A Reading by NateBay Window Cushions
A faceted denim blue bay window cushion, taken apart at the fastenings
Nate draws a cross-section of a three-sided bay cushion in a Victorian row house and works out what holds it down, where the zipper goes, and what to label on the drawing.
SaveThe quick answer
A bay window cushion on a solid paneled seat should get a non-slip base, not ties, because there is no rail to tie to. Put the zipper along the back edge against the glass, wrapping the corners if the foam is thick. A non-slip base makes the cushion one-sided, so draw the shape as seen from above.
The cushion, cut open
Cover fabric. A removable, zippered cover. Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and air dry.
Piping. A fabric-covered cord sewn into the seams. It sits on the seam line, so it does not change the size.
Fiber wrap. Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.
Foam core. About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.
Zipper. Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.
Base panel. The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.
Three sashes, several facets, zero rails to tie a bay cushion to
Here is the first measurement that matters on this seat: the number of things you can tie a cushion to. Zero.
The photograph shows a three-sided white bay with sash windows over a row-house street. The seat below is a paneled box. A denim blue bay window cushion follows every facet, so no bare board shows and the paneling is framed by one clean line of blue. Box edge, self piping. Angles are just lengths in disguise, and this cushion got its lengths right.
The styling is pushed to the right-hand end. Two ivory linen pillows and a cream tartan-check pillow sit beside a brass arc lamp, raised on stacked books to shoulder height. That end is the reading seat; the rest of the view stays clear. A blue and sand Persian rug repeats the cushion color at floor level, and the herringbone oak picks up the sand.
The fabric is a denim blue performance weave, one solid color. In a bay the window shape is already the pattern, so one solid plus one patterned pillow is the right ratio.
Now the fastenings, partner. A cushion this shape creeps toward the glass every time someone leans back. What holds it? The long answers live in the Patterns on ties, grip and Velcro and zipper placement. The short answers are below.
Pinned by Nate: five coordinates on the bay
Five pins map the bay from the faceted cushion to the rug, each one marked with the job it does.
- Denim blue bay cushion
The cushion follows every facet of the bay so no bare board shows.
- Ivory linen pillows
Pillows gather on the right, near the lamp, marking the reading end.
- Tartan-check pillow
A soft check adds pattern without competing with the rug.
- Brass lamp on books
Stacked books raise the lamp to shoulder height for reading.
- Persian rug
Blue in the rug repeats the cushion at floor level.
- Denim blue bay cushionThe cushion follows every facet of the bay so no bare board shows.
- Ivory linen pillowsPillows gather on the right, near the lamp, marking the reading end.
- Tartan-check pillowA soft check adds pattern without competing with the rug.
- Brass lamp on booksStacked books raise the lamp to shoulder height for reading.
- Persian rugBlue in the rug repeats the cushion at floor level.
Cross-section: four fastening decisions, top to bottom
Ties only with something to tie to
Ties knot to spindles, rails or a frame. Four corner ties hold a bench cushion from below; two at the back corners suit a chair. A paneled box has none of those, so ties here would just hang.
A non-slip base for a solid box
A grippy fabric sewn to the underside holds the cushion on smooth painted or wood tops. Ask whether that grip layer washes with the rest of the cover.
One-sided means drawn from above
With a non-slip base the cushion has a top and a bottom. Label the drawing as viewed from above, or an angled shape can arrive mirror-imaged.
The zipper on the back edge
Set the zipper on the edge that faces the glass. On thick foam it wraps one or both corners so the foam goes in without crushing them. A tufted cushion can't take a removable zippered cover at all, because the tufts pass through the filling.
Two angled ends, a marigold stripe, and a 26⅜ in check
A buyer sent the workshop a drawing and a photo of a window seat with two angled ends. The shop pointed them to the trapezoid listing, since that is what the shape is.
The choices took longer than the geometry. They went back and forth between two striped yellows, hoping for marigold rather than bright yellow, and between horizontal and vertical stripes. They settled on vertical stripes with matching piping, like a reference image they liked.
After sewing, the shop measured the slanted sides at 26⅜ in (67 cm) and sent photos for approval before shipping. The buyer approved. On a trapezoid the front, the back and the depth fix the angled sides, so that measured photo is the real test. The bay window calculator runs the same arithmetic before you order.
Does your bay seat have a rail, a lip, or nothing at all?
Buyer questions: long seats, sketches, trapezoids
- A common question
My window seat is 29⅛ in (74 cm) deep and 122 in (310 cm) long. Can you make tufted cushions for it in two or three pieces?
The workshop's answerYes. The shop made two tufted linen cushions, each 29⅛ x 61 in (74 x 155 cm), to cover the 122 in seat, with the linen chosen by its color number. The order shipped the next day and delivery took 3 to 5 days.
- A common question
What's the best way to send measurements for an L-shaped or oddly shaped bench?
The workshop's answerPhotos plus a hand-drawn sketch with every dimension written on it. If a photo or file is hard to read, the shop asks for the sizes drawn by hand. For complex pieces it sends back its own measurement drawing for you to confirm before production starts.
- A common question
How do I measure a trapezoid window seat? Do I need a template?
The workshop's answerA simple drawing with every edge measured is enough, and the shop can send template examples and another buyer's order drawing to copy. A photo of the seat helps too. The depth and length you pick on the listing, such as 28 in (71 cm) and 88 in (224 cm), only set the price; the trapezoid listing asks you to upload your drawing at checkout.
On the cutting table: the faceted bay cushion
| Product | Faceted bay window seat cushion |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Denim blue performance weave |
| Edge | Box edge |
| Piping | Self piping |
| Fastening | Non-slip base; no rail to tie to |
| Zipper | Back edge facing the glass, wrapped at the corners for thick foam |
| Drawing | Seat viewed from above, every edge labeled |
| Check | Angled sides measured after sewing, photo approval before shipping |
| Best for | Three-sided bays in older homes |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Nate’s workshop
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.
A paneled bay seat has nothing to tie a cushion to. Ask for a non-slip base instead, and draw the shape as seen from above so it doesn't arrive mirrored.
Nate
Questions buyers ask next
Can I use ties on a bay window cushion?
Only if the seat has a rail, spindles or a frame edge to knot them to. On a solid paneled or boxed seat, ties hang loose and do nothing; a non-slip base on the underside holds the cushion far better.
Why draw a non-slip cushion as seen from above?
The grip layer goes on one face only, so the cushion can't be flipped. If the drawing is ambiguous, an angled shape can be made as its mirror image. Label it viewed from above and mark which edge faces the window.
Which edge of a bay window cushion should carry the zipper?
Along the back edge, against the glass or wall, where it stays out of sight. On thick foam it often wraps around the corners so the foam slides in without crushing them. A hidden zipper tucks the teeth under a fold.
Can a tufted window seat cushion have a removable cover?
No. The tufts pass through the filling, so the cover can't be zipped off and washed on its own. If washability matters more than buttons, choose a plain cushion with a zippered cover instead.
± 1/4 in — Nate
