The Cutting Table · a common question
Why does an angled or rounded-corner cushion cost more than a rectangle?
Also asked as:didn't realize rounded corners were considered trapezoidsis it much cheaper if we did square
Fabric is the cheap part of a cushion, my friend. Time is the dear part, and an angle eats time the way a switchback road eats an afternoon.
The quick answer
An angled or rounded-corner cushion costs more than a rectangle because of labor, not fabric: every piece is cut and sewn by hand, and angles and curves take much longer. Rounded corners are priced like trapezoids, and one corduroy window seat quoted as a trapezoid cost roughly twice a similar rectangle. A simple notch or cut-out added nothing.
SaveKey facts
- Price is driven by labor rather than fabric.
- Rounded-corner covers are priced like trapezoids, even though they use less fabric.
- A trapezoid corduroy window seat was quoted at roughly twice a similar rectangle of about 47 1/4 x 25 in (120 x 63.5 cm).
- No extra discount was given on an angled bay cushion; it was quoted at the listing price for its dimensions.
- A notched cushion cost the same as the rectangle.
- For a notch, order the rectangle size and note in Personalization that you sent a drawing.
Have it made
Have Harlan’s workshop cut this for you
Fabric has a temper and foam has a memory. Better to settle both in a conversation than to guess at them alone. — Harlan
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
Where the hours go
Lay a rectangle on the cutting table and the shears run straight: four sides, four square corners, a welt that follows a ruler. Give the same cushion an angled end or a rounded corner and every step slows. The side band has to turn the angle without puckering, and the piping has to follow it. A seam is a promise, and an angled seam takes longer to keep.
That is why rounded-corner cushion covers are priced like trapezoid cushions even though they use less fabric. You aren't paying for cloth. You're paying for hours.
Same seat, five outlines
| Outline | How it was priced | from past orders |
|---|---|---|
| Plain rectangle | The base price | A corduroy window seat, about 47 1/4 x 25 in (120 x 63.5 cm) |
| Rectangle with a notch | Same as the rectangle | A 109 1/4 x 25 in (277.5 x 63.5 cm) seat, 4 in (10 cm) thick |
| Rounded corners | Like a trapezoid | Two 39 x 15 1/2 in (99 x 39 cm) covers |
| Trapezoid | Roughly twice the similar rectangle | The same corduroy window seat, quoted angled |
| Multi-sided bay | The listing price for your dimensions, no extra discount | Longest side 73 1/4 in (186 cm), 21 1/4 in (54 cm) deep |
Ordering a notched seat at the rectangle price
Order the rectangle
Choose the overall length and depth, as if the notch weren't there.
Draw the notch
Mark its width, its depth and which corner it sits in. The notched cushion pattern shows how.
Say so in Personalization
Write that you sent a drawing, then send it. The cushion is made from the drawing at the rectangle price.
Rounded-corner cushion covers use less fabric than rectangles yet cost more: every curve is cut and sewn by hand, so they're priced like trapezoids.
Harlan
Buyer questions
- A common question
Why do covers with rounded corners cost more than rectangles when they use less fabric?
The workshop's answerLabor drives the price more than fabric. Rounded or angled corners take noticeably longer to cut and sew by hand, so they're priced like trapezoids.
- A common question
Is there an extra discount on an angled bay window cushion?
The workshop's answerNo. A quad-bay seat with a 73 1/4 in (186 cm) longest side and 21 1/4 in (54 cm) longest depth was quoted at the listing price for those dimensions, with no extra discount on top.
- A common question
Is an angled shape much more expensive than a rectangle?
The workshop's answerNoticeably. One corduroy window seat, about 47 1/4 x 25 in (120 x 63.5 cm), cost roughly twice as much as a trapezoid as it would have as a plain rectangle.
- A common question
Does a notched window seat cushion cost more than a plain rectangle?
The workshop's answerNo. A notched 109 1/4 x 25 in cushion, 4 in thick, was the same price as the rectangle. The buyer ordered the rectangle size and wrote in Personalization that a drawing had been sent.
Questions buyers ask next
Would a square-ended version of my seat be cheaper?
Usually, yes. A plain rectangle takes less cutting and sewing than angled ends or rounded corners, so it prices lower. Check first that a rectangle actually fits your seat.
Why did the price nearly double overnight?
Usually a listing sale has just ended, so the regular price is showing again. Ask the workshop; a price can sometimes be refreshed, or you can buy now and ship later.
How do I check an angled shape before ordering?
Measure the front, back and depth, then run them through the trapezoid cushion calculator. The listing price for an angled bay follows the dimensions you enter.
