How to make a chair pad

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one pad, standard size)

• Outer fabric (cotton, linen or canvas) — about 50 cm × 100 cm
• Lining fabric — the same amount
• Thick quilt batting or memory foam sheet — the size of the seat
• Matching fabric for the ties — about 60 cm × 10 cm

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Home” → “Chair pad” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the seat width, depth, corner radius, tie length and tie cut width. Presets cover small, standard and large seats.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure the seat
   Measure the width and depth of the chair seat. If the seat is a trapezoid, measure at the widest point.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace the pad and the ties. Do not forget the notches that mark where the ties go at the back.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut 1 pad in the outer fabric, 1 in the lining, 1 in batting and 2 ties. Cut the batting 1 cm smaller all round so the seam allowance does not get bulky.

4. Sewing

4-1. Make the ties

1. Fold each tie in four (both edges to the center, then in half) and press.
2. Topstitch 3 mm from both long edges. Make both ties the same way.
3. One end will be caught in the seam, so it needs no finishing. Turn the other end in by 5 mm and stitch it for a neat finish.

4-2. Sew with the ties caught in

1. Lay the outer fabric right side up and pin the raw end of each tie at the back notches, pointing inwards. Baste them in place.
2. Lay the lining on top, right sides together, then the batting on top of that.
3. Sew all the way round, leaving a 15 cm opening for turning. Backstitch over the ties to reinforce them.

4-3. Turn and press

1. Clip the seam allowance around the rounded corners and turn right side out through the opening.
2. The batting makes it bulky, so ease it out a little at a time, coaxing the corners with an awl.
3. Fold the opening edges in and press. Use a pressing cloth and a light touch so you do not flatten the batting.

4-4. Topstitch to finish

1. Topstitch all the way round, 1 cm in from the edge. This closes the opening at the same time.
2. A grid or diamond of quilting through the middle stops the batting shifting in the wash. Sew from the center outwards.
3. Put it on the chair, tie it to the chair back, and it is done.

✏️ Decide where the ties go with the pad actually on the chair. The uprights of a chair back sit in different places on different chairs, so the notches on the pattern may not reach yours. Measure the gap between the uprights while you are measuring the seat and you will not have to guess.

5. Tips & variations

• Memory foam is kinder: swap the batting for a memory foam sheet (sold at craft shops) and long sittings stop being tiring.
• Non-slip lining: use non-slip fabric for the lining and it will stay in place even without the ties.
• Make the set: a chair back cover in the same fabric transforms how the whole chair reads.