A Reading by CallumChaise Lounge & Sunbed Cushions
A coral and aqua pinstripe sunbed cushion, read stitch by stitch
I cut sails before I cut cushions. A stripe that holds its line from headrest to foot tells me more about a maker than any label.
SaveThe quick answer
A well-made chaise lounge cushion runs as one piece, with the stripe lined up from headrest to foot and across the hinge, and self piping to keep the box edge crisp. Measure where your frame folds so the cushion bends there; many outdoor chaises run about 72 x 22 in (183 x 56 cm). Then read every length on the approval drawing.
Portland ·
Friend,
A letter from the pool edge
A sailmaker learns to read a seam before he reads a chart. So when this photograph landed on my bench, I looked at the stripe first.
It runs from headrest to foot without a jog. Off-white ground, fine coral and aqua pinstripes, one long line down a white aluminum lounger. On a narrow strip of bluestone between lawn and pool, one long line is right. Break the stripe at the hinge and the lounger turns into two pieces of furniture.
The piping is cut from the same cloth. Self piping keeps the box edge crisp without drawing a second color around it, so the stripe stays the only detail talking.
The props are quiet on purpose. The white side table matches the frame. The hydrangeas in white planters carry pink and blue heads, and the stripe borrows those tones without copying them. The lavender behind softens a pale cushion that could look stark in full sun.
What color are the flowers behind your lounger? If they are loud, pick a pale ground with a stripe that borrows one or two of them. More in chaise lounge and sunbed cushions.
Pinned by Callum
Five spots on this lounger where the finishing shows, from the backrest stripe to the lavender.
- Pinstripe backrest
The same stripe runs from headrest to foot, so the lounger reads as one long line.
- Self-piped seat edge
Piping in the body fabric keeps the edge crisp without adding a new color.
- White side table
The table matches the frame so nothing competes with the fabric.
- Potted hydrangeas
The coral and aqua in the stripe borrow gently from these flower heads.
- Lavender border
Soft planting behind keeps the pale cushion from looking stark.
- Pinstripe backrestThe same stripe runs from headrest to foot, so the lounger reads as one long line.
- Self-piped seat edgePiping in the body fabric keeps the edge crisp without adding a new color.
- White side tableThe table matches the frame so nothing competes with the fabric.
- Potted hydrangeasThe coral and aqua in the stripe borrow gently from these flower heads.
- Lavender borderSoft planting behind keeps the pale cushion from looking stark.
Four finishing details that outlast a summer
- The stripe lines up across the fold, so seat and backrest read as one cushion.
- The piping runs straight along the box edge. A wandering cord shows first in low evening sun.
- The fold line lands on the frame's hinge. Measure where your frame bends.
- Seams and zippers are where water gets in. Water-repellent is a promise; waterproof is a contract. Read more on water-repellent membrane fabrics.
Twenty-three inches short, exactly as drawn
A buyer in the US wrote to the workshop about an outdoor bench with a seat and a back cushion. The first order covered one piece, because the listing is one cushion, not a set. A second order for the back followed, the buyer ended up paying three times, and the workshop refunded the extra.
Then came the drawing, and the buyer approved it. When the cushions landed, one was 23 in (58 cm) shorter than intended. The workshop pointed to the approved drawing, which showed that very length, and offered to make the right length at production cost.
Nobody sewed badly. The seam followed the paper. Craft starts before the scissors; our chaise and sunbed measuring notes walk through it.
- Sizes
- Seat and back of equal intended length; one arrived 23 in (58 cm) short
The lesson: Check every length on the approval drawing, not just the overall shape.
On a chaise lounge cushion, the stripe should run headrest to foot and line up across the hinge, or the lounger reads as two pieces.
Callum
Buyer questions
- A common question
Which of your white outdoor fabrics can take bleach for stubborn stains?
The workshop's answerAll the white and off-white outdoor fabrics can be cleaned. For bleach cleaning in particular, the workshop named a short list as the best choices: V-45/V-54, M-01 and S-09.
- A common question
Can you make covers for the bench cushions in my little camper trailer?
The workshop's answerYes. Send photos plus a template or drawing with the size of each cushion, six in that buyer's case. The workshop checks the drawing, then quotes.
- A common question
Can I get the seat and the back of my outdoor sofa priced separately?
The workshop's answerSeat and back are priced as separate pieces. Enter width and length on the listing page to see each price, pick the closest size, then write your exact measurements, thickness and fabric in the personalization box.
On the cutting table
| Cushion | Chaise lounge cushion, seat and backrest in one run |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Off-white outdoor cloth, fine coral and aqua pinstripes |
| Piping | Self piping |
| Edge | Box edge |
| Stripe | Unbroken from headrest to foot |
| Frame | White aluminum lounger with one hinge |
| Typical size | About 72 x 22 in (183 x 56 cm); measure yours |
| Best for | Poolside lounging in full sun |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Callum’s workshop
Sun, rain, salt. Say which of them your cushion will meet, and the workshop will plan around it. — Callum
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.
Questions buyers ask next
Should a pool lounger cushion be one long piece or a separate seat and back?
One continuous cushion keeps the stripe and outline unbroken on a lounger with a single fold, as long as the fold line lands on the frame's hinge. A separate seat and back are ordered and priced as two pieces.
Is a water-repellent sunbed cushion the same as a waterproof one?
No. Water-repellent fabric makes rain bead and roll off for a while and still breathes, but steady rain gets through. Waterproof fabric has a membrane that stops water yet feels warmer in summer, and water can still enter at stitching and zippers.
Why use self piping on a striped outdoor cushion?
Self piping is cut from the body fabric, so it outlines the box edge without adding a color. On a pinstripe it keeps the stripe the only detail, which reads calm next to a busy flower border.
Fair winds — Callum
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