How to Make Outdoor Cushions Using Recycled Plastic Bags

Cushions for outdoor furniture are expensive!! I’m not even going to mention how much I paid for the cushions I bought for the furniture I built… Let’s just say they cost way more than the lumber to build the furniture!

Making your own outdoor cushions can sometimes be almost as expensive as buying them. The outdoor fabric can be very costly (there is no way around that) but there is no need to pay big bucks for the special outdoor foam for the cushion itself when the cushions can be stuffed with plastic grocery bags! Today, I’ll share how to make outdoor cushions using recycled plastic bags!

Today, I’ll share my method of making outdoor cushions for a fraction of the cost of store-bought cushions that are just as attractive and comfortable!

Materials:

Outdoor fabric (the yardage depends on the size of the cushions)

Plastic grocery bags

Scissors

Sewing machine & thread

Determine the size of the cushions – The chair I’m making the cushion for measures 22″ x 22″. I cut two squares of fabric at 23″ x 23″ which allows for a 1/2″ seam.

Place the fabric wrong sides together and pin around three sides of the square leaving an approximate 2″ opening at the center of the sides. The openings are “vents” to allow air to escape when the cushion is sat upon. It will also allow for adding or removing of the plastic bags to adjust the “comfort”.

Turn the fabric right side out and top-stitch around the vents on the side.

Stuff the cushions with the plastic bags, as desired.

At the open seam, fold the fabric over approximately 1/2″ and stitch closed.

How’s that for recycling?? Now my only dilemma is what color to paint my chair… Any ideas?

The plans for the chair can be found here. The tutorial on how to make outdoor cushions using recycled plastic bags is very easy, really cheap, and the cushions are actually very comfortable. The biggest problem I’ve had with them is that when the dogs “discover” them, I find plastic bags all over the yard ~ I guess the dogs like the cushions, too! Have any questions? Let me know at cher {at} designsbystudioc {dot com!