Learn to how to sew a sofa pad to give your old uncomfortable sofa a little extra cushion and a lot more comfort!

When we made our big move south, we decided to get rid of our old, heavy couch. As a temporary solution once we arrived in our new home, we got a nice futon. Not only was it a cheaper option, but it fit our space easily since we have a smaller living room. We didn’t plan on staying in our rental longer than a year, so we figured we’d just get a better couch when we made that move. Well, we never moved out of that rental, so now we’re left with a really uncomfortable futon that is cute, but not great for relaxing on.

A few months back, I kept seeing what’s called a sofa topper advertised to me and thought it was a great solution to our problem, and one I could DIY pretty easily! While a couch cushion cover or sofa pad isn’t totally necessary, it’s great to have not only to provide extra cushion, but to bring new life to a stained or unsightly couch. It can be used on the bottom portion of the couch to sit on, moved to the back cushions to support your back or can be moved to the floor as a floor pillow. I love how this sofa pad gives my living room a little extra coziness and a look of comfort.

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FAQs

Can I use an old bed pillow or two instead of purchasing the stuffing?

You can definitely use old pillows in place of the poly-fil, I just urge you to remove the stuffing as opposed to just shoving the pillows in the case. It will give you the freedom to manipulate the stuffing how you want as opposed to be able to see the silhouette of the pillows from the outside.

Can I make this sofa pad reversible?

If you want to make the sofa pad reversible, all you have to do is cut a top piece and bottom piece of fabric and sew them together following the directions below!

Can I add a zipper enclosure to my sofa pad?

You can absolutely add a zipper at the open end once the pad is stuffed, as opposed to closing it shut or even add it on the sides of your cushion.

What’s the purpose of a sofa pad?

Sofa pads provide extra cushion to enhance your lounging experience, but they also can protect your couch cushions and sofa upholstery from pets, and let’s face it your kids 🙂

What materials do I need to sew a sofa pad?

Seersucker or Cotton Fabric: I purchased seersucker fabric from a seller on Mercari, but you can purchase your fabric from places like Joanns or Hobby Lobby. I prefer a lighter, but durable fabric like cotton for this project for a little breathability, comfortability and for washability, but you can use whatever fabric you like.

Foam Mattress Topper or Foam Cushions: I purchased a twin sized foam mattress topper for added cushion in this sofa topper. You can use whatever foam bases you can find for this project or omit it all together if you so choose. I liked that this mattress topper was inexpensive and the fact that I can use the excess for a future project or projects.

Poly-Fil: I chose to use poly-fil because it’s less expensive and more readily available than some alternatives, but you could use fabric scraps, cotton stuffing, soy fiber fill, etc.

HOW TO SEW A SOFA PAD FOR EXTRA CUSHION

Tools You May Need:

Materials Needed:

Directions

The first step is to measure the length and width of the sofa cushions or seating portion of your sofa you want to cover. Mine was 21″ wide by 70″ long.

If your sofa is less than 21.5″ wide, fold the fabric in half lengthwise, right sides of the fabric facing each other, and cut it to the length of your sofa plus 1.” See notes if your couch is larger than 22″.

Place pins along all but one open edge (the long side(s) and one short side).

Sew the pinned sides with a 1/2″ seam allowance, then with a 3/8″ seam allowance for extra durability in the seams.

Trim the edges of the fabric to remove extra fabric from the seams and turn the cover right side out.

Cut the foam mattress topper to fit the width of the fabric minus 1/2″ and the length minus 4 1/2″. Mine was 19.5″ wide by 65.5″ long.

Stuff the foam inside the sofa pad cover.

Then stuff the Poly-fil into the sofa pad cover using as much as you want, moving it around to ensure even distribution.

Fold the fabric around the opening down 1/2″ and pin.

Place the two sides of the opening (the raw edges) together and pin them together, then sew a straight line as close to the edge of the fabric you can.

Adding Tufts

The next step is to measure the entire length of the cushion and determine your spacing for the tufts. For example, the finished length of my pad was 68″. I then found the center point, which was 34″. Then I divided the space between on the right in half, then in half again and repeated it on the left of center. My final tuft locations were at 8.5″, 17″, 25.5″, 34″, 42.5″, 51″ and 59.5″.

Then determine how many tufts you want across the width. I chose to do 2. The final width of my sofa topper was 20″, so the tufts were at 5″ and 15″.

Mark all of your tuft locations with a fabric pen or marker.

To create the tufts, cut a length of yarn thread, about 15″, then thread it onto a yarn needle.

Poke the needle through the mark you created, all the way through the fabric.

Thread the yarn back up through the hole you just created, but not all the way.

Push the needle back down in the pad about 1/4″ to the left of the original mark and down through the bottom.

Turn the sofa pad over and pull the yarn tight, then tie 2-3 knots in the yarn.

Snip the yarn close to the fabric, then repeat this step for the rest of the marks.

Place the new sofa pad on your couch, add a few comfy throw pillows and you’ve create an even comfier couch.

NOTES

If your couch is larger than 22″ wide, cut two pieces of fabric to the appropriate width plus 1″ and length plus 1.”
Standard fabric comes in at 44″ or 45″ in width. Therefore, if your sofa is 21.5″ wide or less, you can just fold the fabric in half, then cut to the appropriate length. If it’s really slender, you can also trim to the appropriate width as well.
For couches that are wider than 21.5,” you’ll need to cut two pieces of to the correct length and width, then sew three sides (2 long and 1 short) before proceeding to the stuffing portion.
Be sure to forward and backward stitch at the beginning and end of every side you sew.
Stuff the cushion with as little or as much poly fill as you’d like. For a flatter, less poofy look, add less.

How to Sew a Sofa Pad

Yield: 1 sofa pad

Active Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours

Difficulty: Medium

Learn to how to sew a sofa pad to give your old uncomfortable sofa a little extra cushion and a lot more comfort!

Materials

2-4 yards seersucker fabric (or other cotton fabric)
Thread (I used white)
Foam mattress topper
Poly-fil (5 pounds or less)
Yarn thread

Tools

Sewing machine
Scissors
Cutting mat and rotary cutter (optional)
Blunt yarn needle
Fabric pen or marker

Instructions

The first step is to measure the length and width of the sofa cushions or seating portion of your sofa you want to cover. Mine was 21" wide by 70" long.
If your sofa is less than 21.5" wide, fold the fabric in half lengthwise, right sides of the fabric facing each other, and cut it to the length of your sofa plus 1." See notes if your couch is larger than 22".
Place pins along all but one open edge (the long side(s) and one short side).
Sew the pinned sides with a 1/2" seam allowance, then with a 3/8" seam allowance for extra durability in the seams.
Trim the edges of the fabric to remove extra fabric from the seams and turn the cover right side out.
Cut the foam mattress topper to fit the width of the fabric minus 1/2" and the length minus 4 1/2". Mine was 19.5" wide by 65.5" long.
Stuff the foam inside the sofa pad cover.
Then stuff the poly fill into the sofa pad cover using as much as you want, moving it around to ensure even distribution.
Fold the fabric around the opening down 1/2" and pin.
Place the two sides of the opening (the raw edges) together and pin them together, then sew a straight line as close to the edge of the fabric you can.
The next step is to measure the entire length of the cushion and determine your spacing for the tufts. For example, the finished length of my pad was 68". I then found the center point, which was 34". Then I divided the space between on the right in half, then in half again and repeated it on the left of center. My final tuft locations were at 8.5", 17", 25.5", 34", 42.5", 51" and 59.5".
Then determine how many tufts you want across the width. I chose to do 2. The final width of my sofa pad was 20", so the tufts were at 5" and 15".
Mark all of your tuft locations with a fabric pen or marker.
To create the tufts, cut a length of yarn thread, about 15", then thread it onto a yarn needle.
Poke the needle through the mark you created, all the way through the fabric.
Thread the yarn back up through the hole you just created, but not all the way.
Push the needle back down in the pad about 1/4" to the left of the original mark and down through the bottom.
Turn the sofa pad over and pull the yarn tight, then tie 2-3 knots in the yarn.
Snip the yarn close to the fabric, then repeat this step for the rest of the marks.
Place the new sofa pad on your couch, add a few comfy throw pillows and you've create an even comfier couch.

Notes

Standard fabric comes in at 44" or 45" in width. Therefore, if your sofa is 21.5" wide or less, you can just fold the fabric in half, then cut to the appropriate length. If it's really slender, you can also trim to the appropriate width as well.
For couches that are wider than 21.5," you'll need to cut two pieces of to the correct length and width, then sew three sides (2 long and 1 short) before proceeding to the stuffing portion.
Be sure to forward and backward stitch at the beginning and end of every side you sew.
Stuff the cushion with as little or as much poly fill as you'd like. For a flatter, less poofy look, add less.

HOW TO CARE FOR A SOFA PAD

For small stains or messes, simply spot clean with a bit of mild soap and water and allow it to air dry. For larger messes or to clean periodically, you can wash in a washing machine as you would a comforter, preferably on cold, and allowing it to air dry or dry on low.

Looking for more easy sewing projects?

Looking for more easy sewing projects like this sofa pad tutorial? Check these out:

Did you try this tutorial? If you did, I’d really love to see it. Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreations of these flags!

How to Sew a Sofa Pad for Extra Cushion

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FAQs

What materials do I need to sew a sofa pad?