How I Cheat When I Cover My Patio Cushions

Pam Smith
by Pam Smith
2 Materials
$20
2 Hours
Easy

Since the weather has been so nice, I have been working on some projects in our back yard and patio. One of the projects that needed done was recovering my outdoor cushions. I did this a few years ago too. You can see it here. I recovered these cushions about 5 years ago, so it had lasted for quite awhile, but they had become faded and dirty. I had bought indoor/outdoor fabric last time, but this time Haley had found some pretty shower curtains from Goodwill, and I knew they would be perfect for the cushions. Here are the old covers.

So my secret to recovering my cushions, is…hot glue! You read that right! I glue the fabric on! I can sew, but I am not good enough to actually sew slip covers, so this is the next best thing. Now when the fabric becomes dirty and faded, I can just tear it off and put new covers on. Isn’t this fabric pretty! I love all the shades of blue. This is what the cushion looked like under the fabric.

Each shower curtain covered 2 cushions. The back of my chairs are open in the back, so I had to cover the whole front and the back of the cushion for the back of the chair. For the seat cushion, I could leave some of the under section of the seat cushion uncovered.

I started by figuring out how much I would need to cover the back cushion and cut that piece off from the big piece. I folded one side over towards the middle. I put a line of hot glue along the cushion and pressed the fabric onto it.

After that piece was secure, I folded over the other side towards they middle. I put more hot glue and pressed that side into it.

Once the fabric was secure in the middle, I worked on the sides. I laid them out flat and then folded the sides in towards the middle like wrapping a present.

I then folded those ends up over the cushion and hot glued them down. I made sure I hot glued all over to make sure the fabric was secure.

I did have to put a seam on the front of the bottom cushion since the fabric didn’t quite fit, but the back cushion covers it.

I love how they turned out! It looks so fresh and clean now! My kitty Kiara, decided they looked comfy too!

If you w ould like to see more, head on over to my blog!

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Pam Smith
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  • Connie Godwin Connie Godwin on May 06, 2019

    How bout Velcro? Would that work too? I have thrown away some cushions that i was wondering bout covering. I won't throw anymore away as they r very expensive. Thank you for your post.

  • Christina Christina on May 08, 2019

    I have to know where you got that pillow in the picture. We are from Hawaii and my back porch is island themed.

  • Janet B Janet B on Apr 28, 2020

    Love it! Great job!!!

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  • Krafty Kathy Krafty Kathy on Apr 29, 2020

    Brilliant idea to use shower curtains!

  • Val Val on Apr 29, 2020

    I have been using cheap felt lined table clothes for about 3.00 each for 20 years on my cushions. When the cushions are worn out I take my old bed pillows and make them outside cushions in the same manner.

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