How to sew a zippered cushion cover

These instructions are designed for our 42 Custom Fabric Cushion Cover Kits, but you can follow them without one of our kits. All you need  to make your zippered cushion cover is:

  • Two 18″ squares of fabric
  • An 18″ cushion pad or insert
  • A zip cut to 16″ long
  • A sewing machine
  • A zipper foot
  • Thread, scissors, pins or clips and an iron.

 

To make your zippered cushion cover:

1. Lay your fabric squares right sides together, making sure the pattern is the right orientation on both pieces. First of all, locate the bottom (this is where you will install your zipper).

 

With right sides together

2. Lay your zipper against the bottom edge and centralise it. When you have done that pin the fabric at either end of the zip (do not pin the zip) to mark where it starts and stops.

3. Using a straight stitch and a 1/2 inch seam allowance, sew the fabric pieces together from the corner to your pin on both sides, back stitching to start and stop your stitch,

4. Once you have done both sides, use a basting stitch or zig zag stitch to sew between the two pins and seal the zipper hole up. You will be removing these stitches later so you want them to be easy to remove.

Where to baste stitch

5. After that, open the fabric up, lay it right side down, and press the seam you have just created open.

6. Lay your zipper face down along this seam, with the zip in the centre. Once that is done, pin it in place. Top Tip: Make sure that your zip is face down, to ensure that the zip is on the outside of your case once assembled.

7. Put your zipper foot on your sewing machine. (You will want to sew down one side of the zip, then swap the side that your zipper foot is attached on and sew down the other).

 

Using a zipper foot

 

8. With a straight stitch, start at the end of the zipper furthest away from the zip handle and sew a straight line as you would normally, keeping as close to the teeth as possible.

9. When you reach the zip handle, you won’t be able to continue. Therefore sew up to it, put your needle down into the fabric, raise the presser foot, unzip the zip past the foot, lower the foot and continue to the end of the zipper. Backstitch to end.

How to sew past a zip handle

 

10. Move your zipper foot onto the other side, close the zipper again and repeat the above two steps. That’s it, zip installed! After that, using a seam ripper, carefully remove the long basting stitch that you put in. Unzip your zip at least half way. Top Tip: Don’t leave your zip closed at this point, otherwise it will make turning your case out right side difficult later.

11. Lay your case right sides together again and pin the edges. Put your regular foot back on your machine, and with a straight stitch sew up the remaining three sides, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Cut across the corners diagonally. In order to do this, stop with your needle down in your fabric, lift the presser foot, turn the fabric, lower the foot and continue. Repeat each time you need to change direction. Backstitch to start and stop again.

12. Cut your corners off, about a quarter of an inch away from your stitching, so your cushions will have nice corners. Finally. turn your cushion case right side out, put your cushion in it, and you’re done!

Congratulations on making your zippered cushion cover!

 

 

 

 

 

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