★ How To Make Bean Bags, Pillow Chairs & Floor Cushions | Sew Your Own Furniture | Craft Tutorials ★
DIY Casual & Comfy Floor Seating
This page lists inspiration and tutorials for lots of floor seating options including beanbags, poufs, ottomans and floor pillows. These are brilliant items to make and sew yourself, and they come in particularly useful if you need extra seating quickly.
These kinds of floor seating are also perfect for those who don't have the room or money for substantial extra furniture - for instance, beanbags are ideal for students heading off to live on their own at college or university.
And the biggest plus point is that you can let your imagination go wild and create any shape and size of seating you like, and of course you can use fabric to exactly match your current décor - yay!
Beanbags and other large pillows usually have an inner bag which contains the filling material, then a removeable outer bag which is made of the quality fabric which will be visible. The types of filling you can use for beanbags and large pillows include polystyrene beans, genuine beans, fabric scraps, foam (shredded), and, if you're feeling green, you can also recycle old sweaters or polystyrene food trays.
I hope you find this page useful, and I hope it helps you create some super comfy and super funky furniture!
Flannel Floor Cushions
For more photos and to see how to make these cushions, click here.
Photo and product by Michelle Engel Bencsko.
Best Beanbag & Cushion Making Products
There are minimal 'ingredients' needed to make your own beanbag, but you will require a sewing machine unless you want to be hand sewing all year!
Apart from that, all you really need is fabric (both for the outer and most likely the interior bag too), and filling (traditional beans, plastic pellets or foam). You can also add a velcro or zipper opening if you wish.
DIY Ruffle Pouf
Bean Bag How-Tos
- Giant Bean Bag Sofa Bed
Huge bean bag for ultimate comfort. - Make Your Own
How making a bean bag saves money and gets you the style you want. - Beanbag Cushion Instructions
Tutorial for making a regular round bean bag. - Beanbag Chairs
With a zip and a muslin lining bag. - Modern Beanbag Pouf
Including great ideas for what to use as filler. - Adult Sized Bean Bag
Another tutorial for a round beanbag. - T-Shirt Beanbag
Great idea for recycling old t-shirts. - Beanbag Pouf
Instructions for sewing a lightweight seat.
Camera Beanbag Support
Rob suggests using beans, sand or bird seed inside a zip-lock bag, which is then placed in the bag case.
Floor Cushion Tutorials
- Circular Floor Cushion
Comfy pillow with piped edging. - Land of Nod Cushion
With added zipper. - Fold, Stitch and Stuff
Home hack for large square pillows. - Hawaiian Felt Pillows
Felt floor cushions with Hawaiian style applique. - Stacked Box Cushions
Tufted square cushions that you can stack to make an ottoman. - Portable Cushion
Square cushion with a zipper and piped edges. - Smiley Face Cushion
Cute round pillow complete with a mustache! - Flipover Floor Cushion
Tufted pillows with different pretty fabrics on both sides. - Meditation Pillow
Using padding made from old sweaters. - Square Tufted Cushions
Smart box shaped floor cushions. - Sweater Cushions
Recycle sweaters to make these soft cushions. - Crochet Rag Pillows
How to crochet cool floor cushion with fabric yarn.
How To Make A Large Beanbag Pillow
You will need:
* 2 rectangles of outer fabric measuring 50" x 70"
The most popular type of fabric for this would be medium-weight cotton, but really this is up to you. Most fabrics would work, although you will want it to be durable so don't choose anything lightweight.
* 2 rectangles of muslin (or other cheap, light and non-stretchy material) measuring 50" x 70"
* Beanbag pellets/beans
* 50" length of Velcro (of both the fluffy and the spiky sides)
* Sewing machine
* Needle & thread
* Pins
* Iron
* Funnel (optional)
First make the outer bag:
- Place the 2 pieces of outer fabric together with the 'right' sides touching and the 'wrong' (reverse) sides facing outwards.
- Make sure they are perfectly aligned and pin around the edges.
- Sew along 3 sides with straight stitches, as shown in the diagram, securing the thread with back (reinforcing) stitches at the start and the end. Use a 1/2" seam allowance - so the stitches are 1/2" from the fabric edge.
- Use an iron to press the seams to one side so they all lie flat on one side of the bag. You can cut squares out of the seams at the 2 corners (making sure not to cut too near to the stitching) in order to make it easier to fold, and also to remove some bulk.
- Turn the bag the right side out and topstitch 1/4" away from the seam join, on the side that the seams have been pressed onto. This will mean that you will be sewing through the double-layered seam on the inside as well as the outer fabric. Topstitching makes the fabric join stronger, and you can add a second line of topstitching too (created by sewing in the opposite direction to the first line of topstitching) if you wish.
- Turn the bag inside out again and sew the Velcro strips onto either side of the open edge.
Then make the inner bag:
- Start making this bag the same way as the outer bag, with 2 rectangles of fabric pinned together, except this time the fabric is muslin.
- When it comes to sewing, straight stitch with a 1/2" seam alowance around the outside, leaving about 5" of one edge open (as shown in the diagram). If, however, you don't have a funnel to feed the beanbag pellets into the bag, you will need the whole of this one edge left open (same as with the outer bag).
- Topstitching can then be done as before, or you can simply sew another line of straight stitches outside the one you've just sewn, making the second line of stitches at most 1/4" away from the first, on the side closest to the fabric edge.
- Turn this inner bag the right way out and use a funnel (or any other means) to add the beanbag pellets so that the bag is filled to your satisfaction.
- You can stitch 2 lines across the opening then (making sure there are no pellets in the way) to secure the bag closed. Or you could use a needle and thread if the hole is quite small.
- To finish simply turn the outer bag the right way out and place the inner bag inside it. Close the opening with the Velcro and it's finished!
TIP: With this type of rectangle floor pillow, you can sit on it as normal or, for a higher seat, you can turn it on it's side and sit astride it.
Giant Beanbag
Pillows & Seating How-Tos
- Make a Pouf
A fab project for a multi-colored pouf. - Rug Ottoman
Using IKEA rugs to make a cylindrical seat. - Foam-Filled Chair
Great furniture for those with a lack of space. - Throw Rug Pouf
Squishy pouf made using throw rugs. - Moroccan Pouffe
A Morrocan style design made with an ornate dress. - Cube Rug Ottoman
Easy ottoman made using rugs. - Coffee Table Ottoman
Add foam seating to the top of a coffee table. - Pumpkin Pillows
The giant pumpkin cushions in fleece material look very comfy. - Painted Canvas Pouf
With raw edge seams and a painted geometric pattern.
Poufs Galore!
1.plumo 2.apartment therapy 3.studio van der scheer
4.modern dose 5.casa bella home 6.camilla hounsell holvorsen
7.flocks 8.west elm 9.cb2
Click here for original blog post and photo source links.
Other Cushioned Seating
- Foam Sofa / Bed
Brief instructions on a foam modular bed. - Canvas Camping Chair
Portable foam-filled chair which lets you sit anywhere you want. - Suitcase Ottoman
A cool way to recycle a suitcase into a seat. - Pacman Pouf
Professional-looking seating you can make yourself. - Platform Sofa
Construct padded seating to place on top of a platform. - Pretty Pouf Ottoman
Fabulous seating with a professional finish. - Sushi Seat
No tutorial yet, but this is a fab idea. - Large Ottoman
Build a large ottoman with wheels. - No-Sew Ottoman
Add a tufted top to a wooden crate.
How to Sew a Bean Bag - Plus Video Tutorials on Making Floor Cushions
Further DIYs, Ideas & Inspiration
- Salvaged Ottoman
How to build and upholster a lovely stool. - Upholstered Bench
How to upholster a coffee table to make a bench. - Giant Kitty Couch
Showing the making of this funny giant couch. - DIY Round Poufs
Including crocodile skin and tribal fabric creations. - Structured Pouf
An upright cylinder shape pouf with colored piping. - Tough Denim Pouf
Fantastic pouf made with old jeans, which has lovely stitch details. - Stylish Rectangular Pouf
Find a template here for a comfy floor cushion. - Beanbag Makeover
How to make a new potato-printed cover for your beanbag.
Stylish Beanbags
Top-Rated Beanbags To Buy
If you don't want to make your own beanbag, or you just don't have the time, there are some awesome designs that you can buy in a huge range of sizes and colors.
Globe Beanbag
Please Leave a Comment!
Charito Maranan-Montecillo from Manila, Philippines on March 03, 2014:
I once had a beanbag that bore a hole when my son jumped on it. I sure miss it..ha, ha!
Angela Hobbs from The TARDIS on September 16, 2013:
OMG they look so comfy, I want what that guy is sprawled all over in the pic up there ^
rupr on July 17, 2013:
Great ideas, I love this type of "furniture".
JeffGilbert on April 18, 2013:
Bean bag chairs are very comfortable, although i would not try making one. Great lens!
SianaL on March 11, 2013:
I love bean bag chairs!
myspace9 on January 21, 2013:
Interesting and well crafted lens. Thanks.
Lemming13 on November 27, 2012:
I was looking for some ideas for new seating in my kids' rooms, and this has given me loads of inspiration - thanks!
anonymous on September 30, 2012:
My boyfriend decided we should get rid of the couch and loveseat... I'm considering making an adult size 'kid sofa' now, thanks to your lens. Thank you!
NathalieM on August 10, 2012:
Love those giant bean bags! Although you would really need a lot of space!
Millionairemomma on May 15, 2012:
I was looking for bean bags!
Ryan Will on April 26, 2012:
I am trying to find new furniture for my kids room; thanks for the ideas.
smarthomes lm on April 04, 2012:
Great lens, i just LOVE the camera bag idea. Have you ever checked out a home show. I got sooo many ideas for the home that are easy diy's . http://www.eieihome.com/blog/national-home-show-ca... Home Show
Blackspaniel1 on February 10, 2012:
Nice lens.
ScrollSawChuck on January 27, 2012:
Great ideas. My grandchildren like to sit on two things, Grandpa's recliner and bean bag chairs.
jeremykim2011 on January 25, 2012:
Thank you so much for sharing!
zoikka on December 20, 2011:
Such a stylish bean bags. Especially love Poufs Galore Photos. I could almost eat any of them ;D Or maybe it would be enough to admire them...
RobertCAshford LM on September 08, 2011:
I remember making these for party games and again as sandbags for GI Joes. There are infinite possibilities for bean bags. Mummy Crafts links to a site full of bean bag games. If you have kids, you owe it to them to make bean bags!
Front Door Furniture
samperrymedia on September 04, 2011:
I love bean bags! Thanks for the article. I've written a similar article: http://www.squidoo.com/living-room-ideas
DailySkin on July 18, 2011:
bean bags are the best :)
anonymous on June 04, 2011:
i love bean bags! i want one in my room!!!!
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get the perfect DIY conservatory to improve the look and feel of your home!
BeanBagGamer on May 09, 2011:
Wow, they look great! Really comfortable and trendy.
