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The Cutting Table · a checklist answer

Where should the ties go on my bench cushion, and how many do I need?

Also asked as:How are ties applied?I would need two ties under my bench.

Right, then. Ties are decided by what they tie to, not by what looks tidy in a photo. Here is the short list I'd pin above the cutting table.

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The Piping Queen of Newport ·

Tiger-fur print box cushion in tan and black on a white oak-topped bench, dusty blue wall, rattan mirror and black lampSave
Warm tiger tones against cool dusty blue: an opposite-color pairing that makes the print glow.

The quick answer

Put four ties on a bench cushion, one at each corner, if you want to knot opposite ties together under the seat; put two on the back edge if you'll tie around a rail or spindles. Ties are sewn into the seam wherever you specify, so mark the positions on a sketch or photo and check the pre-shipment photo.

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Key facts

  • Four corner ties let opposite ties knot together under the bench seat.
  • Two ties on the back edge only suit a back rail or spindles.
  • Ties are sewn into the cushion seam.
  • Ties can go at any position you specify, for example 2 in (5 cm) from the ends.
  • Chair pads usually have ties on two corners.
  • The workshop asks for a sketch or photo to confirm tie placement.
  • Check the pre-shipment photo to confirm the ties were added.
  • Bench cushions longer than about 79 in (200 cm) are usually made in 2 pieces, and each piece needs its own ties.
  • Ties sew into the seam at any standard thickness, from 2 to 5 in (5 to 12.5 cm).

Have it made

Have Maggie’s workshop cut this for you

Numbers first, fabric second, piping last. Jot down what you have, and the workshop will go down the list with you, item by item. — Maggie

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.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
The cover cloth: weave, color and care code.
Foam
The core: its density and thickness set the feel.
Piping
The corded seam edge: matching, contrast or none.
Only for this request: no marketing calls or texts. Outside the US, add the country code.
In inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angles or cut corners.

* Required. A member of the workshop team will call you to talk it through; nothing is charged and nothing is made until you have agreed on every detail with them.

We use these details only to answer this request and make your cushion: your name and contact details, the cushion details and photos you send, the page you came from and the ad or link that brought you, if any. The workshop that makes the cushions receives them. We don't sell them or share them for advertising, and we delete requests after 24 months. Privacy notice for requests.

Nothing is made or charged until you approve the details.

Want to pick the shape and add photos? Use the full quote form

Settle the ties in this order

  • Decide what the ties hold on to. Under the seat means four ties; a back rail or spindles means two on the back edge.
  • Four corners for knots underneath. One tie at each corner, so each opposite pair can be knotted together under the bench.
  • Two for a rail. Ties on the back edge only, set where your rail or spindles actually are.
  • Give the offset in inches. One order from a buyer in the US asked for 4 ties per cushion, 2 on each side, set 2 in (5 cm) from the ends.
  • Mark it on a sketch or photo. The workshop asks for one to confirm placement, and the tie details go in the personalization box.
  • Check the pre-shipment photo. Count the ties before the parcel leaves.

Where tie requests go sideways

  • Asking for two ties when you mean to knot under the seat. Two ties have no partner to knot to underneath.
  • Describing positions in words only. "Near the back" means something different to everyone; a marked photo doesn't.
  • Skipping the pre-shipment photo. In one order the ties were missed despite the request, and the photo is where a buyer catches it.

Why the count has to be settled before cutting

Ties are sewn into the cushion seam, so they go in while the cushion is made, not afterward. That is why the workshop wants the count and the positions before production, dear, and why a photo with little marks on it beats a paragraph of description.

The same thinking travels beyond benches. Dining chair pads usually get ties on two corners, dining bench cushions often at the bottom back corners, and a trapezoid cushion can carry ties on its back edge. For the whole map, see where to put cushion ties on chairs, swings and benches and ties, non-slip base or Velcro, then browse the bench cushions atlas. What does your bench have underneath: a flat seat board, or a rail?

Write bench cushion tie positions like a measurement: 4 ties per cushion, 2 on each side, 2 in from the ends, marked on a photo of the bench.

Maggie
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Buyer questions

  1. A common question

    Can you add ties so I can tie the cushion under my bench? How many will I need?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes, just leave a note with the order. Ties are sewn into the cushion seam. To tie under the base you need a tie at each corner so opposite ties can knot to each other underneath, so four rather than two. Two straps on the back edge only is the other option.

  2. A common question

    Can I choose exactly where the ties go on my bench cushion?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. One order had 4 ties per cushion, 2 on each side, 2 in (5 cm) from the ends. The workshop asked for a sketch or photo of the bench to confirm placement, and the details go in the personalization box. Ties can go on the back of a trapezoid cushion too.

  3. A common question

    Can you add ties to hold the dining bench and chair cushions in place?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes, wherever you specify, for example at the bottom back corners of dining bench cushions, with ribbons on two corners of chair pads. Mark them in your drawing and check the pre-shipment photo, because in one order the ties were forgotten.

  4. A common question

    Do ties cost extra on a custom cushion?

    The workshop's answer

    Often free, sometimes a small per-cushion add-on. Put the tie request and your exact size in the personalization box; if a charge applies, the workshop sends a separate extra-payment link for the difference before production.

Questions buyers ask next

How far from the ends should bench cushion ties sit?

Wherever your bench needs them. One US order set them 2 in (5 cm) from the ends, two on each side. Measure from the cushion's ends to your legs, rail or spindles, and write those numbers on the sketch or photo you send.

Do chair pads need four ties like a bench?

Usually not. Chair pads are normally made with ties, or ribbons, on two corners. Say which two in your note and mark them on a photo of the chair; dining bench cushions can be tied at their bottom back corners the same way.

Are the ties stitched on or attached some other way?

Stitched. Ties are sewn into the cushion's seam as it is made, which is why their count and positions need to be settled before production. Put both in the personalization box and attach a marked sketch or photo of the bench.