The Cutting Table · a question, worked through
Do you work in cm or inches, and which size will I get?
35 7/16 in (90 cm) is not 36 in, and on a window seat that missing 9/16 in is a gap you'll see every morning.
Pinned by Nate
The quick answer
Either unit works, as long as you write it after every number, because the workshop confirms cm or inches before quoting. When a listing shows both, such as 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm, the cushion is made to the centimeter size, 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in, unless you write the exact inch size in the notes.
Get a quote for a window seat cushion
Key facts
- Measurements in cm or inches are both accepted.
- The workshop confirms the unit before quoting.
- Dual-unit listings are made to the centimeter dimension.
- Write the exact inch size in the notes if it matters.
- An 8 x 20 in (20.3 x 50.8 cm) cushion is lumbar size, not a seat.
- Bottoms can be non-slip or the same fabric as the top.
- Size and color are confirmed by message before production.
Have it made
Have Nate’s workshop cut this for you
Precision starts on the phone. Give the workshop your measurements and they will read them back to you, edge by edge. — Nate
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.
The thread, message by message
Buyer: “Bench cushion, depth 70, length 190.”
No unit. Read as inches, a depth of 70 is a daybed; read as centimeters, it's 27 9/16 in (70 cm). The workshop asks before quoting, because the unit changes both the price and the cushion.
Workshop: “Centimeters or inches?”
One word back settles it. Here it was cm: 27 9/16 x 74 13/16 x 3 1/8 in (70 x 190 x 8 cm), made to those numbers.
Buyer: “The listing says 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm.”
You get the centimeter size, 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in (90 x 50 cm). Want 36 x 20 in on the nose? Write it in the notes.
Workshop: “Non-slip bottom, or the same fabric on both sides?”
Asked once the size is settled, as it was for two 57 1/16 x 26 3/8 x 3 15/16 in (145 x 67 x 10 cm) corduroy seat cushions.
Workshop: “Confirming size and color.”
Both are confirmed by message before production starts.
Common cushion sizes in inches and centimeters
| Size as written | Made to, in inches | In centimeters |
|---|---|---|
| 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm, dual listing | 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in | 90 x 50 cm |
| 36 x 20 in, written in the notes | 36 x 20 in | 91.4 x 50.8 cm |
| 70 x 190 x 8, confirmed as cm | 27 9/16 x 74 13/16 x 3 1/8 in | 70 x 190 x 8 cm |
| 8 x 20 in | 8 x 20 in | 20.3 x 50.8 cm, lumbar size |
Why the unit matters more than the number
One inch is 2.54 cm, exactly. A number without its unit is wrong by that factor in one direction or the other, and so is the quote built on it. Measure twice; the fabric remembers.
The fix costs nothing: write the unit after every number, in the order length x depth x thickness. The length, depth and thickness pattern shows where each one is taken, and the personalization note pattern shows how to write them so nobody has to guess. If you want a grip underside on a window seat cushion, ask for a non-slip base in the same note.
Which side of the tape did you read, partner: inches or metric?
A cushion measurement without a unit is off by a factor of 2.54: a depth of 70 can mean a 27 9/16 in bench cushion or a 70 in daybed.
Nate Kowalski
Buyer questions
- A common question
The listing says 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm. Which one arrives?
The workshop's answerThe centimeter size, 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in (90 x 50 cm). If the exact inch size matters, state it in the notes.
- A common question
Can you make a bench cushion to my exact measurements in cm?
The workshop's answerYes: exact depth, length and thickness, for example 27 9/16 in (70 cm) deep, 74 13/16 in (190 cm) long and 3 1/8 in (8 cm) thick, through a custom order link. Double-check whether your figures are cm or inches first, because it changes the quote.
- A common question
Can you make corduroy seat cushions to my exact size in centimeters?
The workshop's answerYes, once the numbers were confirmed as cm: two foam-filled cushions at 57 1/16 x 26 3/8 x 3 15/16 in (145 x 67 x 10 cm). You'll also be asked whether you want a non-slip bottom or the same fabric on both sides.
- A common question
Is an 8 x 20 inch cushion big?
The workshop's answerNo. It's a small lumbar-size cushion, 8 x 20 in (20.3 x 50.8 cm), not a seat. Size and color were confirmed by message before it was made.
Questions buyers ask next
Can I mix centimeters and inches in one cushion order?
Better not. Pick one unit and write it after every number: length, depth and thickness. For multi-piece projects the workshop asks for a drawing in one unit system for the same reason.
Should I convert my inches to centimeters before ordering?
No need. Inches are accepted as they are. Converting adds a rounding step that can cost you 1/8 in here and there; write the measurement in the unit your tape showed, and label it.
My cushion is larger than every size on the listing. What do I select?
Select the largest option and write your real size, or upload a drawing; the cushion is made to it. Oversize pieces may get a custom option or be priced as two units, and can still be sewn as one piece on request.
