The Cutting Table
The Cutting Table, page 3
Each answer starts from one question buyers ask again and again, then gives the short version, the workshop's reasoning, other ways the question is put and the follow-ups buyers ask next.
765 answers · 28 topics
Shapes & templates (continued) 38
Can you make a custom-shaped floor cushion for my corner or reading nook?
A floor cushion can be made to the shape of your corner, bay or reading nook when you send the shape and measurements before ordering.
Can my long, shaped bench cushion be one piece, or should it be split into sections?
Often, yes: a long or shaped window seat cushion can be made in one piece, but it costs more, takes more custom work and fits less reliably than sections.
Can you cut a cushion to fit around a post, a pillar or bench legs?
Yes, a cushion can be cut with a notch to fit around a post, pillar, window column or bench legs.
My window seat has lift-up lids. Should the cushion be split?
Yes: split a storage bench cushion at the lid lines, so each section lifts with its own lid; three lids get three cushions.
Can you make a cushion for a bay window with 5 windows, all at different angles?
Yes: a bay window seat cushion can have any number of angles, including 5-window, pentagon and hexagon bays.
Can you make any curved shape, or are some too hard to make?
Yes, curved cushions can be made when the curve is mild, but only after the craftsmen review a measured drawing and photos.
Do you make round cushions?
Yes, round cushions are made to a custom diameter and thickness: send both numbers with a drawing or reference photo, for example 16 in (40.5 cm) bar-stool cushions at 4 in (10 cm) thick.
Can you make a cushion with the corners cut off?
Yes, a clipped corner cushion is made to order through the custom-shape order page.
The size menu only asks for width and length. What do I pick for a trapezoid cushion?
Pick the size range that covers your trapezoid's longest side and its deepest depth; that choice only sets the price.
Choosing a fabric 49
Do you have teddy, sherpa or bouclé fabric for cushions?
Teddy fabric, with its own color chart, is the closest match to bouclé, and a curly, knotted bouclé collection coded 0- appears on the trapezoid listing.
Does the corduroy floor sofa hold up to pets and washing?
Yes: the floor sofa's corduroy is a cotton-polyester blend the workshop describes as very durable and scratch-resistant, so pet claws don't catch on it easily.
Can I get fire-retardant fabric or foam for my cushions?
Standard cushion fabrics and foam are not fire retardant, because no fire retardants are used by default.
Is the linen on your floor cushions real linen?
Whether a linen floor cushion is real linen depends on the color code, so ask for the fiber content of the exact code you want.
How wide are the stripes on your striped fabrics?
Stripe widths depend on the fabric code: N01 has a bolder 0.55 in (1.4 cm) stripe, N02 a finer 0.28 in (0.7 cm) stripe, and N30 and the codes after it carry wide stripes of roughly 2 to 2.4 in (5-6…
Are your cushion fabrics performance fabrics, like Crypton?
Yes, the shop describes its cushion fabrics as performance fabrics made for durable daily use: machine washable, pre-shrunk and suited to high-use rooms.
Do you have 100% cotton or linen fabrics, and do they cost more?
Yes, 100% linen cushion covers are made from a dedicated 100% linen chart, alongside 100% cotton fabrics, heavy pure linen and linen-cotton blends, viscose and terry-like fabrics; hemp isn't offered.
Can I send you my own fabric for my cushions?
Customer's own fabric (COM) cushions are possible case by case, but the workshop usually steers you to its own range, because fabric shipped in tends to add delays and cost.
Is your velvet stain resistant and easy to clean with kids around?
Yes, the velvet is stain resistant and easy to clean: it's a 100% polyester high-performance velvet with good stain resistance and durability.
Is the floor sofa corduroy fine or wide wale?
The floor sofa corduroy is a coarse, wide-wale, high-quality corduroy, and fabric samples are cut from the same cloth used in production, so the swatch you hold is what the sofa gets.
Which cushion fabric is easiest to clean with kids and pets?
Indoors, the workshop's soft fabric is the easiest to live with: a durable, smooth poly-cotton that resists wear in busy rooms, doesn't collect dust or lint and cleans easily.
Is your linen cushion fabric really 100% linen?
Usually not: the standard linen cushion fabric is a blend or a linen-look weave, not 100% linen.
Can I buy your fabric by the meter to match my cushions?
Yes, matching cushion fabric can be bought by the meter or yard: small samples and cut lengths are sold through the fabric-samples listing, and larger pieces through a custom order link.
Do you have patterned cushion fabrics, not just plain colors?
Yes, patterned fabric for custom cushions is available, though the core range is mostly plain solid colors.
What fabric is best for a kitchen banquette or dining bench?
For kitchen banquette cushions, soft fabric is the first pick and velvet a close second: both clean easily, and soft fabric wins where messy kids eat every day.
Do you have animal-print fabric like zebra, cheetah or cow print?
Yes: a patterned chart includes animal prints, among them a zebra-style design coded P-02, and it can be used for chair cushion covers or even the 79 × 118 in (200 × 300 cm) L-shaped corner sofa.
Are the fabrics on the listing my only options?
The fabrics on a listing are not your only options; they are the most-ordered ones, usually shown as a single color chart.
Do you have white, cream or natural fabric for cushions?
White, cream and natural cushion fabrics are all available: plain white L-01 linen, white velvet, and a natural linen series chart of neutral shades.
How much fabric do I need to send for a custom cushion?
Yardage depends on size, piping and bolt width: about 4.4 yd (4 m) covered a 21 x 109 x 4 in (53 x 277 x 10 cm) tufted bench cushion.
How do I tell which fabric a color code is?
The prefix of a fabric code tells you the material, because each code family is one fabric.
Can I see close-ups or samples of the fabric before I order?
Yes: close-ups and real-life photos of specific fabric codes and color pairings are sent on request, and samples from the fabric-samples listing are the recommended way to judge texture in hand.
Is the floor sofa, and its covers, velvet or corduroy?
The floor sofa is corduroy: the teddy floor sofa, the pouf sofa, the ottoman and the replacement covers all use the same ribbed corduroy in every color, brick included, so the pieces match.
What fabrics can I choose from for a custom cushion?
Custom cushions are made mainly in three indoor fabric families: linen (including linen-look), velvet and an easy-clean soft fabric, each with its own numbered chart of about 40 colors.
Does the sofa or the velvet replacement cover contain hemp?
No, neither the corner teddy sofa nor the velvet replacement covers contain hemp.
Are your cushion fabrics and foam OEKO-TEX certified?
The cushion fabrics come from a mill certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (03.T.3239); Standard 100 is the textile label for materials tested for harmful substances.
What colors does the corduroy come in, and can I get black, maroon or lilac?
The corduroy comes in a fixed, limited palette, 9 colors on the teddy sofa listing, and black, maroon, fuchsia, lilac and lavender are not among them, with no plans to add them.
Can I mix fabrics, like a different fabric for the piping or sides?
Yes, you can mix fabrics: every fabric family can be used for bench cushions and daybed mattress covers, and families can be combined, such as a linen body with velvet piping or one fabric on the…
Can you make cushions in corduroy, not just the sofa?
Yes, custom corduroy cushions can be made in the same corduroy as the modular floor sofa, at the same price.
Which of your cushion fabrics is the most durable?
For the heaviest daily use, soft fabric is the most durable cushion fabric on the charts: tough, soft to the touch and easy to clean.
Do you make custom seat cushions in faux leather or real leather?
Yes, custom seat cushions can be made in faux leather for a small extra cost; ask the workshop to show you those fabrics.
What if my fabric code is discontinued or no longer on the chart?
A fabric code missing from the chart is not always discontinued: some codes are dropped only because they're chosen less often and stay in stock to order.
Are your cushion fabrics treated with flame retardants or other chemicals?
No, the cushion fabrics are not treated with flame retardants, no finish or coating is added, and no fiberglass goes into the pieces.
How do I choose my fabric color when ordering? Is a color name enough?
A color name isn't enough to order a custom cushion: write the exact fabric code from the charts in the listing photos, because each color comes in several shades and the shop holds the order until…
What outdoor fabric do you offer for cushions?
Sunbrella isn't used or stocked; outdoor cushions are cut from the workshop's own outdoor fabrics, with close to 200 options.
Can I buy a second set of sofa covers in another color or fabric?
Replacement floor sofa covers are sold separately, so you can keep a second set in another color or fabric.
Is soft fabric more like velvet or more like linen?
Soft fabric is neither velvet nor linen: it looks close to linen but has a smoother, more uniform texture without linen's slubs, and it has no pile, so it isn't velvet.
Which lasts longer on a cushion, velvet or soft fabric?
Velvet and soft fabric last about equally well: both come from the same manufacturer, meet the same first-class quality standard and cost the same, so the choice is mostly about look and texture.
Is your velvet shiny or matte, and is the pile short?
The velvet has a short, tight pile that feels smooth and soft rather than long, and its sheen has been described both as a little glossier than matte and as not shiny.
Which way will the stripes run on my bench cushion, and can I choose?
On a bench cushion, stripes run front to back across the depth by default, crossing the short side of the seat.
Is your linen durable enough for seat cushions, and will it wrinkle or stain?
Yes, the cushion linen is durable enough for seat cushions, because it's a linen-polyester blend, not pure linen.
What are your cushion fabrics made of: polyester, cotton or linen?
Most cushion fabrics in the range are polyester or polyester blends, chosen because they last longer on seating and clean easily: the velvet, the soft fabric, the linen-look fabrics and the corduroy.
Buyer questions
- A common question
Can you make a floor cushion shaped to fit a corner?
The workshop's answerYes. Send the dimensions, a few photos of the corner and a sketch of the shape if you have one. One buyer later added a matching 6 in (15 cm) back pillow, and one end can be widened for an open-corner layout.
The full answer: Can you make a custom-shaped floor cushion for my corner or reading nook?
- A common question
My seat has its two front corners cut off. Can you make a seat pad in that shape?
The workshop's answerYes, through the trapezoid order page. Upload a drawing with every edge measured, including how far the angled corner cuts in on each side, and the cushion is sewn exactly to that drawing.
The full answer: Can you make a cushion with the corners cut off?
- A common question
Do you work with performance fabric?
The workshop's answerYes. All the fabric charts on the linen bench listing are performance fabrics made for durable daily use. The exception is the striped fabrics, which are 100% cotton and may not last as long.
The full answer: Are your cushion fabrics performance fabrics, like Crypton?