The Cutting Table · a common question
How do I keep a cushion on a lift-up storage chest lid?
Also asked as:Tie-down strings on one side of the cushion?Cushion for a quilt box with hinges
Honest answer first: a lid that lifts will test any cushion, and only one of the two fixes holds while the lid is open.
The quick answer
Ask for ties on the hinge side only, so the cushion for your storage bench lid stays attached when the lid swings up. Give each hinge's position from a stated end, its width and a photo so the ties line up. If ties won't work, size the cushion inside the lid's bevel with a non-slip base, knowing it can still slide when lifted.
SaveKey facts
- Ties can be sewn on one side only, the hinge side, so the cushion stays attached when the lid opens.
- Give each hinge's position measured from a stated end, each hinge's width and a photo so the ties line up.
- Ties on one side normally carry a small extra charge.
- A cushion can be sized to sit inside the lid's bevel, for example 42 x 18 in (107 x 46 cm).
- A non-slip base holds the cushion in normal use but cannot keep it on a lid that is being lifted.
- On an RV bench lid, a non-slip fabric bottom is an alternative to straps.
- Standard bench cushions are 4 in thick; 3 in keeps a lower profile on a lid that has to open and close.
- Handmade cushions can differ from the ordered size by about 0.5-1 in, so give true inside measurements and let the workshop add allowances.
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.
Why the ties go on the hinge side only
A lid that lifts is the trickiest seat in the house to dress. Sit on it and the cushion behaves. Open it for the spare quilts and the cushion wants to be somewhere else.
The fix is ties on one side only, the hinge side, so the cushion for your storage bench lid stays attached and rides up with the lid. The front edge stays free, and nothing ties the lid shut. Expect a small extra charge for it. The storage bench Pattern covers the measuring, and the bench cushion hub has the sizes.
What goes in the Personalization box
Your exact size
Length, width and thickness, measured on the lid itself.
The words "ties on the hinge side"
Spelled out. Ties are only added when you ask for them.
Each hinge's position
Measured from one stated end, such as "from the left end", so the ties line up with the hardware.
Each hinge's width, plus a photo
How many hinges does your lid have? Count them before you pick up the tape.
Hinge-side ties or a bevel fit with a grip base
| Hinge-side ties | Bevel fit, non-slip base | |
|---|---|---|
| While you sit | Stays put | Stays put |
| While the lid lifts | Stays attached and rises with the lid | Can slide off |
| Opening the lid | Opens with the cushion on it | The cushion may stop it opening fully |
| What to send | Hinge positions, widths and a photo | The size inside the bevel, e.g. 42 x 18 in (107 x 46 cm) |
The camper bench that skipped the straps
A buyer messaged the workshop about a cushion for an RV bench with a lift-up lid and asked for straps. The workshop offered straps, or a bottom made from high-quality non-slip fabric that holds the cushion firmly without them. The buyer chose the non-slip base: nothing to buckle, nothing to untie. More camper ideas live in boat and RV cushions.
For a cushion on a hinged storage lid, send each hinge's position from one named end, plus its width and a photo, so the ties line up.
Maggie
Buyer questions
- A common question
Could you put ties on just one side so the cushion stays on my quilt box lid?
The workshop's answerYes, on the hinge side, normally for a small extra charge. Write your exact size and "ties on the hinge side" in the Personalization box, then give each hinge's position from a stated end, each hinge's width and a photo of the hinges so the ties line up.
- A common question
The hinges on my chest get in the way of ties. What else keeps the cushion in place?
The workshop's answerThe cushion can be made to fit inside the lid's bevel, for example 42 x 18 in, with a non-slip base that holds it in normal use. Honestly, when the lid is lifted the cushion can still slide off and may stop the lid opening fully.
- A common question
Could my RV bench cushion get straps to hold it on the lid?
The workshop's answerYes, or the bottom can be made from high-quality non-slip fabric so the cushion stays firmly in place without straps. That buyer preferred the non-slip base.
- A common question
If I don't mention ties, will my custom cushion come with them anyway?
The workshop's answerNo. Ties and non-slip bottoms are only added when you ask at order time. Write it in the personalization note, for example "two corner ties", or the cushion ships without them.
Questions buyers ask next
What does a lid's bevel have to do with the cushion size?
On a lid with a raised or beveled edge, the cushion can be sized to sit inside that edge, for example 42 x 18 in (107 x 46 cm). Paired with a non-slip base, it stays put in normal use, though not while the lid is lifted.
Can an untied cushion keep a storage lid from opening?
It can. As the lid rises, a cushion with no ties can slide off, and it may stop the lid from opening fully. Hinge-side ties keep the cushion attached; a non-slip base only helps while the lid is closed and you're sitting.
Do hinge-side ties cost extra?
Usually a small extra charge applies to ties on one side. Put the request, your exact size and the hinge details in the Personalization box when you order, and the ties are sewn to match your hardware.
