Tutorial (Easy to Make Window Seat Cushion for IKEA Trofast Storage)
  

Tutorial (Easy to Make Window Seat Cushion for IKEA Trofast Storage)

Here comes the promised step-by-step tutorial for how to make a window seat style cushion for the top of IKEA's trofast storage!
(You could do this for any flat bench though!)


Make a window seat cushion for IKEA Trofast Hack
(The fabric cover for the cushion is removable and involves no zipper)


Here's what we did:

1. I wanted a 2 inch thick cushion, but it was way cheaper to buy a big piece of 1 inch foam and double up (once you have the two pieces on top of each other, they don't slide around)

DIY Bench Cushion Tutorial without sewing machine
2. I bought fabric (I guessed on the amount- get enough to wrap around your foam like you're wrapping a gift)

3. When you get home, cut the foam to the size of the top of your bench (you can cut 1 inch foam with a pair of scissors)

4. Lay the foam on top of the fabric and wrap the fabric around the foam (like wrapping a gift) and make sure you have an overlap on top of the foam. (I made the fabric cover kind of like a pillow sham, so that you can take the cushion in & out, to wash the fabric. The overlap will not be sewn- it will be the opening for the foam)

DIY Window Seat Cushion without a sewing machine
5. Cut any extra fabric off (use the above picture as a guide to see how much fabric you need on the ends, taking into account that you'll be folding the edge over and pressing it as shown below)

Removable Washable DIY Fabric Window Seat Cover

6. Fold the ends (as shown above) and press. When I did mine, I worked it out so that the part that goes lengthwise across the cushion is the selvage, so it didn't need to be folded & pressed to finish it.

Time to Pin

7. Now we'll fold & pin the corners. Fold your first corner up (as shown in the photo below)

Removable Washable Fabric Cushion Cover Tutorial
8A. Pin into place as shown. (you can pin right into the foam if that helps)
8B. Un-pin the part shown in 8B (you don't have to pin & then un-pin it, I just did that to show you closely how to pin it so that you can do the next fold)
8C. Bring the fabric up as shown, so that you have a straight line across the top edge & side edge.
8D. Pin into place & repeat for the other corners.

DIY Window Seat Cushion with Removable Cover

9. Pin the edges up as shown:

DIY Removable Window Seat Cushion Cover Pictorial
Okay, now you're done pinning- yay!
Time to SEW!

Sewing Steps


You're going to sew by hand, and you're going to sew the foam right into the cover (don't worry- you can get it out later- I've already had to wash my cover once!)

1. Start at the top corner of one end. Tie a knot at the end of your thread and start (I tried to show you in the photo below)


2. Do a blind stitch (as shown below) to close up the side and top edges of the ends of the cushion.
How to Make your own fabric cushion cover

3. Now you're done sewing!
Here's what your little overlapping pillow-sham-like opening will look like:

Tutorial Make Your Own Removable Fabric Window Seat Cover

And here's the finished project!
A cute little seat for my girls to read on... or put their dolls to sleep on :)


Tutorial to make a DIY window seat cushion for IKEA Trofast bench


I hope this tutorial was easy to follow- let me know if I need to clarify anything!

You can find other sewing ideas & tutorials here.

59 comments:

  1. Oh that's such an adorable window seat! I love it!

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  2. What a lovely transformation,now google following you, Karima x www.karimascrafts.com

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  3. This is really great and so timely for me! I have a friend making a window seat for my daughter and I was just starting to think about how I was going to make the seat top. Thanks!

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  4. I have been wanting to do this, thanks for sharing how you did it :)

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  5. Perfect tutorial! My sewing machine is on the fritz and I needed a step - by - step with hand sewing. I'm going for my fabric and foam today! Thanks so much for posting.

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  6. I love window seats! You did a great job! Thanks for linking up!

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  7. I've been scouring websites trying to find ideas with Ikea products on how to make a window seat for my daughter and this is perfect! Do you know what the weight limit would be? Thanks so much for sharing!

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  8. Sorry Kym, I'm not sure about a weight limit. I'm glad you found the tutorial helpful!

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  9. Kym, we have one of these Ikea benches, and my 200+ lb husband sits on it. We have the wood version (pine). They also have a white particleboard version that isn't nearly as sturdy.

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  10. Love this! :) You were one of the top 5 viewed links at my {wow me} wednesday party last week. Thank YOU so much for sharing! Featuring YOU tonight over on my blog. Feel free to grab a featured button if you'd like. :)

    Ginger @ gingersnapcrafts.com

    http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2011/10/wow-me-wednesday-22.html

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  11. Great tutorial! Found you via sugar and dots, hope you have a lovely day!

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    Replies
    1. Super cute, and easy! Thanks! My husband and I just finished building a 14 foot window seat in our girls' bedroom, and I've been looking for a simple method for covering a cushion. I think I just found a winner. =)

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    2. Super cute, and easy! Thanks! My husband and I just finished building a 14 foot window seat in our girls' bedroom, and I've been looking for a simple method for covering a cushion. I think I just found a winner. =)

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    3. Michelle, I'm glad you think it will be helpful! :)

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  12. Awesome! I can't wait to make one for the play room!

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  13. Where did you find the foam that you used ?

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  14. You are a genius! That is the neatest and easiest way to make a cover I've ever seen! - Jaime (thriftaesthetic.wordpress.com)

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  15. I know this is an old post but I just wanted to say a big THANKS! I've been searching for a tutorial just like this but everything involved zips, piping or staples. I knew what I wanted to do but couldn't figure out how to do it, thanks to your tutorial I can now get on with it :o)

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  16. i dont understand how its a slip on cover when its sewn into the actual foam? if you wanted to wash it you would have to undo everything ?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Charlotte,

      The case opens like a pillow sham opens (you can see a photo of it at the bottom of the tutorial- the second to last photo in the post). No un-sewing required :) The foam is flexible enough that you can get it out through that opening and get it back in again after washing.

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  17. What a cute little seat!! Love the extra storage!! We so need one of these in our girls room.

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  18. great look and well done

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  19. Hey this is great! I've been hanging on to some couch cushions to repurpose! I didn't have it in me to toss them when the rest of the couch went (it was in rough shape, but not the cushions) and I also have a great window that would be the perfect spot for a cushioned seat for reading with my girl! Just need some nice fabric to use and I'm set!

    Thanks for the inspiration!!!! and the tutorial :)

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  20. This is so pretty! I noticed you didn't use a board under the foam and I was wondering if that was necessary at all but now I see you don't need it. Thanks, Im always looking for ways to cut corners and time lol. I'm master craft cheater!

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    Replies
    1. haha You're welcome! :) I'm with you- the faster/easier, the better! (as long as it still works well & holds up!)

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  21. Just curious if you sew the foam to the fabric doesn't it rip out the stitches when you try to take the fabric off?

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    Replies
    1. Good question! :) You don't actually sew through the cushion. You just put your needle through the fabric (between the fabric & the foam), and then back through the fabric (and so on). So, no, it doesn't rip any stitches or ruin anything when you remove the foam for washing. :) The only reason you sew it while it's around the cushion is so that you can get it the right size (it's not actually attached to the foam).

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  22. I am just curious about something. If you sew the fabric to the cushion doesn't it rip out the stitches when you try to remove the cushion?

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    Replies
    1. You don't actually sew through the cushion. You just put your needle through the fabric (between the fabric & the foam), and then back through the fabric (and so on). So, no, it doesn't rip any stitches or ruin anything when you remove the foam for washing. :) The only reason you sew it while it's around the cushion is so that you can get it the right size (it's not actually attached to the foam).

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  23. Just curious if you sew the foam to the fabric doesn't it rip out the stitches when you try to take the fabric off?

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  24. Thanks for the easy instructions,i love it and i really like the fabric your chose

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  25. This is perfect I bought the bench and coat rack from Canadian tire and it hads the same bench pad and I wanted additional colors !

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  26. Debbie White BeattieNovember 8, 2017 at 9:58 PM

    This is a great tutorial and I think the end result is awesome plus it's really cute

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    ReplyDelete
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  34. This looks very nice, love it and you make it look so easy to do, but I can not sew so I would totally screw it up..lol

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  35. I have two of these exact storage units. I turned one into a train/truck table for my son, but I never thought about putting a cushion on the other one! I need to do this! :)

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  36. A lovely project to customize a little reading nook!

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  37. Its so pretty. Love the color and elegant design of the fabric.

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  38. The cushion turned out so nice. I love the look of it

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  39. This is such a creative and useful idea! A great space-save to boot!

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  40. Thanks for sharing the awesome and beautiful ideas. I am really excited to do this.

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  41. This is awesome I love the look of this

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  42. Now that is an awesome Ikea hack. I love shopping there too.

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  43. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment- I love reading them! :)
~Heather Lynne

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