Simple DIY Chair Cushion with Ties (in an Hour)

Get a tutorial for a simple DIY chair cushion with ties – yes, it’s so easy, anyone can do it with basic sewing skills! Pick your favorite fabric for a custom addition to your decor.

Skills Required: Beginner. There are several steps to this project, but the sewing is simple. Even if you’re a beginning sewist, you should be able to accomplish this with some patience.

Hi everyone! This is Ashlee from My So Called Crafty Life, and I’m here to show you all how to make a simple DIY chair cushion! My Mama Marcie has a knack for antiques.

Her house is filled with them, and she always finds the most beautiful furniture pieces. One of my favorite piece she has in her kitchen is a gorgeous green iron chair with a floral fabric covered DIY chair cushion.

The chair is precious, but the seat is flat as a pancake and very uncomfortable.

A really easy solution for an uncomfy chair, without reupholstering it and adding lots of padding, is to make a removable DIY chair cushion that ties onto the chair.

So, I decided to whip one up for Marcie’s kitchen chair, and now it makes a great resting spot without hurting your tush!

The best part is that this home decor is easy to make, requiring no pattern, and you can easily whip one up in an hour or two. Here’s how I made my DIY chair cushion . . .

How to Make Chair Cushions

Gather These Supplies

• Fabric for Cushion (about a half yard will do for most small to medium size chairs)
• Fabric Scraps or Ribbon/ Trim for Ties
• Fabric Scraps for Buttons
• Covered Button Kit (you can find these at JoAnn)
• Stuffing
• Ruler, Marking Pen, Scissors
• Sewing Machine and Thread
• Hand Sewing Needle and Thread

Instructions:

First you need to measure the chair seat. Add a couple of inches to that measurement. I recommend one inch for a half-inch seam allowance on each side, and one inch for the puffy factor.

My seat was 15 x 17″, so I wanted my fabric to be 17 x 19″. Once you decide on the size you want, cut two pieces, one front and one back.

Stack the pieces together and fold in half. Cut the bottom edge to be rounded.

Cut two ties to be 20″x 2″.

If you are using ribbon or trim, skip this step. To make the ties, start by folding your tie in half lengthwise right sides together and press.

Stitch all the way along the side and across the top.

Turn your tie right side out. Fold a little of the open in to the inside and stitch across the end, closing up the open end.

Cut tie in half. Repeat with other tie.

Pin your ties in between the front and back piece. The front and back should be right sides together. Pin the ties about an inch and a half in from the sides.

Make sure the ties are facing in towards the center of the cushion and the raw edges are lined up at the back. You need two ties on the right side and two at the left on what will be your back seam.

Once you have everything pinned, you’re ready to sew. Start at the back right before the ties are pinned on the right side.

Stitch across the back then pivot and stitch down the side, across the bottom, up the other side and then across the back until right past the left set of ties. You should have an opening left in the back between the ties for stuffing.

Clip corners and curves close to the seam.

Turn your cushion right side out.

Stuff your cushion with polyfill or other stuffing of your choice. Stitch up the opening in the back with your hand needle and thread using a blind stitch, ladder stitch, or a whip stitch. You can leave your cushion like this or you can add buttons.

To make covered buttons, cut a piece of fabric with the template included in your kit. place the fabric right side down into the rubber cup. insert the top of the button face down into the cup. Gather the fabric into the back side of the button front.

Place the button back shank side up onto the gathered fabric in the back side of the button front. Press the back of the button into the cup with the little plastic piece that the kit includes. You should feel it snap together. Remove button from the cup. Repeat with your other buttons. I made four.

Measure and mark where you want your buttons to go. Mark the placement on the front and back of the cushion.

Bring your threaded needle up from the bottom through the marked spot.

Thread the button on the needle and then bring the needle back down through to the back side. Then repeat a few stitches.

Pull the thread tightly so that the button sinks into the pillow. Tie off the thread with a couple of knots.

Clip the excess. Repeat with your other buttons. Finish by tying your cushion to the chair and enjoying your new soft seat!

I think this DIY chair cushion turned out to be just adorable! I have a thing for vintage westerns, and these cowgirls make me swoon! The fabric is an old print from Alexander Henry that I picked up at antique fair.

If you are looking for some cute cowboy fabric Michael Miller has some cute prints for kids, or you can always look for vintage prints on eEBay or Etsy.

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4.60 from 27 votes

DIY Chair Cushions

Learn how to make chair cushions with this easy tutorial! You'll need basic sewing machine skills to ensure success.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Active Time2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs

Type: Sewing Crafts

Yield: 2 cushions

Cost: $10

Equipment

• Covered Button Kit
• Ruler
• Marking Pen
• Scissors
• Sewing machine and Thread
• Hand Sewing Needle and Thread

Materials

• Fabric for Cushion about a half yard will do for most small to medium size chairs
• Fabric Scraps or Ribbon/ Trim for Ties
• Fabric Scraps for Buttons
• Stuffing

Instructions

• Measure the chair seat. Add two inches to both the length and width – one inch for seam allowance and one inch for the puff factor.
• Once you decide on the size, cut two pieces, one front and one back.
• Stack the pieces together and fold in half. Cut the bottom edge to be rounded.
• Cut two ties to be 20"x 2".
• If you are using ribbon or trim, skip this step. To make the ties, start by folding your tie in half lengthwise right sides together and press.
• Stitch all the way along the side and across the top.
• Turn the tie right side out. Fold a little of the open in to the inside and stitch across the end, closing up the open end.
• Cut tie in half. Repeat with other tie.
• Pin your ties in between the front and back piece. The front and back should be right sides together. Pin the ties about an inch and a half in from the sides.
• Make sure the ties are facing in towards the center of the cushion and the raw edges are lined up at the back. You need two ties on the right side and two at the left on what will be your back seam. Pin it all together.
• Stitch across the back then pivot and stitch down the side, across the bottom, up the other side and then across the back until right past the left set of ties. You should have an opening left in the back between the ties for stuffing.
• Clip corners and curves close to the seam.
• Turn your cushion right side out.
• Stuff your cushion with polyfill or other stuffing of your choice. Stitch up the opening in the back with your hand needle and thread using a blind stitch, ladder stitch, or a whip stitch. You can leave your cushion like this or you can add buttons.
• To make covered buttons, cut a piece of fabric with the template included in your kit. place the fabric right side down into the rubber cup. insert the top of the button face down into the cup. Gather the fabric into the back side of the button front.
• Measure and mark where you want your buttons to go. Mark the placement on the front and back of the cushion.
• Bring your threaded needle up from the bottom through the marked spot. Thread the button on the needle and then bring the needle back down through to the back side. Then repeat a few stitches.
• Pull the thread tightly so that the button sinks into the pillow. Tie off the thread with a couple of knots.
• Clip the excess. Repeat with your other buttons. Finish by tying your cushion to the chair.

Video

You can use any kind of fabric you like. You could easily make outdoor cushion just by switching to outdoor fabric. I do hope you all will give this cushion a try sometime for your favorite uncomfortable chair!

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