How to Finish the Corners of an Upholstered Bench With a Cushion

Spray the top of the wood bench with spray adhesive and position 4-inch-thick foam centered over the bench so that it is larger than the bench seat. Trim around the outside of the foam using an electric carving knife. Keep the knife straight so that the cuts are sharp.

Cut quilt batting twice the length and width of the foam. Position the batting flat on the worktable. Turn the bench upside down and center the foam over the batting. Pull the top center of the batting to the underside of the bench and staple 2 inches from the edge. Pull the bottom center to the underside and staple, then the left and right sides. Continue using this pattern from the center outward. Fit around your legs. Trim off the excess.

Stand the bench upright. Measure the length of the batting-covered cushion and add 1 1/4 inches for seams. Measure the width and add 1 1/4 inches. Cut your top cover to this size. Measure the height from the top corner to the wood edge at the bottom of the seat. Add 4 inches. Cut two pieces using your length and height measurements. Cut two pieces using your width and height measurements.

Make welting by cutting 2 1/4-inch strips of fabric on the 45 degree bias. Join the short end of your strips together until your strip length is 12 inches longer than the circumference of the cushion. Fold the strip in half right sides out along its length. Insert a cord into the fold. Sew the fabric tight to the cord using a zipper foot.

Place the top cover right side up on the table. Start at the center of the back side and pin the welting to the cover. The raw edges should line up, with the cord toward the center, using a 5/8 inch seam from the seam of the welting to the raw edge. Pin the welting in place. Start sewing 1 inch from the edge of the welting. Sew tight to the cord. Stop 1 inch from the beginning.

Overlap your excess welting by 1 inch and cut through the excess welting. Use a seam ripper to open 1 inch of the welting fabric over the cord. Cut just the cord so that it butts tight to the beginning cord. Fold 1/2 inch of the welting fabric under and fit it over the joint where the two cords touch. Finish sewing your seam. This will completely hide the ends of the cords.

Sew the side panels together at the short ends by placing a long side and short side with the finished sides together. Sew the short height seam. Add the next long side and then the next short side until you have a complete circle. Turn the fabric inside out and position it over the top cover and welting. Align the corners with the seams. Pin the side fabric face sides together along your welting seam. Pin perpendicular to the seam for easiest pin removal. Sew your 5/8-inch seam. Clip off extra seam allowance fabric at the corners.

Turn the cover right side out and fit it over the bench cushion. Turn the bench upside down. Pull the top fabric center to the back underside and staple 2 inches from the edge. Pull the bottom center fabric and staple. Pull the left and right sides and staple. Continue working from the center to the corners. Fold and fit your corners. Staple every inch. Trim off your excess fabric.