I did a lot of seat cushions last year for our big grad party celebration. Happy Girl handled the sewing end beautifully, and I wielded the staple gun endlessly. If you own an electric staple gun, re-doing your kitchen/dining room chair seats, or your outdoor chair seats is rather simple, and an easy project for a non-sewer.
Cut a plywood seat to fit your chair, or strip the fabric and staples off your old one. I like to start fresh, rather than looking at 50 years of someone else's decorating!
Cut foam cushion to size of plywood seat. Foam is not cheap; definitely use a coupon. I purchased a ready made cushion insert, but it wasn't quite big enough. I improvised using some scraps I had around. No one will ever know, once it's finished! I like to use a little quilt batting on top of the foam for softness, and a crowned effect, rather than just the flat-look foam.
Lay your fabric right side down, with the foam and seat, positioning to desired fabric location. I used an allover fabric so it was easy, but you may need to be more exact if you have a geometric fabric. Cut fabric leaving enough to wrap around edges, depending on how thick your foam is. Cut corners on a diagonal, so there won't be as much fabric thickness.
Place your first staples at each corner, making sure the fabric is taut. This will keep your fabric positioned while you are finishing the sides. Staple opposing sides first.
Tuck extra fabric under for a nice, clean look. Pull fabric taut before stapling.
As a finishing touch, I like to cover the exposed plywood on the back with an extra piece of fabric. It can be a scrap piece, if you like. It just keeps the wood more sealed from the elements, if it's an outdoor cushion, and looks more finished overall.
Enjoy your newly refreshed seat cushions!
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