How to Make a Hinged Cushion Cover

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Are you looking to make new cushions for a lounge chair or Adirondack chair? Hinged cushions work well for this and a variety of other applications. These long cushions serve as both the seat and the back for the chair and are popular in both indoor and outdoor furniture pieces. While they might look tricky to make yourself, if you break the steps down, they are really pretty easy! We have a great step-by-step video that will guide you through the process.
Video Chapters:
  • Cutting Foam – 0:41 min.
  • Patterning Plates – 2:51 min.
  • Installing Zippers – 6:21 min.
  • Installing Velcro (if required) – 12:45 min.
  • Sewing Plates – 14:22 min.
  • Creating Head Rest Flange (optional) – 16:48 min.
  • Sewing Hinge – 22:53 min.
  • Sewing Head Rest to Flange (optional) – 26:04 min.
  • Inserting Foam – 28:41 min.
  • Materials List – 30:48 min.
Materials List:
  • Fabric (we used Sunbrella® Violetta Baltic 54" Upholstery Fabric #45760-0002)
  • #5 Coil Continuous Zipper
  • #5 Single Non-Locking Zipper Slider
  • Tex 70 Thread
  • Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas & Upholstery #129
  • Batting
  • CushionRite® Standard Antimicrobial Foam #124231
  • Hook and Loop (optional)
  • Cushion Wrap Silk Film #103933 (optional)
Tools List:
  • Sewing Machine
  • Tape Measure
  • Sailrite Edge Hotknife
  • Magnetic Sewing Guide
  • 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive
  • Scissors
  • Measuring Guide
  • Marking Tool

Make a new cushion

How to Make a Hinged Cushion Cover Video 2

To demonstrate how to make a hinged cover, we’re going to make a new cushion for an Ikea Poäng chair. Reupholstering the cushions is a great way to make a standard Ikea chair look more unique and styled for your home.

For this project, we’ve chosen a Sunbrella® upholstery fabric. Sunbrella upholstery fabrics are indoor/outdoor performance fabrics with outstanding UV, abrasion, and stain resistance. They are a great choice for a variety of indoor and outdoor upholstery projects. If you are making a cushion for an outdoor chair, be sure to choose an outdoor fabric and use UV-treated polyester thread, as those materials will better stand up to the weather.

The methods used in this video will work for any style of hinged chair cushion. In this video, you will learn how to pattern and sew a hinged cushion, how to add an optional pillow, and how to insert the foam using silk film.

Have you ever made a hinged cushion? Was it easier or harder than you anticipated? What did you learn in the process? Let's start a conversation in the comments section below!