Adding a gusset to feather cushions makes them look deep and luxurious, and give your foam seat pads a professional, tailored finish.
Gusseted cushions consist of a top and a bottom panel which are joined together with a strip of fabric known as a gusset. The result is a deep, plump, and tailored looking cushion, which has a range of uses from sofa cushions to window seat padding and comfy foot stools. Emphasize the three-dimensional shape with piped or corded seams, or make the gusset itself in a contrasting color or fabric.
You can use feather or synthetic cushion pads, or for a firmly molded cushion, deep foam. The easiest way to put the pad inside the cover is to leave one side seam open, insert the pad, and them slipstitch it together by hand. However, you need to unpick and restitch the seam each time the cover is cleaned, so for ease, insert a zip-opening.
If your cushion pad is soft, the opening need only be the same size as one side of the cushion; if it is slightly more rigid, like a foam pad, the opening needs to extend 4 inches (10cm) around each back corner, so you can remove the pad easily. Take this into account when measuring up and cutting out your fabric, and buy a zip that is 8 inches (20cm) longer than the back measurement of the pad.
To make your gusseted cushion cover you will need:
Cushion pad
Fabric
Zip 8 inches (20cm) longer than back of pad
Marker pen or tailors' chalk
Tape measure
Piping (optional)
Sewing thread
For a hard wearing, practical cover use a firmly woven medium to heavy weight fabric. Strong furnishing cottons are ideal. Alternatively, upholstery fabrics such as velvet, give a good result, though they are a little more difficult to handle.
Measure the chair seat and buy a pad or have a block or foam cut to these measurements. The instructions given here show a cover with the gusset made in two sections, a strip for the front and sides, and a back strip which extends round to each side and has the zip fastening.
1. Measuring and cutting: Measure the pad and cut two panels, each as wide and as long as the pad, adding 5/8 inch (1.5cm) all round for seams.
For the back gusset, cut a strip the length of the zip plus 1 1/4 inches (3cm), and as wide as the pad is deep plus 2 1/2 inches (6cm).
For the front gusset, cut a piece of fabric as wide as the depth and all long as the total length of the front and sides, adding 5/8 inch (1.5cm) all round for seam allowances.
2. Inserting the zip: Cut back gusset in half lengthways. With right sides together, tack 5.8 inch (1.5cm) seam and press it open. Place the zip face down on the wrong side, pin and then tack. Machine stitch into place from the right side.
3. Joining the gusset strips: Press under 2 inches (5cm) on one short end of the front gusset. With right sides up and side edges aligned, position the front gusset over the back covering zip tab. Top stitch through all layers at the base of the zip and again along the folded edge to within 3/4 inch (2cm) of each side of the zip.
4. Attaching piping (optional): Make to strips of piping each the same length as the finished gusset plus 1 inch (2.5cm) for overlaps. With raw edges even, tack piping to the right side of the top and bottom panels of the cushion cover. For neat corners, clip into the piping seam allowance at the corners.
5. Attaching gusset to base: With right sides together and centering the zip around the back of the cushion, pin the gusset to the base. Starting 1 inch (2.5cm) from the raw edge, stitch the gusset in place. Stop 3 inches (7.5cm) from the starting stitches. For neat corners, stitch to the corner and, with needle in the fabric, raise the presser foot, pivot fabric, lower the presser foot, and continue stitching. Snip corners.
6. Joining gusset: Adjust unsewn edges of gusseted panel so that the length of the gusset, when sewn, will fit the bottom cushion panel. Pin in place and stitch the gusset ends together, catching in the ends of the zip tape at the same time. Trim excess fabric and press the seam open. Complete stitching the gusset to the base.
7. Attaching the top panel: For the gusset at the corners and mark corners on the unstitched edge with pins. With zip open and right sides together, pin, tack and stitch the gusset to the top panel, aligning corners. Clip into allowance at the corners. Turn cover to the right side and ease it into shape. Insert the pad.
A deep, gusseted cushion adds extra comfort to a firm chair. For cushions with rounded corners, you should cut out the shaped top and bottom fabric panels using the cushion pad as a guide.