---
title: "Cushion Template: Do You Need a Paper One? Usually Not"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/paper-template-custom-cushion-needed/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-08-05"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "cushion template, paper template for cushion, custom shape cushion drawing, bay window cushion measurements, trapezoid cushion template"
---

# Do I need to make a paper template for a custom cushion, and should I mail it?

*Short version: no stamp required. A pencil, a tape measure and a phone camera cover almost every odd shape that crosses the cutting table.*

Also asked as: Do you require a paper template?; Do I need a template to measure properly?

> **The quick answer:** No, a paper template isn't required: a simple drawing with every edge measured, or photos plus measurements, is enough for an angled cushion. If you've made a full-size template or have old covers to copy, photograph them with the measurements marked and send the photos in the chat or with the order instead of mailing them.

![Forest green bouclé cushion on a long walnut window bench with cream and cognac pillows, brass candlestick and books](https://cushionguide.com/media/window-seat-cushions/forest-green-boucle-window-bench-dark-academia-nook-1600.webp "A long forest green bouclé cushion runs under a tall window, styled with cognac and cream pillows and a shelf of old books.")

## Key facts

- No paper template is required for angled shapes.
- A hand drawing with every edge measured is enough.
- Templates and old covers are sent as photos or digital files, not by mail.
- A full-size template is the best starting point for a curve.
- The workshop redraws a CAD plan as its own diagram and asks you to confirm.
- The workshop checks that your numbers reconcile before quoting.
- The price covers the foam insert, the removable zippered cover and the angled cutting.

## What to send instead of a paper template

- ✓ A drawing of the shape with a length on every edge: front, back and both sides.
- ✓ A photo of the actual seat or window seat area.
- ✓ For a curve: photos of a full-size template with measurements marked, especially where each curve begins.
- ✓ For replacement covers: photos or drawings of the old covers with their measurements.
- ✓ A CAD file, if you have one; the workshop redraws it as its own diagram for you to confirm.
- ✓ All of it attached in the chat or to the order, as photos or a digital file.

## What to skip

- ✗ Mailing a paper template: photograph it instead.
- ✗ Mailing your old cushion covers to be copied.
- ✗ Leaving the start of a curve unmarked on the template photo.
- ✗ Budgeting for a template or shape surcharge; there isn't one.

## How the numbers get checked

Every drawing gets the same test, partner: do the numbers close? One irregular bay came in at 106 in (269 cm) across the front, 56 in (142 cm) across the back and two 35 in (89 cm) diagonals. Half the difference between front and back is 25 in, and the square root of 35² minus 25² gives about 24.5 in (62 cm) of depth. The numbers reconciled, so the drawing could be quoted.

When a set doesn't close, the workshop asks before it cuts. The [trapezoid cushion calculator](https://cushionguide.com/studio/trapezoid-cushion-calculator/) runs the same arithmetic on your numbers, the [custom shape drawing Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-shape-cushion-drawing/) shows how to lay out the sketch, and the [paper template Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/paper-template-for-custom-cushion/) covers tracing a curve. Which edge of yours is the hard one to measure?

## Ordering an angled cushion without a template

1. **Pick ranges for pricing**: On the listing, choose the depth and length ranges that hold your shape, for example 28 in (71 cm) deep and 88 in (224 cm) long. They set the price, not the cut.
2. **Upload the drawing**: Add your measured drawing in Add Personalization; the trapezoid listing asks for the image at checkout.
3. **Add a photo of the space**: A picture of the actual seat area helps the workshop read your numbers.
4. **Confirm the redraw**: The workshop checks the geometry, sends its own diagram when needed and waits for your yes before cutting.

> **Tailor's margin:** A paper cushion template never needs a stamp: photograph it flat with a tape measure beside it and mark where each curve begins.

> No paper template is required for an angled cushion: a hand drawing with every edge measured, plus a photo of the seat, is enough to quote.
>
> — Nate

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** My window seat is three irregular trapezoids with no parallel sides. Can I mail you a paper template?

**The workshop's answer:** Instead of mailing it, send a digital file or clear photos of the template in the chat, or attach them when you place the order.

**A common question:** Can I send my existing cushion covers for you to use as a template?

**The workshop's answer:** Rather than mailing the covers, send photos or drawings of them with the measurements. The workshop says that's a good way to guarantee a perfect fit.

**A common question:** How do I measure a trapezoid window seat, and do I need a template?

**The workshop's answer:** A simple drawing with every edge measured is enough, and the workshop can send example templates plus another buyer's order drawing to copy. A photo of the window seat helps. Pick depth and length ranges for pricing, then upload the drawing in Add Personalization.

**A common question:** I have a CAD drawing or a full-size template. Can you work from that?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. A full-size template is the best starting point for a curve: send photos with measurements marked, especially where curves begin. From a CAD drawing, the workshop redraws its own diagram and asks you to confirm before quoting.

**A common question:** Can an irregular bay window cushion be made from photos and measurements alone?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. No paper template is required, though one is welcome. The workshop checks that the numbers reconcile, and the quote for that bay cushion covered the foam insert, the removable zippered cover and the angled cutting in one price.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can a cushion have a round hole cut for a floor vent?

No. Very narrow notches and small round holes, such as for floor vents, can't be sewn to hold their shape. The workshop runs the edge straight past a narrow recess or splits the cushion into pieces around the obstacle.

### Is every curved shape possible?

Mild curves are fine. Strongly curved or exact-fit shapes, such as round bays or shaped rocking-chair seats, may be declined after a craftsman reviews them. A full-size template can make a borderline shape possible.

### My window seat has lift-up lids. Should the cushion be split?

Yes. Split it at the lid lines so each cushion lifts with its lid, or into two over a radiator. Send photos and a drawing of every section; asymmetric sections each need their own drawing.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can my long, shaped bench cushion be one piece, or should it be split into sections?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/long-shaped-bench-cushion-one-piece-or-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.
- [Making a paper template a cushion workshop can actually use](https://cushionguide.com/guides/paper-template-for-custom-cushion/): A cushion template is a full-size paper tracing of the seat, marked top side up, with the wall edge, two measured reference lines and every edge length written on it.
- [Can you make any curved shape, or are some too hard to make?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/curved-cushion-shapes-declined-limits/): Yes, curved cushions can be made when the curve is mild, but only after the craftsmen review a measured drawing and photos.
- [Can you make a cushion for an odd-shaped window seat or nook?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/odd-shaped-window-seat-nook-cushion/): Yes, an odd-shaped window seat or nook cushion can be made in any size and shape.
- [Commercial seating cushions for cafés, rentals and offices: what to specify](https://cushionguide.com/guides/commercial-cushions-cafe-rental-specs/): Commercial seating cushions need three things a home cushion can skip: contract-grade fabric rated around 40,000 Martindale or more, high-density foam at about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³), and zippered…
- [Banquette Cushion in Burnt Orange: The Daily-Life Test](https://cushionguide.com/readings/burnt-orange-banquette-cushions-plaster-built-in/): A burnt orange banquette cushion in a performance weave suits daily family life when its cover machine-washes at 86°F (30°C).
- [How to measure an L-shaped bench or corner banquette for cushions](https://cushionguide.com/guides/l-shaped-bench-cushion-measurements/)

*± 1/4 in — Nate*

---

Written by Nate Kowalski (https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/) 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/paper-template-custom-cushion-needed/