By ALDONA BIRD
Newsroom@DominionPost.com
Indoors getting you down? Itching to improve your home since you’re spending so much time in it? This DIY might help you kick off an easy project that can make a big difference in your living space.
Couches are expensive to replace (plus the hassle of finding one to match your style and space), so instead of shopping, consider simply making new couch cushions or making new covers for the old ones.
To make couch cushions, you will need:
- Fabric (for inner and outer covers)
- Sewing tools, such as measuring tape, scissors, pins
- Sewing machine or needle and thread
- Stuffing (combination of dense foam and craft/pillow stuffing or other materials)
The great thing about making your own cushions is that you can make them completely personalized. Choose your size, color and details for personal flare.
If you just want to make new covers instead of totally new pillows, you can jump ahead. But if you are making new pillows, the first thing you need to do is determine size.
Your new cushions can be the same size as your old ones, or you can make smaller ones or fewer large ones to fill the same space.
Once you pick a size, cut lining fabric long enough that it will cover the whole pillow (length plus width, multiplied by 2). Sheets that are starting to wear out are great to use as lining fabric.
Sew up two sides completely and the third partially, leaving enough open to insert stuffing. Doing this on a sewing machine is easiest, but you can do it by hand as well.
Fill the pillow lining. Dense foam in the center with polyester stuffing surrounding it works well because the foam helps the pillow hold its shape, and the fluffy stuffing makes it softer and fills the pillowcase evenly.
If you don’t have these materials, consider what you do have, which could be upcycled — a comforter or quilt wrapped around an old pillow could work, for example.
Once the lining is filled, sew up the open portion.
To make the cover, cut cover fabric (use fabric that will hold up to wear — upholstery fabric, or a thick linen or linen blend works well) to the same width as the lining — or even an inch smaller because you want it to be snug, and six to eight inches longer.
Hem the ends of the cover fabric, and then sew the sides together, overlapping the ends with the excess length. Be sure to sew right sides together so your seams will be hidden — and take care when you do that the right sides of your hemming are also facing correctly to have all seams on the inside when you turn it right side out.
If you want the corners to be squared off, before turning the pillowcase right out, fold each corner, so the seam runs down the middle of the triangle and sew across the bottom of the triangle.
Turn right side out, and put the pillow into the cover. Consider sewing on a back pocket of a pair of jeans on the side to hold TV remotes. Or add trims or other personal touches.
A new comfy cushion in a new color can give an old couch a new look, which might just help scratch that home-decorating itch. Once you add your new pillows, add a new blanket or consider reupholstering the whole thing.
Tweet @DominionPostWV
