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A Reading by CallumChaise Lounge & Sunbed Cushions

A green geometric sunbed cushion, read at eye level

Get down to cushion height. The fabric tells you more from there than any code number will.

Read by

The Weather Man of Casco BayPublished Updated 4 min read

Eye-level close view along a sage and white geometric woven outdoor cushion on a sun lounger by a poolSave
Shot from the foot end, the woven stripes inside each shape show the pattern is built from yarn, not printed.

The quick answer

To order a sunbed cushion right the first time, send the fabric code, ask for a close-up of the weave in daylight, and give each piece's size along with the side the backrest attaches to. Order seat and back together through a listing built for both, and write any size that is not on the menu in the note.

The lounger seat, cut open

Cross-section through the depth, drawn for 4 in (10 cm) on 17¾ in, to proportion.1. Woven outdoor cover: Sage, olive, lime and white yarns woven into the pattern, not printed on top. Weather-resistant, zippered and removable.; 2. Self piping: Cut from the same weave and run along the long edge, so the pattern carries on past the seam.; 3. Fiber wrap: Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.; 4. Foam core: About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.; 5. Zipper: Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.; 6. Base panel: The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.1Woven outdoor cover3Fiber wrap2Self piping5Zipper6Base panel4Foam core2.0 lb HR foam4 in10 cm17¾ in deep · 45 cm
Cross-section through the depth, drawn for 4 in (10 cm) on 17¾ in, to proportion.

  1. Woven outdoor cover. Sage, olive, lime and white yarns woven into the pattern, not printed on top. Weather-resistant, zippered and removable.

  2. Self piping. Cut from the same weave and run along the long edge, so the pattern carries on past the seam.

  3. Fiber wrap. Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.

  4. Foam core. About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.

  5. Zipper. Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.

  6. Base panel. The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.

What a low camera shows that a catalog shot hides

Get your eye down level with the seat and a sunbed cushion starts telling the truth. Standing up, the pattern is sage shapes on white. From down here it is woven: bands of green and lime yarn inside each white-lined shape. Not a print. A weave.

The self piping follows the long edge in the same fabric, so the pattern does not stop at the seam. The backrest is cut from the same weave, so the geometry carries on up the lounger.

Everything else is blurred on purpose. The white aluminum frame, the white side table, the pool and the shingled house with its white columns are shapes, not subjects. They keep your eye on the outdoor acrylic.

Warm, low sun rakes across the top. Judge an outdoor weave in that light, friend, because it is the light the cushion will live in. What light does your patio get at six in the evening?

Pinned by Callum: four points along the lounger

Four points, from the foot of the lounger to the piped long edge.

Pinned: Eye-level close view along a sage and white geometric woven outdoor cushion on a sun lounger by a pool
  1. Woven stripe fill

    Each shape is filled with woven stripes of green and lime yarn, not a print.

  2. Matching backrest

    The backrest is cut from the same fabric so the pattern continues.

  3. White side table

    Blurred props keep the fabric the subject.

  4. Piped long edge

    Self piping follows the edge without breaking the pattern.

  1. Woven stripe fillEach shape is filled with woven stripes of green and lime yarn, not a print.
  2. Matching backrestThe backrest is cut from the same fabric so the pattern continues.
  3. White side tableBlurred props keep the fabric the subject.
  4. Piped long edgeSelf piping follows the edge without breaking the pattern.

Five lines that get an outdoor order right the first time

  1. Name the code

    Write the chart code, such as S-18 or M-14, not just the green one. A fabric code matches exactly one cloth.

  2. Ask for the close-up

    Request a daylight close-up of that code. A low view like this one shows whether a pattern is woven.

  3. Give every piece its size

    Seat and back separately, length x depth x thickness, all in inches or all in centimeters.

  4. Say where the back goes

    Name the side the backrest sits on. That line is what a cutter needs most.

  5. Put odd sizes in the note

    Pick the closest listed size, then type the exact numbers in the note.

A real project

An indigo floor chaise, and the side the back went on

A buyer got in touch with the kind of order I would pin to the wall. A linen floor cushion, 43 x 35 x 12 in (109 x 89 x 30 cm), chaise-longue style, in indigo, with the backrest on the 35 in side. Every number labeled, the backrest's side named, nothing to guess.

It shipped vacuum-packed and arrived flat, and the buyer asked how to bring it back. The answer: unwrap it and give it time, tugging and shaking the pieces to speed the recovery. Twelve inches of foam does not hurry, any more than a tide does.

Sizes
43 x 35 x 12 in (109 x 89 x 30 cm), backrest on the 35 in side
Fabric
Linen, indigo

The lesson: Label every dimension and name the backrest side; after delivery, a vacuum-packed cushion needs time and a shake to recover.

Three orders, asked the smart way

  1. A common question

    Can you make custom cushions for a double chaise lounge, seat and back?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. Both pieces are made to your sizes, for example a 51.5 x 35 in (131 x 89 cm) back and a 51.5 x 49 in (131 x 124 cm) seat, in the workshop's weather-resistant outdoor fabrics, ordered through the outdoor listing and its fabric charts.

  2. A common question

    What would an outdoor bench cushion and a matching back cushion cost, separately or as a pair?

    The workshop's answer

    Each piece is priced by its own size and fabric. In outdoor code M-14, one bench cushion was 32 x 84 x 5 in (81 x 213 x 13 cm) and its back cushion 8 x 84 x 4 in (20 x 213 x 10 cm). You can check prices by picking the closest sizes on the listing.

  3. A common question

    Do you make the back cushions too, for an outdoor sofa and two chairs?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. There is a ready listing for bench cushions with backrests, so the seat and back cushions are ordered together in one go.

Before ordering an outdoor cushion, ask for a close-up of the fabric code in daylight. A low, side-lit view shows whether the pattern is woven or printed.

Callum
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On the cutting table

CushionSunbed seat with matching backrest
FabricWoven outdoor acrylic in sage, olive, lime and white
Chart codeS-18
PipingSelf piping on the long edge
EdgeBox edge
To sendThe fabric code, each piece's size, the backrest side
Best forPatio and poolside loungers

Order this cushion

Have it made

Have this made — ask Callum’s workshop

Tell them where it lives. Porch, deck or boat: the weather picks the fabric and the foam before anyone else does. — 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.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
Woven outdoor acrylic in sage, olive, lime and white
Foam
The core: its density and thickness set the feel.
Piping
Self piping on the long edge
Only for this request: no marketing calls or texts. Outside the US, add the country code.
In inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angles or cut corners.

* Required. A member of the workshop team will call you to talk it through; nothing is charged and nothing is made until you have agreed on every detail with them.

We use these details only to answer this request and make your cushion: your name and contact details, the cushion details and photos you send, the page you came from and the ad or link that brought you, if any. The workshop that makes the cushions receives them. We don't sell them or share them for advertising, and we delete requests after 24 months. Privacy notice for requests.

Nothing is made or charged until you approve the details.

Want to pick the shape and add photos? Use the full quote form

Questions buyers ask next

What is a fabric code, and why quote it in every message?

It is the chart number for one exact fabric and color, such as S-18. Names like sage or the green one can match several cloths; a code matches one, so quote it in every message and order note.

How can I tell whether an outdoor pattern is woven or printed?

Ask for a close-up in low side light. A woven pattern shows separate colored yarns inside each shape, the way the green and lime bands show on this lounger cushion from seat height.

Should a sunbed seat and its backrest be ordered together?

Yes, when you can. Ordering both through one listing keeps the fabric code and piping matched, and lets you give each piece its own size and thickness in the same note.

Fair winds — Callum

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