An old friend commissioned me to make upholstered outdoor cushions for her very cool vintage metal porch set that she inherited.
I made the seat cushions in a light beige with navy piping.
This project is the first time I had sewn with Sunbrella outdoor fabric. I had made a set of outdoor cushions once before but don’t remember the manufacturer. Based on that experience, I was pleasantly surprised that the Sunbrella was very easy to sew with. Cutting it was a breeze as the weave made it easy to just glide the scissors right through. I made the cushions on my little lightweight portable machine and she just purred like a kitty sewing those seams. I will definitely use this brand of fabric again for my outdoor projects.
For the foam inserts, I used a dry fast, open cell foam for quick drying in the elements. I used velcro for closure. The pillows are stuffed with a mildew resistant polyfill 20 inch form with an envelope closure. It was also the first time I had used outdoor thread and it was like sewing with monofilament. If you’ve sewn with monofilament, then you know what I mean. That stuff has a mind of its own. But all in all, this was an enjoyable project to work on.
Her porch set has two chairs for which I made seat cushions. She also wanted generous size throw pillows – one for each chair and two for the glider. I love the stripe fabric that she chose. They were in the process of replacing their front door when I went to measure for the cushions. She had decided to paint the door red and the stripes are very complimentary of the door color.
Her home is a beautiful old Craftsman with a large front porch spanning the width of the house. As you can see she has two great sitting areas. I’m so jealous. Can you imagine what a great porch party you could throw here?
I can only imagine the many hours I could spend out here. Have you tackled any outdoor sewing projects? I’d love to hear about them.
xo, Faith
Note: I have not been compensated for any endorsements. My opinions are my own.
Leave a Reply