How to Make a Cushion

Our tartan cushions are made using the finest lightweight wool fabric woven here in Scotland and can be made in over600 tartans or tweeds. If you are just looking for a simple tartan scatter cushion, we have lots to choose from but we can also make cushions to your specifications to help you realise your interior vision. Just select a style and you will be able to change the tartan and size accordingly with our made to order option. If you are dying to give making them yourself a try however, our fabrics are available by the metre too! Have a look at our handy how-to guide to get you started.

First of all, you need to decide how much fabric you need! Start by measuring the height and width of the cushion you are looking to cover. Multiply the width of the cushion by two and the depth of the cushion by two. I then like to add on 1cm for seam allowances to each edge. Add these numbers together to figure out how much fabric you will need to make the front and back of the cushion cover. To get the best look and fit for your cushions, consider making your cover slightly smaller than the cushion inner. This helps maintain a solid shape no matter how much you use it. Making it about 2.5cm smaller is ideal - for example, a cushion inner 45cm x 45cm, the actual size of the finished cushion cover should be around 42.5cm x 42.5cm.

If you have chosen a solid colour fabric or a plain tweed, then that is all you need to do to check your fabric requirements! If you have chosen one of our beautiful tartans or a checked tweed however, you should consider the pattern repeat or sett size when ordering fabric. Our10oz tartan fabric is 150cm in width, and usually features a 15cm pattern repeat, but we are more than happy to provide you a more specific repeat size when you have chosen your dream fabric!

Start by counting the number of pieces going in a row horizontally along the fabric. Add the length of one repeat for each piece. (For example, two cushion pieces x a 15cm repeat = an additional 30cm) It’s not a bad idea to add on one additional repeat just to be certain. This will then allow you to perfectly pattern match your cushion at the seams when you come to cut and sew.

One of the most simple and easy to make cushion styles is the envelope cushion. This has an open fastening on one side which means you don’t need to attempt a zip if this is your first time. When making this style, ensure you add an additional 10cm to your fabric requirement for the envelope overlap.

When cutting out patterned fabric, I like to draw out my required fabric pieces on pattern paper or tracing paper so I can easily mark on the lines and pattern to match on the seams. You can then pin your paper onto the fabric and cut out (remembering to measure twice and cut once as my granny used to tell me).

For the envelope cushion, cut one long length of fabric – the width of your cushion pad and double the length of your cushion pad (plus seam allowances and 10cm for the overlap). At each short end of your fabric piece, create a double turned hem for a neat edge on your envelope opening. Do this by turning your raw fabric edge over to the wrong side of the fabric by 1cm and ironing, and then turning it over a further 1.5cm, ironing again before sewing in a straight line. This will also help secure any fraying edges.

Next, with the right sides of the fabric together, sew the cushion panel together, making sure to overlap the double turned edges by 10cm to create the envelope opening. Pin along the unsewn edges and sew together in a straight line. If you have an overlocker, this is great at stopping fraying, but a zig zag stitch on a domestic sewing machine will do the trick too!

Cut the corners off at 45 degrees to get a neater corner before turning your cover inside out to the right side. Use closed scissors to push into the corners to turn them out fully before pressing and inserting your cushion pad.

If you like the style of the envelope cushion, but don’t like the idea of a right and wrong side to your cushion, try adding a button closure to make a feature of the opening!

This cushion can be made much in the same way as the envelope cushion, with one added step. After double turning your short edges to hem them, lay your cushion flat and fold with wrong sides of the fabric together as the completed cushion would look ensuring you overlap the opening. Here, measure out where you would like the buttons to go along the opening and mark using chalk or pins, making sure they are evenly spaced. Sew and cut the buttonholes on one edge, then mark and sew on your buttons on the opposite side making sure they match up with the button holes.

Finishing off the cushion can be done in the same way as the envelope cushion from this point, although I like to sew the final edges with the buttons fastened to make sure the overlap is correct.

A zipped cushion is a neater finish and will likely fit in with any cushions you already have!

For this style, cut two equal pieces of your fabric for the front and the back – the desired finished length and width of your cover plus a 2cm seam allowance all the way around each piece.

On the wrong side of one of the fabric panel’s edges, position your zip in the centre and, using chalk or pins, mark on where the zip starts and finishes. I recommend using a zip that is about 5cm smaller than your finished cushion width. Position your zip in the centre of the edge for a neater looking finish.

You can then position the cushion panels right sides together and sew along three sides using a straight stitch, keeping to your seam allowance. Leave the zip edge open, and sew carefully along to your marked edges (leaving the zip length open). Then, lay the zip face down along this seam making sure that the zipper teeth sit directly over the join of the seam and pin in place.

Sew straight down either side of the zip using a zipper foot if you have one, securing the zip tape to the seam allowance. Always double check that the seam and zip are lined up as you sew.

As we did with the envelope cushion, cut off all four corners to get a crisp finish when turned right way round, and use a closed pair of scissors to push the corners right out. Give the cover a final press before inserting the cushion pad.

Inserting a zip may take a bit of practice to get perfect, so have a go on scrap fabrics first until you feel confident!

A piped cushion looks elegant and professional but is a little more complicated to make with more steps involved. You will also need more fabric, and piping cord to finish off your cushion.

For this cushion, I recommend adding a 2cm seam allowance all round to allow plenty of space to sew in your piping and zip. You can then use your paper pattern to cut out the front and back pieces of the cushion to make sure any tartan checks match up. These will be the cushion cover width and length with a 2cm seam allowance added all around.

You can then make your piping. This is a bit fiddly but very satisfying when done! Piping fabric is cut on the bias (across the grain of the fabric at a 45 degree to the selvedge) so take into account the additional fabric when ordering. Cut bias strips wide enough to fold over the piping cord plus your 2cm seam allowance. Longer strips are better as then you don’t have to join the pieces repeatedly although this uses more fabric. Position the cord in the centre and fold the strip in half with wrong sides of the fabric together (right side facing out). Sew in a straight line as close as possible to the cord. If you are using a machine and have access to a piping foot, this is so helpful and will allow you to sew closer to the cord.

Position one end of your finished strip of piping in the middle of the bottom edge on the right side of your front piece of cushion fabric. Make sure the raw edges are level and sew the piping into place.

When you arrive back at the beginning you will need to join the piping. Cut the pieces of cord so that the ends butt together. On one side, trim the fabric up to the cord. On the other side, leave an overlap of about 3cm. Fold in the raw edge and overlap the ends of the piping neatly. Machine across as close as you can to the cord.

You can now add in your zip! Use a zip 5cm shorter than the finished cushion. Place the zip, face down on the right side of the cushion cover along the edge, using the piping as a guide. Machine down the right had size only, as close to the teeth as possible. Again, if you are using a sewing machine, a zipper foot is a lifesaver here and will give you a beautifully close finish!

Then, place the right sides of the cushion cover together and sew the front and back together beginning at one end of the zip and ending at the other end using the piping as a guide again.

To attach the zip to the back cover, machine the zip to the back cover again stitching as close to the teeth as possible. When you need to stitch past the zip, leave the needle in the fabric, lift the foot, and open the zip below. You can then continue to sew to the end without the zip getting in the way.

Much like our other styles, cut the corners diagonally before turning the cover through to the right side and inserting the cushion pad.