We need cushions for the PDC & ATC!

Paul needs cushions!

In order to make people comfortable during the PDC and ATC we need some cushions to put under their butts.
We intend to fill them with straw, buckwheat hulls, old clothes, wool . . . any natural material we can come up with.





So what we need are strong fabric sacks with a zipper to be filled with stuffing, and washable covers for them.

We're looking for natural materials, not synthetic. We would also like to have a variety of sizes and shapes.

Are there some folks out there who can sew up some cushions and covers?
What would you like in exchange for this service - gifts, favors?

Please let us know in a comment below if you have any ideas, or would like to volunteer your sewing skills to get this project done.

Thanks!

So what we need are strong fabric sacks with a zipper to be filled with stuffing, and washable covers for them.

We're looking for natural materials,

 This is happening soon, isn't it?   I wonder if it might be quicker to sew them up with an overlap (I think it's called 'envelope' style) rather than a zipper? They would be just as easy to stuff and unstuff without the hassle of a zipper, both the difficulty of inserting in heavy fabric and the likelihood it will eventually get jammed with straw or with whatever is the filling.

That's just me and my thoughts about zippers, been there, done that, and swore I would skip inserting zippers forever more

I agree about the zippers. They're evil things to put in. Maybe I can dig up an envelope-style pillow pattern and post a link.

Tracy Wandling wrote:I agree about the zippers. They're evil things to put in. Maybe I can dig up an envelope-style pillow pattern and post a link.

and then there might be someone out there who absolutely loves inserting zippers

I had a couple questions about the weight of the fabric...heavy for the insert like denim? or just heavy enough to keep the straw from poking through? ...and the outer covers heavy also, or just heavier than say a pillow case?  do you think all cotton sheets would be heavy enough for the insert?

I have odds and ends of fabric that might work....thrift store finds, etc.   and I have a sewing machine, thread, etc...I just have to dig out my half of the work room to be able to do anything.  I'm thinking on it...

Can you post the size cushion you want?  Length x width

Judith Browning wrote:


 This is happening soon, isn't it?   I wonder if it might be quicker to sew them up with an overlap (I think it's called 'envelope' style) rather than a zipper? They would be just as easy to stuff and unstuff without the hassle of a zipper, both the difficulty of inserting in heavy fabric and the likelihood it will eventually get jammed with straw or with whatever is the filling.

That's just me and my thoughts about zippers, been there, done that, and swore I would skip inserting zippers forever more

Faster and cheaper I suspect.  Or they could be tacked down with a simple running stitch.  This is what we do when we make straw ticks (mattresses) for medieval reenactment.  Long tube of fabric, stuff with straw, fold over end twice, use a big needle and a simple running stitch to keep it closed.  

How about sourcing the cloth from the second-hand shops?  They often have curtains, bedding, towels, even clothing that can be cut up for cloth.  Sometimes these aren't natural fibres though.

R Ranson wrote: they could be tacked down with a simple running stitch.  

That's what I would do.  Saves the cost of the zipper.  I can make some cushions if they can be made without zippers.

A zipper is doubling the material cost and almost quadrupling the labour (unless you are a wiz at zippers - if you are, I want to meet you!).

Buttons are another easy fix.  Snaps are often super-cheep at thrift stores.  

I have some zippers leftover from unfinished projects that I could use in making cushions.  I also have a lot of fabric (I'm a quilter).  What size were you thinking of for the pillows and how many do you need?  I am attending the PDC so I can bring the cushion cases with me.

Just took a look at the Denver craigslist, under pillows, there are a ton from 5 bucks a piece up. Thought that if someone was good at zippers they could maybe cut them open , sew on a zipper and save some time making them from scratch ? Just have to figure out a good use for the stuffing .

Miles Flansburg wrote:Just took a look at the Denver craigslist, under pillows, there are a ton from 5 bucks a piece up. Thought that if someone was good at zippers they could maybe cut them open , sew on a zipper and save some time making them from scratch ? Just have to figure out a good use for the stuffing .

hi miles! I think maybe Cheryl is making them?  ...we never heard anything back in this thread about size or fabric weight, how many,etc.  

If there's still a need maybe someone could let us know?  I could make a few if I had a bit more information...and if they can be done without a zipper

Was just at my favorite thrift store this morning and passed up possible cushion materials.......

Hey guys! Not sure we have anyone committed yet, but the measurements are as follows;
16 inches wide
297 inches is the total length of the bench, but we need cushions no longer than 74 inches (for storage purposes)

So are you saying they should be 16" x 74"?  I was thinking you wanted square pillows.  Exactly what dimensions do you want and how many?

Also, is the bench straight, or "L" shaped or "U" shaped?  If not straight, how many inches on a side?  Thanks!

I found some fabric at a thrift store this morning...the heavier with the brownish stripes has 'valances' that measure 16.5 inches wide by 56"...enough for four 16X24 inch cushions I think...I can rip out the wide casings on the valance and come out with a good 16" wide and some overlap at the end for closure? (not gonna do a zipper, sorry)  ...there's a big chunk of the same material also could be a couple more cushions.

The patterned cloth is lighter weight but I think would work ok for the inner 'sack' for the stuffing?

They both feel like cotton...I could do a burn test I guess....

The second pic is my sewing machine, I think I can dig it out and be able to work there.....everything's pushed into the corner as we had company needing floor space and my guy is building his library shelves in the other half of the room (this is the first we've tried to share a work room  

Like Cheryl, I thought we were talking about square or at least small individual cushions in a variety of sizes for the floor originally....are those needed also or just ones for the bench?

If the details were a little clearer I think we could all take off on this project...
...just don't want to put some time into something that isn't as requested or needed  :  

anybody out there?  
I think there are three of us ready to make cushions and just need a few more questions resolved.
These are the quidelines posted so far...

So what we need are strong fabric sacks with a zipper to be filled with stuffing, and washable covers for them.

We're looking for natural materials, not synthetic. We would also like to have a variety of sizes and shapes.

the measurements are as follows;
16 inches wide
297 inches is the total length of the bench, but we need cushions no longer than 74 inches (for storage purposes)

and here are the questions we have asked so far...

I had a couple questions about the weight of the fabric...heavy for the insert like denim? or just heavy enough to keep the straw from poking through? ...and the outer covers heavy also, or just heavier than say a pillow case?  do you think all cotton sheets would be heavy enough for the insert?

What size were you thinking of for the pillows and how many do you need?

So are you saying they should be 16" x 74"?  I was thinking you wanted square pillows.  Exactly what dimensions do you want and how many?

Also, is the bench straight, or "L" shaped or "U" shaped?  If not straight, how many inches on a side?  Thanks!

I thought we were talking about square or at least small individual cushions in a variety of sizes for the floor originally....are those needed also or just ones for the bench?

...and two out of three of us don't do zippers

I know everyone's busy...thanks for any more information!

You all are awesome!!

Tuesday is out of town, and the measurements she took were of the bench that is underneath the couch balcony - you can see it fairly well here:



It's actually an RMH bench for the batch box heater, full of pea gravel and with bricks on top to be a mass. Though in June it tends to be a cold sink, not really a warm bench so the cushions help in multiple ways!

I agree that more square, or shorter cushions would be more useful than 74" inch long ones. Much easier to box up and keep out of the dust and sawdust when the auditorium reverts back to being a shop. While the folks here built an awesome backrest the length of the bench, it is wood, and cushions that could be for the seat OR one's back would be the most versatile.

I also agree that the overlap or envelope style makes the most sense!

We also have rather uncomfortable folding chairs, and 2nd-hand couches, so having random pillows for just about any where you'd be more comfy if you had a pillow is the goal here.

Julianne of Dirtpatcheaven was here briefly (to help film another vlogger, Essential Mountain Homestead - more on that later) and started on a cushion that was an experiment with channels for the buckwheat hulls that we have. Then she had to return to Idaho, so we didn't get very far.

I think we were imagining an inner pillow (like a pillow form) from an old sheet or some such for the straw, buckwheat hulls, or fabric scraps, and an outer, sturdier cover that is washable and durable. When you have workshop participants that are cobbing, digging, welding, etc., or have knives or tools on their belt, and they come in for classroom time, sturdy and dark colors is where it's at, if you ask me!

Clarification (or obnoxious opinion?) on the inner pillow forms:  overlap or envelope style would not work so well there. If forms were sent to us with an opening for filling, we could easily stitch that up after we fill it.

I think the overlap or envelope style closure would be just fine for the cover over the form.

Here's another view of the bench, before the back was built.


(From Results of the 8" batch box thingy at the Innovators Gathering.)

Thank you Jocelyn!
I think you covered it all....

I"m going to go ahead and make some 16X24 16X20/21 (after allowing for the height of fill,etc) cushions because that is what my thrift store finds measure....and that size should work for sofas or the floor if you end up with too many bench cushions...

I've been needing a sewing project  

Tuesday didn't mean that the cushions 'should' be 74". We had thought of storing them on the couches under the dust covers, so they maximum length is what would fit on the couch. When we were estimating how many people could fit on the bench, we gave everyone 22 inches. That was before there were some balcony posts in the way, so there might be slightly more room for few people now. A 21" wide cushion would be great. As Jocelyn points out, any of the single person cushions could also be used on the folding chairs.

I like the idea of a cushion buffet.  Lots of different types and sizes for lots of different folks.  

Some will use cushions on the benches, some on the chairs (and we have lots of different kinds of chairs) and ....   as bizarre as this sounds .... some people like cushions while sitting on a couch.

Overall, I think a big part of all this is that the PDC is mostly classroom time.  Two weeks of sitting!

The ATC has more moving around.

Thanks to Judith and Cheryl, we have a great cushion buffet going on which I think is a HUGE help for the students - thank you, thank you!!!

Fred took some better pictures of some of the cushions/pillows, but here are a couple dark-ish photos as I was running about helping prep the space.

Both Judith and Cheryl had extra fabric they wanted to have used, and we filled them with straw or buckwheat hulls.

We had a lovely SEPPer family here and two of their kids did the stuffing and stitching up of the inner forms that Judith mailed to us for hers.

Cheryl arrived with fabric in hand, and Clara joined in to help her sew and stuff more pillows in the Fisher Price House.

Well done ladies!!

Edited to say - ARGH those photos are dark!! The brown-striped cushions from Judith are interspersed with some flat-ish ones we had and that picture just does not do them justice!

a bit of video of pillows getting filled ...

I have some more done to send off tomorrow if the first ones are working ok?  The next round is somewhat smaller and will fit better on the folding chairs. Five (of eight) have inserts and then I ran out of cloth so am sending three covers without an insert...maybe can fold a towel or something for padding.

I wanted to try stuffing some here just to see how that works but all of my straw is in the garden and not the freshest

I'm guessing things are hopping by now and even the kids might not have time to stuff and sew...

Judith Browning wrote:I have some more done to send off tomorrow if the first ones are working ok?  The next round is somewhat smaller and will fit better on the folding chairs. Five (of eight) have inserts and then I ran out of cloth so am sending three covers without an insert...maybe can fold a towel or something for padding.

I wanted to try stuffing some here just to see how that works but all of my straw is in the garden and not the freshest

I'm guessing things are hopping by now and even the kids might not have time to stuff and sew...

Ah! We might set up someone with peeling garlic during class to keep their hands busy. I'll bring down a box of supplies so folks could stitch and fill if they want, too.