If you fancy a change in soft furnishings, or want to unleash your creativity, then making scatter cushions could be the solution you need. They’re easy to make, you can customise your own colours and designs and they’re fun to do – here’s a guide to getting started with making scatter cushions.
Scatter cushions are one of the easiest forms of soft furnishings to make. Having colourful cushions, with striking patterns or made from textured fabrics, can instantly brighten up a room and draw the eye towards them. But as well as making a room look good, they also serve a highly practical purpose, of adding comfort to a sofa, chair or even the floor.
Almost any type of fabric can be used to make a scatter cushion, from simple cotton, to textured and woven fabrics, and soft-feel fabrics like velvet. Depending on the size of cushion you desire, it’s also a good way of using up offcuts of fabric, perhaps left over from other sewing projects.
If you need to buy fabric, then you can often get offcuts at discounted prices, where there are only short bits from the end of a roll left to sell. This means scatter cushions can be a very economic item craft to make.
What You Need
In order to make a scatter cushion, you need:
- Fabric
- Matching thread
- Needle
- Pins
- Scissors
- A zip or poppers
- A square foam cushion pad
First measure the size of your cushion pad and check you have enough fabric to be able to make a cushion cover. You should allow for a seam of about one inch on all sides. Next use the measurements – adding in the extra for the seams – and cut two pieces of fabric to size.
For extra guidance, you could create a cutting template by drawing around the cushion pad and adding in the seam space, and then cutting around it. If you’re making multiple cushions of the same size, this could help save time.
Put the right sides of the fabric together, so that the eventual outside is facing inwards. Pin the edges together on three of the sides. Use a needle and thread, or for quickness a sewing machine, and neatly sew together three of the sides of the scatter cushion.
On the fourth side, which will form your opening, sew about a quarter of the way on each side, so that there’s plenty of room to get a cushion pad in and out. When it’s all sewn up and the ends are finished off, turn the cover back the right way, making sure you push out the corners neatly.
Check that the cushion pad definitely fits in the case, then either sew in your zip or poppers. Then add your cushion, and you’re done!
Adding Extra Interest
If you’re feeling more creative, there are plenty of other ways in which you can add extra interest and detail to your scatter cushions. Buttons are a fun and easy element to add to projects and can be sewn in abstract patterns onto the case. Or you could sew on ribbons, sequins, beads or even add a spot of embroidery.
Whatever you decide to do with your cushions, if you change your mind, or your home colour coordination scheme, the great thing is that you can easily, and without breaking the bank, make new cushions whenever you feel the need.
