The Cutting Table · a common question
How do I label the sides on my trapezoid cushion drawing?
Also asked as:Give the measurements with the letters from your picture?Angled top trapezoid measurements A to F.
Letters beat adjectives. 'The long side by the window' can mean two different edges; 'C 68 in' means exactly one.
The quick answer
Give every edge of the trapezoid a letter and a length: A, B, C and D for the four sides, plus E and F for clipped corners or end pieces, then add the depth and thickness. Order the nearest size range, send the lettered sketch, and the workshop checks the geometry and returns a full list to confirm before cutting.
SaveKey facts
- Sides are labeled A to D, with E and F for clipped corners or end sides.
- The shop's lettered template and a hand sketch are both accepted.
- Measurements can be in inches or centimeters.
- Order the nearest size range, such as 22 x 68 in (56 x 173 cm), then send the exact sides.
- The workshop checks that the shape closes and calculates any unlabeled edge.
- A full measurement list comes back for confirmation before cutting.
- Standard trapezoid thickness is 4 in (10 cm).
Have it made
Have Nate’s workshop cut this for you
Send the numbers in inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angle. The workshop checks them with you, because foam has no undo button. — 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.
Lettering the drawing, edge by edge
Sketch the seat from above
Rough is fine: pencil on paper, then a photo. The shop's lettered trapezoid template works too.
Put a letter on every edge
A, B, C and D around the outline. Clipped corners or short end sides get E and F.
Write a length beside each letter
Inches or centimeters, one unit throughout. One bench read A 6, B 6, C 68, D 34, E 23, F 23 in.
Add depth and thickness
Depth goes in the middle, front to back: 22 in (56 cm) on that bench. Thickness is 4 in (10 cm) unless you say otherwise.
Order the nearest range, then send the sketch
Pick the closest drop-down size, such as 22 x 68 in (56 x 173 cm), and send the lettered drawing with the order.
What happens after the letters arrive
Angles are just lengths in disguise. Give every edge and the depth, and the angles are already decided; nobody needs a protractor.
The workshop checks that your lengths close into a real shape. If an edge went unlabeled, it gets calculated. Then a full list comes back: front, window edge, depth, slanted sides, thickness and piping. You confirm it, and only then is the fabric cut. A small difference between the two slanted sides is read as hand-measuring tolerance, not as a mystery.
How many edges does your seat really have, partner: four, or six? The trapezoid cushion calculator lets you try the numbers first, the trapezoid measuring pattern shows where the tape goes, and finished pieces live under bay window cushions.
Two real lettered orders, side by side
| Label | Six-sided bench | Four-sided window seat |
|---|---|---|
| A | 6 in (15 cm) | 43 1/4 in (110 cm) |
| B | 6 in (15 cm) | 48 in (122 cm) |
| C | 68 in (173 cm) | 13 3/4 in (35 cm) |
| D | 34 in (86 cm) | 13 3/8 in (34 cm) |
| E | 23 in (58 cm) | not needed |
| F | 23 in (58 cm) | not needed |
| Depth | 22 in (56 cm), in the middle | taken from the drawing |
| Thickness | 4 in (10 cm) standard | 3 1/2 in (9 cm) |
A trapezoid cushion drawing needs a length on every lettered edge, A to D plus E and F for clipped corners, and the depth taken in the middle.
Nate
Buyer questions
- A common question
What measurements do you need for a trapezoid bay window seat cushion?
The workshop's answerEvery edge: front, window edge, left and right angled ends, plus the depth, ideally lettered on the template or on a photographed sketch. The shop checks the shape closes, fills in any unlabeled edge by calculation and sends a full list to confirm.
- A common question
My bench cushion has angled ends. What do you need from me?
The workshop's answerLabel every side, A to F as needed, and give the depth: for example A 6, B 6, C 68, D 34, E 23, F 23 in with 22 in depth in the middle. Choose the nearest size range, such as 22 x 68 in, and send the lettered drawing so the shop can confirm before cutting.
- A common question
My cushions are trapezoids with different angles. How do I send the sizes?
The workshop's answerDraw the shape on paper with every side labeled, in inches or centimeters, and send a photo. The quote is made from that drawing. Two tufted trapezoid cushions with center buttons were ordered exactly this way.
- A common question
My bay window isn't symmetrical. Can you still make the cushion?
The workshop's answerYes. Order on the trapezoid or custom-shape listing, choose the size by depth and overall length, and upload a sketch with every edge, the depth and a photo of the seat. The cushion is cut to your drawing.
Questions buyers ask next
What if my left and right slanted edges come out a fraction apart?
Write down what you measured. Small differences between the two slanted sides are treated as hand-measuring tolerance, and the confirmation list the workshop sends lets you settle the final numbers before any fabric is cut.
Do I have to use the shop's letters on my drawing?
No. The shop's lettered template helps, but a hand sketch with your own letters works the same way, as long as every edge carries one letter and one length and the depth is marked in the middle.
Can a lettered trapezoid drawing include tufting or buttons?
Yes. Trapezoids have been made tufted, in corduroy and with center buttons. Mention the tufting alongside your lettered measurements so it appears on the confirmation list with the thickness and piping.
