How to Make Rocking Chair Cushions The Right Way
Most rocking chairs are upholstered but if you want to keep your wooden rocker intact, customized DIY back and seat cushions is the way to go. So follow us on this step by step guide on how to make rocking chair cushions.
But first check if you can recover your used cushions. Try these different easy tips on how to clean outdoor cushions, these tend to suffer the most, just to see if it is worth keeping it!
Generally you can classify chair cushions in two main types:
A – Traditional “pillow type” cushions you can use any way you want.
B – Removable back and seat cushion that are usually attachable. They are mainly made with foam insert, in box style and tufted, as you see in the picture below, called mainstays. It’s a pretty popular rocking chair cushion.
You actually do not need to be very skilled to sew either of these types of cushions. Of course the easiest of them to make is the “pillow type” cushion as it requires less steps and technique.
But no worries, if you have used a sewing machine you will be able to make any cushion type you want in no time. So let’s get the fabric now!
While you’re renewing your rocking chair cushions, check out our Step by step guide for how to reupholster a rocking chair and how to paint your wooden rocker.
Tools and Materials you Need to Make a Rocking Chair Cushion
- Enough fabric for changing all the cushions (Tip: wait until you take out flat all the pattern in order to calculate total fabric needed, plus add 10-15% more)
- A sewing machine
- Zippers
- fabric scissors also known as fabric shears
- Sewing thread in same color as fabric
- Thread sippers and seam rippers for cutting threads
- Upholstery foam, dacron polyester for quilt batting, cotton batting, foam insert or pillow insert
- Pliers
- Markers and tape
- A bread knife for cutting foam
Types of padding you can use in chair cushions
- Foam: mostly made out of polyurethane, it is commonly used in seat cushions. The foam insert should have at least 50mm / 2″ inches thick and around 15-16″ inches on the sides.
- Pillow insert type: There are many “cushion throw pillow types” to use as stuffing material.
- Dacron polyester: used as quilt batting for adding softer feel to foam insert cushions.
Steps for making your Rocker’s Cushion
1 - Carefully Disassemble the Old Cushions
Remove the old cushion(s) and take out the padding. Check it’s condition and evaluate if you need to change it as well.
We have used this example of a used rocking chair cushion with a completely broken inner pillow from usage. You might not expect it but it will surely feel a lot less comfy than it should. On the right, the cushion’s fabric flipped inside-out.
2 - Assess the Old's Cushion Assembling Technique
Turn your rocking chair cushion’s fabric outside out. Take notes, pictures or brief videos of how it is assembled.
Note that you may find the seat and back cushion attached to the rocking chair. Read below to know how to make cushions with ties.
3 - Undo the sewing
Undo the sewing to separate the different panels you will use to make up the patterns for your rocking chair cushion.
We recommend to iron the different patterns flat so they recover their full length. This applies as well to the seat and back cushion.
Take measures and account for an extra inch and a half at each side for proper handling and seam allowance. That way you know how much fabric you will need for your rocking chair cushion.
4 - Choose Your Fabric
Lay the new fabric flat on the floor or on top of a sufficiently large table. Make sure to choose the right fabric for the intended use. You might need the fabric to be stain resistant or all-weather resistant for your outdoor rocking chair cushions.
Pay attention to quality of all-weather resistant fabrics, regarding sun and water resistance. Sumbrella is a widely renown high quality brand with lots of variety in outdoor fabrics for different purposes.
5 - Measure your New Fabric Pattern
Place the two patterns flat one next to the other on top of the new fabric, with sufficient space in between to cut and allow for possible adjustments. Add around 1 inch extra on each side, as seam allowance, to allow proper handling.
You can iron the pattern if it is wrinkled or stretched. Boxed cushions will require an additional side panel to cover the foam thickness you desire for you rocking chair. These are usually used as seat cushions.
If you are making new cushions from scratch mark the needed measures on a fabric pattern. Just remember to account for the foam, eventual quilt batting space and seam allowance.
You can pin all the layers of fabrics to see if measures are adequate instead of having to sew in blind mode.
6 - Cut the Fabric and Foam
Delineate the detached pattern on top of the new fabric with a pen or chalk in order to cut the shapes into new patterns/panels.
Place the patterns on top of the chosen fabric and cut it on the borders. Repeat this for all the parts needed to make your rocking chair cushion.
Cut new fabric and foam/batting if you will use them. Use proper cutting tools to do clean cuts. For example a bread knife for cutting foam and fabric scissors.
TIP: Take advantage that you have taken out the fabric to remove and change the rocking chair current padding / batting! Be aware, natural materials such as cotton tend to accumulate significant levels of mites, mold and other undesirable things. You surely will appreciate gaining extra comfort.
7 - Choose the Padding Type for Your New Rocking Chair Cushions
In case you are making your first rocking chair cushion, start by choosing the pillow or padding you need to obtain the desired type of cushion. (foam and batting).
Based on that, you will be able to measure the fabric accordingly. You should first measure the padding or cushion with the seat, back or other parts of the chair you want to make the cushion for.
8 - Pin Together the Two Panels at One of the Edges/Sides
Make sure to leave 1/4″ or 1/2″ an inch extra as seam allowance to have enough fabric for sewing adequately.
Also, remember to place the two panels face to face as the stitching should not be visible once finished and inverted. By smoothly folding the panels at the sewed/stitched edge, the top side of the fabric becomes apparent and the stitch invisible.
A good idea is to insert pins along the sides you need to be sew to make it easier for stitching both panels of your new rocking chair cushion.
Steps to start pinning the panels together
In case you are making a box cushion, do this step with one of the main panels and the side panel. Join them at one of the corners and pin that side.
when you get to the first corner, you will need to make a small cut of about 1/4th of an inch at the edge of the side panel. This prevents any unwanted folds.
Continue that way until all sides are stitched. In both cases remember to leave an open side to insert the zipper.
Once you finish pinning the side panel to one of the main panels, stitch both ends of the side panel and cut extra fabric.
8 - Sew the Cushion Panels Together to create a cushion cover
Once both main panels are attached with pins, you can start stitching them together. Right next to where the pins are placed, or on the same line. Just remove them while you sew. It will all depend how you intended to place the pins in the first place. The sewing machine is a fast and reliable way to stitch your new cushion.
If you are making a box cushion for your rocker it’s the same principle. Use the sewing machine to stitch the side panel on the pinned main panel. Once it is done you can start pinning the second main panel with the side panel.
Remember to place the second panel face down on top of the first panel, which is face up. Meaning that all sides of the new cushion should show the back part of the fabric at this stage.
The front side of the fabric remains in the inside until you flip the cushion from inside out. The pinning and sewing process at this point is the same as with the first panel.
Making a Rocking Chair Cushion with Tie Strap
- In case you are using straps for your rocking chair seat cushion, you can cut 1′ inch wide fabric by anywhere between 15′ and 20′ inch long, per strap. Don’t forget to fold and sew 1/4 of an inch at each end for finishing purposes.
- The finished tie strap should have the same length, but the wide should become 1/4th of the pattern measurement. That is done by folding the pattern three times along the length, as shown below. Ironing folds facilitates a clean stitching with a sewing machine.
- Now is a good moment to stitch the tie straps on the remaining main panel. Account for where you need to attach the tie strap to place it accordingly in the remaining panel. You can do this two main ways:
a) Higher quality finish: before pinning the second main panel with the side panel (already attached to the first main panel), fold the tie strap in half and stitch the folded part slightly inside the side/main panel stitch. That way the tie stitches remain inside. It provides both stronger attachment (double stitching) and better finish.
b) Fastest and simplest: Fold the tie straps and stitch them when the box cushion is entirely sewed. The stitching attachment will be visible though but it a small detail that is hardly seen.
That’s it! now you know how to make cushions for a rocking chair, be it a nursery, porch or even a camping rocker!
