It’s taken me a while to write this post. I was so ecstatic at finishing the cushions for our campervan late last year that instead of carefully chronicling how I’d made them, I’ve basically stood back and admired them. Before I started I read so many blogs and manuals explaining ‘how to make seat cushions’, I thought I should add my own version to the mix. Whether you’re an experienced sewer or absolute beginner, the next two posts will give you step-by-step instructions and useful tips for making your own box seat cushions, to be used in caravans, boats, window seats, church pews – all sorts. Priests with hard wooden benches – take note! These are the cushions I made for our campervan. I made two seats and three back rests, and they fold down to make a bed: If you’re new to this blog, you don’t need to read any of my previous posts about making campervan seat cushions. You may find you start subconsciously stabbing yourself with your unpicker before we’ve even started (and you’ll be needing that later).

If you have read this blog before, all I needed were some proper instructions! Before this project I had barely sewed more than a button, so in this guide I’ll assume you also have no previous knowledge. If you do, you’re half way there already! Part one (this blog) will cover all the materials you need to get started, and part two will cover the sewing instructions. First measure your seating area to determine the dimensions of the foam required. Best Place To Buy Supra Shoes Online(Nb if you also need a back rest, bear in mind that the back cushion will sit on top of the seat cushion. Fringe DrapeIf you’re using standard foam, it’s probably 10cm high, so the height of your back cushion will be 10cm shorter than the back rest behind it.)Maine Coon Cats Images

If you’re close to a Clark Rubber store, they will cut foam to your measurements. Otherwise if you’re confident with an electric meat carver, you can buy a foam camping mattress, mark on the measurements and do it yourself. (Note – it is MUCH harder carving foam in a straight vertical line than it is a roast pork.) Whichever method you use, choose a high density foam – particularly if you’ll be using the seat cushions to convert into a bed or if they’re in high traffic areas. Once you have cut your foam to size, it’s a good idea to cover it in wadding, which will nicely soften the hard edges and corners. Spotlight and Lincraft in Australia sell various types, and as usual, you get what you pay for. I tried a couple of wool/polyester blends but found they were a bit bulky and wouldn’t stick well. My favourite was a 100% bamboo batting, which was a bit more expensive but so soft and easy to work with. For your first piece of foam, draw a template onto your wadding, as if you’d opened it out like a box, similar to this:

If it’s hard to draw on the wool, just mark the corners. Then cut out the template. You can make it slightly bigger than the size of your foam but you don’t want too much overlap otherwise the bulges will show through your fabric (particularly if you’re using a wool/polyester wadding – the bamboo batting was a bit more forgiving). Lie the template over some newspaper and use a spray upholstery adhesive (from Lincraft, Spotlight, Bunnings etc) to spray the whole template first. Then spray some extra adhesive on the foam itself and position it on the template. Then quickly fold all the sides up and over, smooth out any bumps and press firmly to stick. It should dry fairly quickly. Usually the biggest decision. It took us a while to choose our material. Some things to consider: Each seat cushion needs 6 panels: top, bottom, front, back, left and right. Measure the length, width and depth of each cushion and add a 2cm seam allowance to each end. Note the back panel will be cut in half lengthways to form a seam for the zip, so add an extra 2cm to the seam allowance on the height measurement – 1cm for each half.

It’s a good idea to draw a rough diagram of how you’ll cut each panel out of the fabric so reduce the amount of waste and offcuts. For example, if one cushion measures 100cm long x 45cm deep and the foam height is 10cm (check this before you buy the fabric as some foams may differ), your measurements (including a 2cm seam allowance on each end) would be as follows: Fabric comes in a range of widths, and you can request the length you need. If the roll of fabric is 150cm (60 inches) wide, following the measurements above you’d need a length of 108cm times however many cushions you need to do in that size. If your roll of fabric measures less than 150cm, you’d have to play around with the configuration on your diagram. Bear in mind also that if your fabric has a bold pattern or wide stripe that you want to continue consistently around the front, back and sides, you may need to change your configuration. Once you’ve cut and covered your foam and you’ve chosen your fabric, it’s time to start sewing.

See part 2 for the next instalment! Discount Offers & More! Sign up for our newsletter!Average rating:    5 - 1 review5Ming's Mark®JPosted by (Okeechobee, FL) / October 7, 2014View All Seating ReviewsRetractable Motorhome / RV Seat Belt (ALR 5" Short Housing Belt) Click HereTo compare the long housing #209 and short 209sand to see dimensions.These are 2 point retractable push button seatbelts, lap belt with buckle only (no shoulder harness). These are universal fit, so they are perfect for most any RV or Motorhome. They extend to 53" and of course are Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) Approved! You can choose for either a bucket or bench type seat application. Price includes 1 seat belt for one seat / passenger. To view the optional mounting hardware which you can add to your order below Click Here. This is our Short Housing restraint, meaning that it is best used with a low seat configuration. With higher seat applications, choose our Long Housing seatbelt below.

Click to view our SeatBelt Hardware Page.Click Here to view a photo of the type of end that you get with the "Bucket Seat" option. Click Here to view a photo of the type of end that you get with the "Bench Seat" option. Safety tested and approved, sewn, assembled, packaged in the USAClick to view our 2 Point Retractable Seat Belt Installation Guide!Click Here to See 30 Color Choices! rv-310-311-312-prev-209s$39.9530 Colors: Choose ColorBlack - #1000Charcoal - #6009Gray - #6005Tan - #3000Blue - #4002Maroon - #2008Red - #2007Wine - #2009Flame Red - #2006Hot Pink - #2013Orange - #7001Dark Green - #5006Military Green - #5002Desert Tan - #3009Beige - #3008Brown - #3004Dark Brown - #3005Navy - #4004Powder Blue - #4005Electric Blue - #4000Turquoise - #4009Cobalt - #4006Rose - #2011Wisteria - #2012Purple - #2010Lime Green - #5004Yellow - #7500White - #9000Silver - #6007Ivory - #8000 Style: Choose OneBucket Seat-8 inch Sleeve (Low Seat) (Sleeve is Black)Bucket Seat-11 inch Sleeve (Regular Seat)Bench Seat-20 inch Floppy End Mounting Hardware

No ThanksYes (+$4.95) #106 8" Long Housing Retractable Motorhome / RV Seat BeltsClick HereTo compare the long housing 209 to the short 209sand also see dimensions.Best used with a higher seat application, this is a 2 point retractable lap belt with buckle only (no shoulder harness). These are universal fit, so they are perfect for most any Rv or Motorhome. You can choose for either bench or bucket seat applications. To see the optional hardware that you can add to your order below Click Here. They extend to 53" and of course these seat belts are Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) Approved! Click to view our Belt Hardware Page.Safety tested and approved, packaged, sewn, assembled and in the USA! Click Here to view a photo of the type of end that you get with the "Bucket Seat" option. Click Here to view a photo of the type of end that you get with the "Bench Seat" option.Click to view our 2 Point Retractable Seat Belt Installation Guide! rv-307-308-309-prev-209$39.9530 Colors: Choose ColorBlack - #1000Charcoal - #6009Gray - #6005Tan - #3000Blue - #4002Maroon - #2008Red - #2007Wine - #2009Flame Red - #2006Hot Pink - #2013Orange - #7001Dark Green - #5006Military Green - #5002Desert Tan - #3009Beige - #3008Brown - #3004Dark Brown - #3005Navy - #4004Powder Blue - #4005Electric Blue - #4000Turquoise - #4009Cobalt - #4006Rose - #2011Wisteria - #2012Purple - #2010Lime Green - #5004Yellow - #7500White - #9000Silver - #6007Ivory - #8000 Style: Choose OneBucket Seat-11 inch Sleeve (Regular Seat)Bucket Seat-8 inch Sleeve (Low Seat) (Sleeve is Black)Bench Seat-20 inch Floppy End Mounting Hardware