---
title: "Bench Cushion Close-Up: Self Piping on a Green Tiger Print"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/readings/green-tiger-print-box-cushion-piping-corner-closeup/"
section: "Readings"
author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/"
published: "2026-06-05"
updated: "2026-06-05"
keywords: "custom bench cushion, bench cushion, custom cushion covers, cushion cover, made to measure cushion, bench pad"
---

# Up close on a green tiger-print bench cushion: two welts and a square corner

*Every bench makeover starts with one corner and a hard look. This one is emerald and black on oak, and it tells you what to ask for before you order.*

> **The quick answer:** A well-made box bench cushion shows two straight welts, one at the top seam and one at the base, with a separate side strip so a print can carry around the corner. Decide thickness, piping and exact size before you order: 3 or 4 in (7.5 or 10 cm) suits a daily dining bench, and piping costs nothing extra.

![Close-up of a green and black tiger-print box cushion corner showing matching piping on the top and bottom edges](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/green-tiger-print-box-cushion-piping-corner-closeup-1600.webp "The top and bottom welts are cut from the same print, so the corner stays sharp and the pattern never breaks.")

## What one corner tells you about the whole cushion

Look where the top welt turns the corner. No puckers, no little pleats. Someone clipped the seam allowance with care, and on a print this busy a sloppy turn would jump out.

The side band, the gusset, is its own strip of fabric. Because it is cut separately, the tiger stripes run down and around the corner instead of stopping dead at the seam. Below it, a second welt runs along the base. That lower line is the one people forget, and it is what stops the middle of a cushion from doming.

The corner is sewn square to match the square edge of the oak. I once let a rounded corner go onto a square-edged bench, dear, and it looked like a loaf of bread parked on a ruler.

Is your bench edge square or rounded? Match it. For [bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/) in printed and [striped cottons](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/striped-cotton-and-ticking/), the [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/) lets you try a thickness first.

## Four marks on the corner

Two welts, one side band and the wood they sit on.

1. **Top piping corner**: The self welt turns the corner cleanly with no puckering, which is a sign of careful clipping.
2. **Box gusset strip**: A separate side strip lets the stripes be matched around the corner.
3. **Bottom piping**: A second welt at the base holds the shape so the cushion does not dome.
4. **Oak bench top**: The square corner of the cushion matches the square edge of the wood.

## Before you order, after it arrives

| Decide before | What to write | What you see after |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 3 or 4 in (7.5 or 10 cm) | 3 in keeps the seat low; 4 in looks plusher |
| Piping | Same as body, a color code, or no piping | Self welts melt into a print; no piping gives flat edges |
| Size | Exact length and depth of the bench top | A square corner landing on the wood's corner |
| Legs or posts | A drawing with each notch and tie | A pad that lies flat around the legs |

## The second bench, with legs in the way

A buyer who already loved a velvet bench pillow of about 12 x 75 in came back for a second bench. This one had square wooden legs rising at the corners. They wanted a thin 1¼ in pad notched around each leg, with ties so it would not slip.

The workshop sent them to the custom-shape order, which asks for a drawing with exact measurements, laid out the way the [notched cushion](https://cushionguide.com/guides/notched-cushion-cutouts-posts-casings/) Pattern shows. Every tie needed its position and length written on that drawing, and ties are an extra charge. Measure the bench, not the cushion you used to have.

## What bench buyers asked first

**A common question:** Our breakfast nook bench gets used every day. How thick should the cushion be?

**The workshop's answer:** Three or 4 in (7.5 or 10 cm), and most buyers pick one of those two. The foam is a firm 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³), so even 3 in gives solid support without raising the seat much. 4 in looks and feels plusher.

**A common question:** My size isn't in the drop-down menu. How do I order it?

**The workshop's answer:** Send the size. The workshop either adds it as a new option or sends a custom order link. For a small difference it may ask you to order the nearest size, say 20 x 24 in (50 x 60 cm), and then make it to your exact 22 x 22 in (56 x 56 cm).

**A common question:** Does piping cost extra, and can I leave it off?

**The workshop's answer:** It costs nothing, and the price is identical with or without it. The contrasting border in some photos is piping. Write no piping in the personalization box for clean flat edges, or piping plus a color code.

## On the cutting table

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Cushion | Box bench cushion, square corners |
| Fabric | Printed cotton canvas, emerald and black tiger print |
| Piping | Self piping at the top seam and the base |
| Side band | Separate gusset strip, print carried around the corner |
| Thickness | 3 or 4 in (7.5 or 10 cm) for everyday benches |
| Foam | Firm, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) |
| Piping price | None; same with or without |

> A box bench cushion needs two welts, one at the top seam and one at the base; the lower one is what stops the middle from doming.
>
> — Maggie

> **Tailor's margin:** Ask any maker for a close-up of a piped corner before you order. Straight welts and a clean turn are the fastest check on careful sewing.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Why does a printed box cushion need a separate side strip?

The side strip, or gusset, is cut on its own, so the maker can place it to carry the print around each corner. It also gives the cushion straight sides, which suits a square-edged wooden bench.

### Can a thin pad be cut to fit around bench legs?

Yes, as a custom shape. Draw the bench from above and give each cut-out its distance from the front and side edges, its width and its depth. Mark every tie too. Cut-outs at the edges are fine; holes in the middle are not made.

### Should piping match a bold print or contrast with it?

On a busy print, piping in the same fabric is the usual choice, because it outlines the edge without adding another color. Most buyers pick it, and you write same as body in the order note.

## Related at the atelier

- [Bench Cushion Corner Up Close: Leopard Print, Self Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/amber-leopard-box-cushion-corner-piping-closeup/): A well-made box bench cushion shows its quality at the corner: the piping turns square without bulk, the gusset seam lines up with the welts above and below, and the cushion stops just short of the…
- [Custom Bench Cushion in Green Tiger Print: Measure It Right](https://cushionguide.com/readings/green-tiger-print-cushion-angled-view-oak-bench/): To order a custom bench cushion like this one, measure the bench top itself: length from the wall to the open end, depth from the back to the front edge, then choose thickness and fix those numbers…
- [Bench Cushion in Bold Black Spots With Oak, Plaster and Olive](https://cushionguide.com/readings/black-spot-print-bench-cushion-leaf-prints-olive-tree/): A bold black spot print bench cushion works in a quiet room when everything around it is warm and soft: cream plaster, oak frames, oak parquet and a silvery olive tree.
- [How do I choose my piping color when I order?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/how-to-order-piping-color/): To choose your piping color, pick any code from the fabric charts and write it in the personalization box as 'Body: code, Piping: code'.
- [What piping color goes best with my cushion fabric?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/piping-color-combinations/): The best piping color depends on your body fabric and your room, and the workshop will suggest pairs and send photos before you decide.
- [I received the wrong color or fabric. What will you do?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/wrong-color-fabric-cushion-received/): If you received the wrong color or fabric, send a daylight photo and ask the workshop to confirm the fix in writing.
- [How to order fabric swatches that actually settle the decision](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/)
- [Velvet bench cushions: how the pile behaves and how to care for it](https://cushionguide.com/guides/velvet-bench-cushion-care/)

*Stitch straight — Maggie*

---

Written by Margaret Holloway (https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/) 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/green-tiger-print-box-cushion-piping-corner-closeup/