Upcycle a quilt with this DIY square pouf ottoman sewing tutorial!
Anytime I shop at the Goodwill Bins Outlet – where the rejects from the store end up and you pay by the pound- I can’t resist “saving” hand-embroidered items and quilts (which are priced at a flat $5 rate since they’re so heavy). Sometimes I get a little overzealous and end up with what is actually a mass produced quilt, like this one I’m sharing today!
Upon closer examination and after being machine washed & dried, I realized it wasn’t handmade and also had several holes and stains.It was also huge, king size, and just didn’t seem like something that would get a lot of use in my house after repair. It sat in my storage space for a while, making me feel guilty for having taken it, so I decided to chop it up and now I’m sharing what I made so you could too if you’d like!
I ended up having enough quilt to make 4 entire poufs, which is a good thing because my kids fought over this one and both dogs tried to sit on it as well. The shape is nice and squishy, the patchwork feels super cozy, and best of all- it’s a really quick project.You could use this same tutorial and replace a quilt with denim patchwork, or any thicker material; I think a single layer of woven cotton would look too flimsy and not hold its body well enough.
I try to maintain a zero-textile-waste sewing space so mine is stuffed full with scraps and also old clothes that no one would want to use; of course you could add poly-fil as well but honestly it would be way too light without some fabric mixed in!
If you like this post, check these out while you’re here!
- How to make a floor pouf – 12 different DIY poufs
- 12+ Best DIY Floor Pillow Tutorials
- 40+ Ideas for what to do with knit fabric scraps
- 30+ of the best fabric scrap projects
Pin this DIY square pouf ottoman sewing tutorial for later with this link or image:
How to make a DIY square pouf ottoman sewing tutorial
Supplies:
- quilt to be upcycled
- 12″-14″ invisible zipper
- rotary cutter & acrylic ruler
- material to make a template with – I am using an upcycled disposable wedding aisle runner here but also use this doctor’s table paper sometimes
- sewing machine
- scraps and clothes for stuffing
Steps:
Step 1-
I like using transparent material to make template pieces so you can cut around stains/holes and see what pattern you’re getting!
Cut:
- (4) side pieces – 14.5″ X 18.5″
- (2) top/bottom pieces- 18.5″ X 18.5″
Top & bottom piece on the left, side piece on the right.
Step 2- This is optional, but I like to finish the edges of all pieces with projects like this! Not only will it make sewing them all together easier, it will maintain the integrity of the quilt better. I used a serger around all the edges (and then sewed the tails to secure) but you could also do a zig-zag stitch, double straight stitch, pinking shears, etc.
Step 3- Next you’ll want to insert the zipper between the bottom square and one side piece! A diagram is in the next step if that is feeling foggy.
**make sure the zipper is at least partially open before moving to step 4!**
This is a tiny model of how you’re assembling your pieces. Again, your zipper needs to be half-open so you can pull it right side out – I assembled the entire top piece and then added in the bottom and moved to closing it all up, but I don’t think there is a specific order that needs to be followed. You’ll be sewing with a 1/4″ seam allowance.
When you’re sewing, be sure to start & stop 1/4″ away from the edges, so you can have nice neat 3D corners! So, above, no stitching in that X-box from either direction. Pull the excess side up and out of the way from sewing the next seam as well, as shown.
Step 4-
Once the entire cube is sewn together, pull it right side out through the zipper. Poke out the corners with a blunt object, stuff it full, zip it up and you’re ready to rest your feet in style!