How to Make a Beanbag Chair
The beanbag chair: where practicality and ergonomics meet. Make your own with these tips.
Up next in Easy Sewing Projects (45 videos)
All you need is a needle, thread, some fabric, and these step by step instructions to start sewing.
You Will Need
- 8 ½ yds. fabric
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- 12" zipper
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- 1 ½' of Velcro
- Paper-towel tube
- 18 cubic ft. beanbag filler
Steps
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Step 1
Prepare the fabric
Prepare the fabric. Measure and cut two circles with 3-foot diameters and three 3- by 3-foot squares. Then, cut a 1½- by 1 ½-foot square.
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Experiment with different fabrics to make beanbags that complement any room.
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Step 2
Start the fill hole
Cut a foot long slit in the center of one of the 3-foot square panel. Pin the zipper over the opening and sew it into place.
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Step 3
Sew the inner flap
Center the 1½-foot piece over the zipper on the inside of the 3-foot panel. Then pin and sew it into place on three sides.
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Step 4
Attach the Velcro
Sew Velcro along the opening between the 1½-foot square and the 3-foot square.
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Step 5
Sew the squares together
Pin and sew the two 3-foot squares without zippers together along one edge, forming a 3- by 6-foot rectangle. Sew the remaining 3-foot square to a short side of the rectangle.
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Step 6
Finish sewing
Sew the short ends of the rectangle together, forming a tube. Turn the cylinder inside out, and sew the round pieces on either end. Go over each of the seams again for added strength.
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Step 7
Fill it and enjoy!
Pull the beanbag through the filling hole so it's right side out. Then, using a paper-towel tube as funnel, pour the "beans" into the bag until it's roughly 80 percent full. Seal the Velcro, zip the zipper, and relax on your new beanbag chair!
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New York City's Museum of Modern Art has a beanbag chair designed in 1968 in its permanent collection.
