Cushion Cover From a T-shirt

I came across a T-shirt with an awesome print on it, but it wasn't something I would wear a lot. So I got the largest size available and turned it into a cushion cover.

Making a cushion cover like this is super easy, no zippers required. All you need to do is cut the fabric and sew in straight(ish) lines. Of course it works for any T-shirt you may want to use, but also for pretty much all other fabrics.

You can watch the video or read the steps here, whatever you prefer.

What you’ll need:

- A big T-shirt to transform (mine was an XXL)

- Matching thread

- Inner cushion

- Scissors

- Sewing machine

Step 1: Take the Shirt Apart

Start by taking the shirt apart. Cut open the sides and remove the sleeves and neck lining. Now you have actual pieces of fabric to work with.

Step 2: Cut the Front Panel

Use some chalk to draw a square on the front piece. Usually, you’d draw on the back, but you want to make sure the print is centered nicely, so draw on the front this time. Start with drawing center lines, and then draw the square. The trick is to make the square a bit smaller than the size of your inner cushion. That will make the cover fit nice and snuggly and puff up the cushion. My inner cushion is 50 by 50 centimeters (20 x 20 inches), so I’m drawing my square to be 45 by 45 centimeters (18 x 18 inches). Add 1,5 centimeters (3/4 inch) of seam allowance all the way around. Cut it out, and your first piece is ready.

Step 3: Cut the Back Panels

For the back, you’ll cut two pieces that will overlap. Start by cutting a big strip that is the same width as the front piece. Then cut it into two pieces, each with a length of about 2/3 of the front piece, so around 30 centimeters (12 inches) in my case. This will give the pieces a 1/3 overlap in the back.

I made use of the original hem for one of the pieces. For the other piece, you’ll just need to hem one of the long sides by folding it over twice and stitching it down.

Step 4: Sew It All Together

Place the front piece right side up, and place the two back pieces on top, right sides down. Line up the top and the bottom of the pieces and let them overlap in the middle.

Pin the pieces in place and sew all the way around with a straight stitch. Stitch 1,5 centimeters (3/4 inch) from the edge and make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.

Turn the cover right side out and place your inner cushion inside. Now you have an awesome cushion! That was easy, right?