A bench cushion is one of the top projects new sewers list as the decorating puzzle that finally got them thinking about making something on their own rather than buying. Standard bench cushions are certainly available in stores, but I think we can all agree that they never, ever, ever fit right. This is a hard-and-fast truth, just like Jamoca® Almond Fudge is the best Baskins-Robbins® ice cream flavor is a truth (don't cross me on this one... I used to work there in high school!). Our cushion was made to fit a 18" x 48" wrought iron bench. This is a pretty standard size, but remember, the beauty of this project is to make a custom cushion that fits YOUR bench! Simply measure the width and length, then adjust our measurements up or down accordingly.

Our thanks to Fairfield Processing for sponsoring two weeks of projects and technique tutorials as well as our Great Pillow Personality Contest. Scroll to the end of the article for more information on how you can enter to win.

Fairfield products are easy to find! They're available at the big box stores, national fabric stores, as well as your favorite local quilt shop. In fact, Fairfield put together a handy Where to Buy Retailer Locator for us, giving you a fast and easy way to source the products we're featuring in this series from both brick and mortar stores in your area (the page is broken out by state) as well as online options. 

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome Memory Craft 6500P) 
• Zipper foot

Fabric and Other Supplies

• 1½ yards of 54" + wide décor weight fabric; we used a Mill Creek fabric by Raymond Waites Designs that we purchased locally and could not find online. However, the possibilities are really endless to best match your décor style and color. Our friends at Fabric.com have a great upholstery selection. 
• One 45" x 60" pre-cut of Poly-Fil® Traditional Quilt Batting; a lightweight needlepunched polyester quilt batting. This product is available in a variety of sizes. As you'll see below in the Getting Started section, we needed two 19" x 49" pieces, which is why we opted for the size shown above. The photo below shows the popular craft size, another of the many options. 
  
• 1½ yards of 2" deep x 18" wide NU-Foam®; this densified polyester product comes in pre-cuts as well as a large roll; we used a 18" x 2" x 5 yard roll. As you'll see below in the Getting Started section, for our bench, we needed one piece full width (18") x 48". The photo below shows the pre-cut chair cushion size.
  
• 7¾ yards of ⅜" piping to coordinate with the fabric; we used pre-made cotton/poly piping from our local JoAnn Fabrics in a natural white 
  NOTE: You can buy pre-made piping or make your own (we have a tutorial on piping if you're new to the technique, and there's an updated tutorial on the subject coming up tomorrow!). If you buy pre-made, you'll want to shop in the home décor section in store or online in order to find piping large enough for this application. The packaged piping would be to small. 
• Six 1⅛" - 1½" covered button kits
• All purpose thread to match fabrics
• Buttontwist thread to sew buttons in place; such as Coats Dual Duty Plus® Button & Craft Thread
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pencil
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Seam gauge
• Seam ripper
• Straight pins
• Hand sewing needle

Getting Started

1. From the fabric, fussy cut the following:  
   TWO 19" x 49" rectangles
   TWO 3" x 19" strips
   TWO 3" 49" strips
2. From the batting, cut TWO 19" x 49" rectangles. 
3. Cut the NU-Foam® into ONE 18" x 49" rectangle.
4. Cut the piping in half; you need approximately 140" for the top and 140" for the bottom.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

Layer the top and bottom

1. Place one 19" x 49" batting piece flat on your work surface.
2. Place one 19" x 49" fabric piece right side up on top of the batting, aligning all four edges.
   
3. Lightly pin. Machine baste both pairs together around all four raw edges. You will now be able to treat the two pieces as one.
4. Repeat with the second pieces of batting and fabric. 

Attach the piping

1. Working on the right side of on fabric/batting panel, and leaving approximately 1-2" loose at the head, start in the middle of one 49" side and pin the piping all the way around the edge. The flange of the piping should be flush with the raw edge of the fabric/batting. When you get back around to your starting point, leave a 1-2" tail for finishing. Trim away any excess.
   
2. Clip the flange to curve around the corners.
   
3. Peel back the piping fabric to expose the cording underneath.
4. Trim the ends of cording tails so they exactly meet and lay flat against the fabric. 
5. Fold under one end of the piping fabric to create a clean edge. Wrap this folded end under and around the opposite end, overlapping about ½".
   
6. Attach a Zipper foot. Machine baste the piping in place.
   NOTE: As we mentioned above, we have a tutorial on piping if you're new to the technique, and there's an updated tutorial on the subject coming up tomorrow.
7. Repeat to attach the remaining length of piping to the remaining fabric/batting panel. 

Make the side ring and assemble top and bottom to the sides

1. Find the four 3" strips. 
2. Pin all the strips right sides together and end to end...
   
3. ... 19" end strip to 49" side strip to second 19" end strip to second 49" side strip. You should now have a ring o' fabric. 
4. Switch back to your regular presser foot.
5. Using a ½" seam allowance, stitch all the sides together. Press the seam allowances open and flat. 
6. Place one fabric/batting/piping piece right side up on your work surface.
7. Matching the seams of the side ring with the corners of the main fabric, pin the side ring right sides together all around. You are working right sides together, aligning the raw edges, pinning generously as you go, and sandwiching the piping between the layers. Clip as needed to turn a neat corner.
8. Change back to a Zipper foot. Sew around the entire edge with an approximate ½" seam allowance. The goal is to stitch as close to the piping cord as possible and keep your seam nice and straight. Depending on your piping and its flange width, you might be slightly smaller or larger than a full ½" seam.
   
9. The corners are handled similar to how you attach bias binding (we have a good tutorial if you are new to this technique). You'll sew almost to the corner, stop and backstitch. Then, keeping your needle in the down position, pivot 90˚, folding the excess fabric of the ring along the seam and into the corner as you turn. Continue down the next side. Repeat this process at each corner.
10. Fold up the sides so it resembles the bottom of a gift box.
11. Place the remaining fabric/batting piece right sides together with the top raw edge of the side ring. It's as if you are setting a recessed lid into a box. 
12. As above, you are working right sides together, aligning the raw edges, matching the corners with the seams of the side ring, and sandwiching the piping in between the layers. 
13. Pin in place all around, but leave an approximate 10-12" opening along one of the 49" sides for turning the cover right side out.
    
14. As above, use a Zipper foot to sew around the entire edge with an approximate ½" seam allowance. Remember to lock your seam at either side of the 10-12" opening.
    
15. Turn right side out through the opening. Push out the corners. Lightly press. 
    
16. Find the 18" x 48" piece of NU-Foam®. Insert the foam into the cover. It will be a snug fit, which is what you want. The NU-Foam® has a rough finish so it will grip against the batting on the inside of the cover.
17. Starting in the corner farthest from the opening, gently push the NU-Foam® into place, working your way out through the opening.
    
18. Pin the opening closed, being careful to fold in the raw edge so it is flush with the sewn seam.
    
19. Thread a hand sewing needle and stitch the opening closed.
    

Buttons

1. Mark the placement for the three buttons. The row of buttons should be centered side to side (9" from each edge in our sample), and centered end to end. On ours, this meant we had one button smack dab in the center at 24" from each end with the other two placed 12" from each end. Measure and make these three marks on both sides of the cushion. 
   
2. Using leftover scraps and the button cover kits, create six covered buttons. 
   NOTE: If you are new to making covered buttons, review our easy tutorial on making them and stitching them in place.
   
3. Using the marks you made above, stitch the covered buttons in place. You are not stitching all the way through the NU-Foam®; that would make the cushion too wavy. However, you are pulling the buttons tight enough to make a little tuft. As mentioned in the supply list, consider using buttontwist thread, which is heavier and thicker so you can pull your stitches nice and tight without snapping the thread.
   
4. Flip over the cushion and stitch the remaining three buttons into place.

Contributors

Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation and Instructional Outline: Debbie Guild

Let YOUR Pillow's Personality Shine - Enter The Contest Today!

CONTEST EXTENDED THROUGH WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012!

Use a Fairfield insert or filler to make a pillow with pizzazz!

Take a digital picture of your creation, and write up a short description (50 words or less) about your pillow's personality and whether the pillow was made to be passed along or kept. You must be older than 18 and a legal citizen of the USA to enter.

Email the digital picture and its description to: S4H@fairfieldworld.com.

Each day, Fairfield will post a random number of pillow pictures on their Facebook wall, as well as onto a special board on their Pinterest page. The twenty photos that generate the most activity at these social media outlets will be the semi-finalists.

From these top twenty semi-finalists, an industry panel of judges will select the five major winners to receive:

Grand Prize: Home Elegance Pillow Assortment - Retail Value $178

First Prize: Home Elegance/Soft Touch Assortment - Retail Value $106

Second Prize: Soft Touch 6-Piece Pillow Bundle - Retail Value $76 

Third Prize: Soft Touch 4-Piece Pillow Bundle - Retail Value $54

Runner Up Prize: Soft Touch 2-Piece Pillow Bundle - Retail Value $22

Remaining 15 semi-finalists with each receive a 12oz bag of Poly-Fil Supreme® Fiberfil

The top five pillows will be featured in an article on Sew4Home.com.   

Remember, the entry deadline is September 07, 2012. CONTEST EXTENDED THROUGH WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH!

There's a plain pillow out there just waiting for your creativity.

Judges: Judy Novella, Marketing Manager at Fairfield Processing; Anne Adams, Creative Director and Liz Johnson, Senior Editor at Sew4Home; Nancy Jewell, Consumer Marketing Manager at Westminster Fibers Lifestyle Fabrics; Lissa Alexander, Director of Marketing at Moda Fabrics; Kathy Miller, Co-founder/President and Creative Director at Michael Miller Fabrics; Angela Walters, Author and Free Motion Quilting Expert; and Jo Packham, Founder and Editor of Where Women Create.

See the Pillow Personality Contest Rules for additional details.