How to Make a Quick & Easy Box Cushion

Box cushions are a standard sewing skill because these cushions are useful in so many places around both your home and boat. You can sew up box cushions for window seats, benches, banquettes, patio sets, cockpit cushions and more! To make these projects even easier, this video showcases a quick, simple-sew box cushion technique that will help you create a cushion in under an hour. Our box cushion has no piping, which makes it very beginner-friendly and such a fast sew. Let's get started with today's box cushion DIY tutorial!

The secret behind the ease of this cushion is that is doesn’t use any boxing! Not having to sew on boxing saves a major step in the assembly process. The lack of boxing also gives the edges of the cushion a smooth, rounded look. This cushion method does not allow for the addition of piping though, so if you want a piped edge on your cushion, you’ll want to go with the traditional box cushion method. You can learn this in our "How to Make a Box Cushion for a Swing" blog and video tutorial (#200606XHT).

In addition to the detailed how-to video, we also succinctly wrote out the steps so you can have a guide to glance at while you sew up your cushion.

Cut your foam to the desired size of your finished cushion plus 1/4 inch on all sides.

Lay out the fabric for your cushion bottom. Set the foam on top of it and trace around the perimeter. Then draw a line 1/4 inch in from your traced line. Cut out your plate along the inner line.

Cut your zipper to the length of cushion plus a few inches. Install the zipper slider. Then, baste the zipper in place across the center of the underside of the bottom plate with the zipper facing down. Sew the zipper in place.

On the wrong side of your top, decorative fabric, trace around the perimeter of your foam. Strike a line using the thickness of the foam minus 1/4 inch as the distance out from the traced line. This outer line will be your cut line.

Extend the inner line on your fabric out past the cut line. This will form a square at each corner. Cut out your fabric along the cut line and then cut out the traced square at each corner. Flip the fabric over right side up and baste the corners together. Sew the corners together using a 3/8-inch seam allowance.

Use basting tape to baste together the bottom and the top plates with the right sides facing in. Be sure to use match-up marks to line up the center of each side on both plates. Sew the plates together using a 3/8-inch seam allowance.

Open the zipper and turn the cover right side out. Insert the foam. Be sure to work the foam into the corners and edges so everything looks nice.