---
title: "Bolster Pillows in Striped Cotton: Measuring a Window Daybed"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/readings/four-striped-cotton-bolsters-window-daybed/"
section: "Readings"
author: "Harlan Pruitt, The Elder of High Point"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/"
published: "2026-02-27"
updated: "2026-03-12"
keywords: "bolster pillow, custom throw pillows, daybed cushion, made to measure cushion, cushion cover"
---

# Four striped cotton bolsters on a window daybed, and how to measure for yours

*Harlan reads four bolsters lined up like samples in window light, then takes the tape measure to the daybed.*

> **The quick answer:** To measure for a bolster pillow, take the inside length of the daybed or seat where it will lie, measured on the frame rather than the old pillow, then choose the diameter by how high you want to lean. For a full look, the workshop has filled 24 x 12 in lumbar covers with 25 x 13 in inserts, one inch larger each way.

![Four striped cotton bolsters in green, red, royal blue and mustard on cream, piped in matching stripe, on a linen daybed](https://cushionguide.com/media/bolster-pillows/four-striped-cotton-bolsters-window-daybed-1600.webp "One striped cotton in four colorways, lined up on a window daybed for side-by-side comparison.")

## Plate: four colorways, one window

Four bolsters lie across a white beadboard daybed like samples on a cutting table: green, red, royal blue and mustard, each striped on cream.

That's the honest way to judge a fabric. Same scale, same window, same hour. The sheer curtain spreads the daylight, so the cream ground stays warm instead of stark. You can see what each colorway does. Royal blue is the loudest, and it reads clear across a room. Mustard is the quietest; on cream in window light it goes nearly tonal. Red and green sit in between.

Look at the ends. The piping is cut from the striped cloth itself, so each cap is ringed with a little candy-cane band instead of a solid line. That's hand work you only notice when you lean in. A seam is a promise, and a striped welt keeps it twice.

Behind them, a linen back cushion. Nothing else: no throws, no baskets. When you're choosing color, clear the stage. More pairs and sizes live among our [bolster pillows](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bolster-pillows/), and the cloth itself in [striped cotton and ticking](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/striped-cotton-and-ticking/).

## Pinned by Harlan: four striped cotton bolsters

Five pins across four colorways, ending at the sheer curtain that sets the light.

1. **Green stripe end**: Stripe-cut piping frames the cap with a tiny striped band instead of a solid line.
2. **Red stripe colorway**: Seen at the same scale and light as the others, this is the honest way to compare colors.
3. **Royal blue stripe**: The strongest contrast of the four, it reads clearly from across a room.
4. **Mustard stripe end**: The softest contrast, mustard on cream looks almost tonal in window light.
5. **Sheer curtain light**: Diffused daylight keeps the cream ground warm rather than stark white.

## Measuring this seat, and three places folks go wrong

Now the tape measure, my friend.

A bolster on a window daybed lies across the seat, end to end or along the back. Measure the frame where it will lie, inside the ends, not the old pillow you're replacing. Old bolsters slump and fool the eye; the frame tells the truth.

Three mistakes I see over and over:

- **Measuring the old pillow.** Measure the seat it sits on.
- **Guessing the diameter.** Decide how high you want to lean, and hold a rolled towel there before you choose. Our Pattern on [bolster diameter](https://cushionguide.com/guides/bolster-pillow-size-diameter/) sets the sizes out.
- **Forgetting the fill.** For a full look, matching pillows have been made with inserts 1 in (2.5 cm) larger than the cover each way: 25 x 13 in inside a 24 x 12 in case.

If you only need covers for fillings you already own, order by the fillable size, one order per size. There's more on seats like this one in [daybed cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/daybed-cushions/).

## Two 18 x 37 in cushions, three bolsters and one offer

A buyer in the US wanted a window seat set in dark brown: two rectangular cushions of 18 x 36 in, later changed to 18 x 37 in (46 x 94 cm), and three cylinder cushions 32 in (81 cm) long.

Notice that inch. Somewhere between the first message and the order, 36 became 37. On a window seat, one inch is the difference between a snug fit and a gap you'll look at every morning.

The cart price didn't make sense for five custom pieces, so the buyer sent an offer for the set, and the workshop accepted it. When an order mixes shapes, ask for a single quote or a custom link rather than fighting the cart.

## Buyer questions: covers only, matching pillows, bare fillings

**A common question:** Can you make zippered covers only, so I can use my own filling?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, covers without foam are a core product, sold through the zippered cover listing for less than a full cushion. Choose the size range, write the exact size and fillable depth plus your fabric code in personalization, add corner ties if you need them, and place one order per cover size.

**A common question:** Could you make throw or lumbar pillows to match my bench cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, in the same fabric and any size, as pillowcases or filled pillows. Three 24 x 12 in lumbar pillows in ticking stripe were made with 25 x 13 in inserts for a full look, with removable, washable covers.

**A common question:** Do you sell just the filling, without covers?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. One buyer ordered four small fillings on their own: two 14 x 14 in and two 10 x 10 in.

## On the cutting table: four striped cotton bolsters

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Pieces | Four bolsters, one striped cotton in four colorways |
| Colorways | Green, red, royal blue and mustard, each on cream |
| Piping | Self piping cut from the stripe |
| Edge | Rolled body with piped end caps |
| Measure | Inside length of the seat where the bolster lies |
| Insert fit, matching pillows | 1 in (2.5 cm) larger than the cover for a full look |
| Setting | White beadboard window daybed, sheer curtain |
| Best for | Daybeds, window seats, sofa arms |

> Measure the daybed frame, not the old bolster: a pillow slumps over the years, but the seat it lies on keeps its true length.
>
> — Harlan

> **Tailor's margin:** Judge striped colorways side by side in the same window light. Royal blue reads loudest; mustard on cream goes almost tonal.

## Questions buyers ask next

### What length should a daybed bolster be?

Measure the inside of the daybed where the bolster will lie, end to end or along the back, and take it from the frame, not from an old pillow. The buyer in this Reading settled on three bolsters 32 in (81 cm) long.

### How do I compare stripe colorways before ordering?

Line them up at the same scale, in the same window light, at the same hour. Four colorways of one striped cotton, laid side by side on this daybed, show royal blue reading strongest and mustard nearly tonal on cream.

### Can I mix two colorways of the same stripe?

Yes. A pair in two colorways of one stripe reads as coordinated, because the stripe width and the cream ground stay the same. It is a good answer when you can't settle on a single color.

### What is stripe-cut piping?

Piping covered in the same striped cloth as the pillow. Around a bolster end cap it shows a tiny candy-cane band instead of a solid line, so the trim belongs to the fabric rather than contrasting with it.

## Related at the atelier

- [Bolster Pillow Stripe Widths: Pinstripe to Wide, Read by Hand](https://cushionguide.com/readings/four-bolster-stripe-widths-pinstripe-to-wide-daybed/): Choose a bolster pillow stripe by viewing distance: a pinstripe reads as plain texture from across a room, a narrow or medium stripe adds rhythm at arm's length, and a wide stripe becomes the…
- [Bolster Pillow in Green Herringbone Stripe, Up Close and Afar](https://cushionguide.com/readings/green-cream-herringbone-stripe-bolster-closeup/): A striped bolster pillow reads well from across a room when its stripes run the length of the roll and cross the end discs straight.
- [Bolster Pillow in Navy Pinstripe on a Cream Bouclé Daybed](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-pinstripe-bolster-channel-tufted-boucle-daybed/): Stripe-cut self piping is the best choice for a pinstripe bolster pillow, because a solid welt would draw a hard ring around the end cap and fight the fine lines.
- [Can you make bolster pillows to match my bench cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/matching-bolster-pillows-for-bench-cushion/): Yes, bolster pillows are made to match a bench or window seat cushion in the same fabric and piping, at any diameter and length.
- [Can I order matching bolsters later for a cushion I already bought?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/add-matching-bolsters-to-existing-cushion/): Yes, a matching bolster for an existing cushion can be made later, because the workshop keeps fabric stock and can cut the same fabric and color as your original order, even a year on.
- [How do I order bolsters if there's no listing for them?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/how-to-order-custom-bolster-pillows/): Custom bolster pillows have no listing of their own: order your seat or window seat cushion first, then message the bolster sizes and the shop sends a custom payment link.
- [Bolster pillow sizes: choosing diameter and length for a seat or daybed](https://cushionguide.com/guides/bolster-pillow-size-diameter/)
- [Reading nook bolsters, back pillows and a seat depth that invites a nap](https://cushionguide.com/guides/reading-nook-cushion-bolsters/)

*Sit well. — Harlan*

---

Written by Harlan Pruitt (https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/) 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/readings/four-striped-cotton-bolsters-window-daybed/