milkbone

I am a newbie at kitchen chair cushions, but I have agreed to make 4 of them for a friend. I took the pattern from one of her old ones and tried stuffing it with foam---which was a disaster (the closing of the opening was a nightmare) so I am stuffing it with polyester filling, closure with a small seam, and sewing 4 buttons to hold the filling in place. Now, my question......how much filling do I put in??? Right now I have a nice amount in---it isn't hard or anything----but it is "cushiony". Is that enough??? Will it flatten as it is used??? It looks nice but not as "firm" as her old, used cushion. Any help/suggestions would be very much appreciated.

M.I.Late

I have redone my chairs several times. I usually use a piece of foam rubber. The thickness is entirely your choice. You don't stuff the foam in - you build the fabric around it. If these are to be removable, you cut the foam to the chair size, cut the fabric bigger (enough to accomodate the foam rubber.) I top the foam with a piece of batting and then make the cover from there. There are probably several tuts if you just query making chair cushions... Hope this helps. Polyester filling will certainly break down, lump and move...

p.s. I get mine at Hobby Lobby because Joanns is way more expensive and Hobby Lobby has 40% off coupons regularly. Joanns does too, but theirs is twice the price of Hobby Lobby already.

LAB55

Her old ones were probably cushiony when she first got them. It will most likely flatten some over time or with much use. I would ask her if she wants firmer or cush.
I hope this helps.
I have redone my chairs, but that was more a recover & new thicker foam, not a tie on ( I'm assuming ) type.

milkbone

Yep, it is a tie on type. I think I need to make them firmer so I will put more in. I am just afraid they will really flatten out with use and not look as good.

cmw0829

You're a really good friend.

I bet right now you wish you weren't. :cry:

milkbone

Sometimes, yes and sometimes, no-----right now I am looking at this as a learning experience. I just hate to rip out seams and add more stuffing but I know that is what I need to do. At least the weather is cooperating.....it is so icy around here that I don't even want to venture outside.....

dkabasketlady

This is also how I've made them(even though it's been awhile). I need to make some for my DM & this is how we'll be doing it! I'd suggest using the foam and covering with batting because your filling you're trying to use now WON'T withstand constant use. I'm sure you don't want to remake another set any time soon for your friend.

AliKat

I, too, always have used the foam. I cut it with a serated edge carving knife. Used to use an electric knife til it died. I made the covers first them rolled the foam and put it inside the cover where I had left an opening in the back seam. The results were great!

ali

M.I.Late

And milkbone since they are tie on, you can always leave the underside open and make them like a pillow sham with a "fold over" type opening. That way she can wash them often and they would be really easy to do. Especially if she doesn't need a ruffle.

sewwhat85

that is so nice of you to do why not ask her how much stuffing she would like