Back Cushion How To

Base Sofa had attached cushions

2009-07-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

and those attached cushions had zippers through which to remove the stuffers. Part of the reason the new bendable cushion was needed is the original design shown here automatically forced the cushions to bend. Once I removed and separately covered the cushions and simply rested them against the curved surface, they no longer conformed to the curve.

BEFORE .....Photography credit Judit Zombo, Walker La.

2009-07-12T05:40:00.000-07:00

This cushion to be made in the next 45 pictures corrects the sagging height of the existing cushions. The new cushion will also improve how the back cushions fit into the curve of the sofa.

This series describes the making of :

2009-07-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

A flexible, soft cushion, willing to stand tall and maintain an even fill pressure resisting gravity. Fits well into a rounded back sofa. Those before and after photos coming soon ! Stay tuned.

2009-07-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

Peach color fabric is tracing of old cushion cover. You see writing on that pattern, tools we used, and the materials needed. Top center is Pellon bucram, 4" wide. Down proof ticking used throughout.

2009-07-11T12:34:00.002-07:00

Top left see 4" wide scraps of peach fabric. This is used to help you see the action in this series, the unique feature of this cushion series is a hidden spine. The spine supports the cushions height.

2009-07-11T12:34:00.001-07:00

Preparing to cut the three segments apart, at the vertical dash line.

2009-07-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

These three segments will have a double boxing between them, sewn so as to behave like a hinge. That sewing will incorporate the Pellon Bucram, which will behave as a stiffener, or spine.

2009-07-11T12:33:00.003-07:00

Our chance to inspect our instructions before moving these pattern pieces and mixing their orientation, are there enough ? Yes, it seems complete for this example. As it happens that two of the sections are identical. Your sample needs to make sense to you. Have you written enough identifying features ?

2009-07-11T12:33:00.002-07:00

The layout. The down proof ticking is trimmed to the size needed, but not yet cut into segments. The excess allowed is for seam allowance and for extra size. Trimming more next.

2009-07-11T12:33:00.001-07:00

The rectangular segments need only be divided evenly. The rounded edge at right bottom must be kept the original size, nothing added. Why ? To add would restrict how the cushion fits over the sofa arm.

2009-07-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

I labelled my pattern just in case I forgot, never add at an inward cut away curve.

2009-07-11T12:32:00.002-07:00

Ready for final cut away.

2009-07-11T12:32:00.001-07:00

It is now easy to see where excess is allowed. That margin of white around the peach is 1.25".

2009-07-11T12:31:00.003-07:00

Now before I lift the peach pattern away, what do I need to label next ? Though my two rectangular segments could be interchangeable, to develop good habits I will treat them as though they are not interchangeable. I will also label the WS and RS, as once pattern is pulled away, I might be confused.

2009-07-11T12:31:00.002-07:00

Pencil marking WS and part. A, B, C. I could have added an arrow to indicate up and down.

2009-07-11T12:31:00.001-07:00

There are indeed two identical cushions for this sofa. Don't be confused, though there are two, and they are mirror image both are made identically.

2009-07-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

Studying yet again before I move them. Have I told myself everything I need to know ? As if these were handed off to someone else, I should have indicated up and down by arrow on each.

2009-07-11T12:30:00.003-07:00

A crease marked A segment, and creasing B. Both halves can be creased at the same time. The crease is your alligment for your baffle. What is a baffle ? You will soon see.

2009-07-11T12:30:00.002-07:00

Baffle, about 8 " wide, used to partition the cushion into further segments. We cut vertical segments, we are using sewn in baffles for horizontal segments. All in all, you will see 9 segments.

2009-07-11T12:30:00.001-07:00

I now have enough experience to simply sew as I go, without first pinning, but this is for you. This is how each must look, you sew from the open ends, of course. Pin at first to avoid confusion.

2009-07-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

From the front, baffles pinned. If you were to choose to do three baffles horizontally for making four segments, you'd be sewing the center baffle first.

2009-07-11T12:29:00.002-07:00

Yes, it's easy to remember this as a capital H or a hanging shoe sleeve.

2009-07-11T12:28:00.003-07:00

All the baffles are now sewn to all 3 segments. Yes, the stitches are pretty lined up. They are brown so you can see them better. Alligned creases are easy to manage, divide in even thirds and crease. If those stitch lines are not perfectly straight across, it has no functional consequence, it's just prettier to line them up.

2009-07-11T12:28:00.002-07:00

Conveniently, having arbitrarily decided even thirds works for folding and creasing, our part C is looking good. At far right photo just below brown stitch line, see a 2" area of cushion. It's like a ledge above the curve. We will be able to fill this area with more pressure. This corner on most cushions collapses and seems empty. Our cushion will be properly full in this corner.

2009-07-11T12:28:00.001-07:00

See brown knots. I thought I ended my stitching far enough in from the edge, I will have to pick a few out to procede.

2009-07-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

One last look at those baffles before we close up the perimeter. I made a mistake here that will need to be remedied before I continue. Stop stitching your baffle 1" from the end. Closing the perimeter requires you cross this seam later.

2009-07-11T12:27:00.002-07:00

Have now closed perimeter, and what you see is the remaining open edges.

2009-07-11T12:27:00.001-07:00

Remaining raw edges pinned back now so you can see the horizontal baffles clearly. I do not sew my baffle to my perimeter or hinge boxings. Why ? It's an advantage. It's a way to get by with a smaller opening when stuffing with fill.

2009-07-11T12:26:00.002-07:00

2009-07-11T12:26:00.001-07:00

Now for the hinges / spine. What you see : peach fabric, there only for photo contrast. Two set ups, two hinges, enough for one cushion. The set ups, from the bottom most layer which is unseen: Pellon, peach fabric, down proof, another identical layer of down proof, peach fabric, and Pellon. It's treated as a sandwich. It's stitched next, down the center.

2009-07-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

Far right vertical strip is stitched, at left you see the 2 halves of the set up, before they were made into a sandwich.

2009-07-11T12:24:00.002-07:00

At yellow line, first straight stitched, then zig zagging done to reinforce. Down Proof Muslin width is 8'. Pellon width is 4". Your numbers will vary but the correct proportion is half. Pellon ends 3" from top and bottom. Stitching is well within edge of Pellon.

2009-07-11T12:24:00.001-07:00

Trimming away peach, which was never a functional part of the hinge / spine. I will leave enough for you to see the action.

2009-07-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

Pinning hinge / baffle into place. I forget now but I probably did segment B first. I doubt it mattered as I have no recall.

2009-07-11T12:23:00.002-07:00

Hinges / spines in place. This I do recall clearly. I made my life harder by allowing two open edges, ready to receive stuffing, to be next to one another. Additionally, had I allowed my open edges to be at the perimeter, as opposed to the edges where they meet, my stuffing and closing task would have been a little easier. I was stuck hand stitching, and you will see why. For a nice machine close ? Leave an opening in the outer edges.

2009-07-11T12:23:00.001-07:00

An additional boo boo, I left too large an opening. Given my baffles are not sewn to the perimeter or hinge, they allow my hand to pass into top and bottom segments without this large an opening.

2009-07-11T12:22:00.003-07:00

Showing you the fill anticipated. Why ? I have 2 cushions, ideally they are equal. I can weigh them once filled, that's one way to do it. I prefer to weigh the anticpated fill for 2 cushions prior to beginning stuffing.

2009-07-11T12:22:00.002-07:00

Now for the dreaded closing, made difficult by my decision to place two opening adjacent. Time to hand sew.

2009-07-11T12:22:00.001-07:00

Brown thread for your convenience, big stitches for my convenience. At this point I was still thinking, " but long stitches don't matter, I will over lock". I now know perimeter openings over lock easier. This was battle to get to the machine, I finally pinked the edge and stitched again by hand, closer.

2009-07-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

One last desperate attempt to over lock, I pinned the loose fabric away from the fill, see yellow pin heads. Even this didn't work. Leave fill openings at perimeter edge, you'll be grateful you did.

2009-07-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

2 - 2.5" depth where you see my hand, that is the hinge part of the plan.

2009-07-11T12:19:00.002-07:00

Laugh with me, over lock stitch barely closing up, laughing at such a silly mistake. You won't do this ?

2009-07-11T12:19:00.001-07:00

The blue is floppy dics, for photo contrast, you can see the hinge depth.

2009-07-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

The final solution, which isn't any worse than many cushion manufacturers would do.

2009-07-11T12:18:00.001-07:00

Wa la, a cushion that will bend into a mild or severe curve. Fill will stand tall in the cushion, never settle with gravity. Top ledge of arm curve will stay firm and full.

2009-07-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

And of course it bends the opposite way, cushions are reverseable, left to right. I would enjoy your feedback, please do not hestitate. Slipcoverlady@juno.com