How to make a floor cushion cover

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one meisen-size cover)

• Main fabric (cotton, Japanese print or linen) — about 110 cm wide × 80 cm
• Optional: decorative thread for the corner tufts

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” → “Floor cushion cover” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the cushion width, depth, thickness and the back overlap. Presets cover the standard Japanese meisen and hattan sizes plus a small cushion.
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 cushion
   Measure the width, depth and thickness. If you leave out the thickness, the corners will be pulled tight when the cushion goes in and the seams will split.
2. Check the cut sizes
   Everything is a rectangle, so rule the measurements from the guide sheet straight onto the fabric instead of printing the pattern.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut 1 front and 2 backs. The backs are shorter than the front by the amount they overlap.
4. Finish the edges
   Zigzag the seam allowances.

4. Sewing

4-1. Hem the back opening edges

1. Double-fold the opening edge of each back piece (the edge that will overlap) by 1 cm and then 2 cm, and stitch.
2. Doing this first is the rule. Once the pieces are joined you cannot reach these edges.

4-2. Layer front and backs

1. Lay the front right side up.
2. Lay the two back pieces on top, right sides together, overlapping each other in the middle by the overlap measurement.
3. That overlap is the opening you push the cushion through. Too little and the filling shows every time someone sits down.

4-3. Sew all four sides

1. Sew right round all four sides. Go slowly where the two back pieces overlap — that part is thick.
2. Trim the four corner seam allowances diagonally.
3. Backstitch at the start and end of the overlapped section.

4-4. Turn and finish

1. Reach in through the back overlap and turn the cover right side out.
2. Poke the corners out with an awl and press.
3. Slide the cushion in, check it is not straining, and it is done.
4. Decorative tufts at the four corners give it a traditional look.

✏️ Always enter the thickness. A floor cushion is 5 to 7 cm thick. Work from width and depth alone and the corners will be dragged tight when you insert it — the seams will split after a handful of uses. The right size is the one with the thickness added.

5. Tips & variations

• Envelope backs are easiest: no zipper to insert and easy to take off for washing. This is the standard way floor cushion covers are made.
• Be generous with the overlap: too little and the cushion shows. Do not reduce the preset figure.
• Standard sizes: meisen (55 × 59 cm) is the most common; hattan (59 × 63 cm) is the guest size. Measuring your own is always safest.