on sale. Once it did, I purchased six metres to dress two floor-to-ceiling windows.

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DIY Saturday II: Making Curtains

This week, I decided to take down the dowdy curtains dressing the window of my apartment door. These curtains came with the new apartment were certainly more the style of the previous tenant than mine. They weren’t outright objectionable but I knew that I could make  large improvement with a small investment.

Before

Before

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