We Germans are a hearty sort not accustomed to creature comforts like plush cushions and decorative home accents, which is why it never occurred to my mom to buy cushions for her two outdoor patio chairs. But when a visiting friend commented on the lack of a soft, protective barrier my mom decided it was time to get some.
I immediately volunteered to make a set for her and then proceeded to wait five months before I finally got around to doing it. Bad me. Fortunately those five months happened to coincide with a chilly autumn and winter so it's not as if the patio chairs were getting much use.
Primarily, I used this tutorial from Sew 4 Home because it was easy and didn't feature anything more advanced that my current sewing skills could offer. I'd planned all along to add piping for a more sophisticated, decorative look so I was happy to follow along with their instructions for reducing bulk from the boxed corners by clipping out some of the piping cord. Leaving off the no-slip material I instead snagged the instructions for adding ties from another Sew 4 Home tutorial.
The cushions use an envelope closure and, although it was my first, it was as simple to sew as you'd imagine. In fact, everything came together so quickly and easily that I feel even more guilty about putting off this project for so long. As you can see from the pictures, they really brighten her chairs and I'm sure having breakfast on the patio every morning will be a much more comfortable activity now.
