---
title: "Custom Cushion Drawing Approval: Check the Size Before It's Cut"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-size-approval-drawing-before-production/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Hana Lindqvist, The Quiet Geometer of Seattle"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/"
published: "2026-09-04"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "custom cushion drawing approval, custom cushion mock-up drawing, confirm cushion size before production, porch swing cushion measurements, cushion layout drawing"
---

# Will you confirm my cushion size with a drawing before you make it?

*Yes. One drawing, one approval, then the scissors. The numbers on the drawing are still yours.*

Also asked as: Just want to be sure we are on the same page.; Does the visual match the cushion I want?

> **The quick answer:** Yes: before production the workshop turns your measurements into a drawing of the agreed dimensions, often converted to centimeters, and makes the cushion exactly to the layout you approve. The drawing mirrors your numbers rather than correcting them; the workshop builds strictly to the dimensions you give and does not choose the final size for you.

![Gray and white awning stripe cushion on a hanging teak porch swing, with a matching pad on a small side bench](https://cushionguide.com/media/porch-swing-cushions/gray-stripe-porch-swing-cushion-matching-side-bench-1600.webp "On a covered porch, a hanging swing and a small side bench share the same gray-taupe awning stripe.")

## Key facts

- A layout drawing of the agreed dimensions is sent for approval before production.
- Inch measurements are often converted to centimeters on the drawing, for production accuracy.
- The cushion is made exactly to the approved layout.
- Cushions are made strictly to the dimensions the buyer gives.
- The workshop does not decide the final measurements for the buyer.
- A photo of your hand sketch with the final measurements is the best starting point.

## Who holds which pencil

| Stage | You | The workshop |
|---|---|---|
| Measuring | Measure and settle the final size | Does not choose the size for you |
| Sketch | Draw the shape on paper with every number, then send a photo | Reads the sketch |
| Drawing | Check the shape and each figure | Draws the layout, often in centimeters |
| Approval | Confirm, or ask for another mock-up | Waits for your confirmation |
| Cutting | Nothing left to do | Makes the cushion exactly to the approved layout |

## A drawing is a mirror, not a tape measure

The drawing shows your numbers back to you as a shape. A swapped width and length, a short side that came out long: these are easy to see on paper and hard to see in a list.

It does not measure your swing for you. The workshop makes cushions strictly to the dimensions given and cannot take responsibility for choosing the final size. It has not stood beside your [porch swing](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/porch-swing-cushions/). You have.

So measure first. The [porch swing sizes Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/porch-swing-cushion-sizes/) helps with the seat, and the [custom shape drawing Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-shape-cushion-drawing/) helps with anything that is not a rectangle. Then sketch, and send a photo of the sketch.

## Reading the drawing that comes back

1. **Convert the centimeters**: Divide by 2.54 to get inches. A 100 on a centimeter drawing is about 39.4 in; a 50 is about 19.7 in.
2. **Check depth against length**: The first number is the seat depth, front to back. The second is the length along the back.
3. **Trace the outline**: Match the drawn shape to your sketch edge for edge, including any angled or shorter side.
4. **Approve, or ask again**: If anything looks off, ask for another mock-up before you confirm. After approval, the cushion is made exactly to it.

## The last look

If you want a little room around the cushion, put the smaller number on your own sketch. The [size tolerance Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-size-tolerance/) explains how much.

What shape is your seat: a plain rectangle, or a [trapezoid](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/trapezoid-cushions/)?

You measure.
The workshop draws.
You say yes.

> **Tailor's margin:** A custom cushion drawing shows your own numbers back as a shape; the cushion is cut exactly to the approved layout, so check each figure first.

> Send a photo of your hand sketch with every final measurement, then check the drawing that comes back; the cushion is made exactly to it.
>
> — Hana

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Before you start, can you confirm you're making my cushion at the right size?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The workshop sends a drawing or layout image of the agreed dimensions, often converted to centimeters, and makes the cushion exactly to that approved layout.

**A common question:** Could you look at my measurements and settle the final size for me? And is your mock-up exact?

**The workshop's answer:** The workshop makes the cushion strictly to the dimensions you give and can't take responsibility for deciding the final measurements. It turns your numbers into a drawing so you can check the shape, but you confirm the numbers. The best approach: sketch your final measurements on paper and send a photo of the sketch.

**A common question:** My size isn't in the dropdown. How do I order 18.5 x 51.25 inches?

**The workshop's answer:** Pick the dropdown range that covers your widest and deepest measurement, since it sets the price, then type the exact size, thickness and fabric in the personalization box. Fractions of an inch and centimeters are both accepted.

**A common question:** Which number is which in a size like 28 x 52 inches?

**The workshop's answer:** The first is the width, meaning seat depth front to back; the second is the length. So 28 x 52 in is 28 in deep and 52 in long. Listed sizes describe the cushion itself, not the space around it.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Why is my drawing in centimeters when I measured in inches?

The workshop often converts inch measurements to centimeters for production accuracy. Divide each figure by 2.54 to check it against your tape, and if any number is not what you meant, say so before you approve.

### Will the cushion come out a little smaller than my numbers?

No trimming is assumed. The cushion is made to the dimensions on the approved drawing, so if you want it slightly smaller than your opening, write the smaller number on your sketch yourself.

### What should my measurement sketch show?

The outline of the cushion with every final measurement written on it, in inches or centimeters, plus the thickness. A clear phone photo of a paper sketch is enough for the workshop to draw the layout.

## Related at the atelier

- [Porch Swing Cushion Mistakes, Read From a Burnt Orange Swing](https://cushionguide.com/readings/burnt-orange-velvet-porch-swing-cushion-golden-hour/): The classic porch swing cushion mistake is measuring across the outer frame instead of inside the arms, which gives a cushion that cannot sit flat.
- [Porch Swing Cushion in Dove Gray: Hand-Finished Details](https://cushionguide.com/readings/dove-gray-porch-swing-cushion-white-railed-porch/): A porch swing cushion should stop just short of the swing arms, sit a shade darker than the painted swing, and stay moderately thin so feet reach the deck.
- [Porch Swing Cushion in Rust Velvet for Long Evenings Outside](https://cushionguide.com/readings/rust-velvet-porch-swing-cushion-covered-porch-meadow/): A porch swing cushion built for long sitting covers the whole slatted seat, stops at the arms, and is thick enough to hide the slats without lowering the armrests too far.
- [Replacing patio swing cushions on canopy swings and vintage metal gliders](https://cushionguide.com/guides/canopy-swing-and-metal-glider-cushions/): For a patio swing cushion replacement on a canopy swing or metal glider, measure the seat deck and the back as two separate pieces, then decide whether they join at a fold or stay apart.
- [Porch swing cushion sizes: measuring a 4, 5 or 6 ft swing](https://cushionguide.com/guides/porch-swing-cushion-sizes/): Size a porch swing cushion from inside the arms; the label length is the frame, not the seat.
- [Cushions for Carolina and Georgia porches](https://cushionguide.com/places/carolinas-georgia-cushions/): Porch swing cushions in the Carolinas and Georgia should be cut in outdoor-rated, water-repellent fabric with zippered covers and ties at the back corners so they never slide.
- [Standard cushion sizes, and when yours isn't one of them](https://cushionguide.com/guides/standard-cushion-sizes-chart/)

*— Hana*

---

Written by Hana Lindqvist (https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-size-approval-drawing-before-production/