Make your own folding cockpit cushions for your boat. This DIY tutorial fully covers how to make an irregularly shaped cushion with a wedge on the back edge and also an incorporated hinge that allows it to fold up for easy storage or to gain access to a storage compartment. If your cushion is simply rectangular in shape, but you want a folding cushion, you can still use this tutorial, just skip the steps for irregularity and creating the wedge.

Intro- 0:00
Measuring the Opening - 1:32
Creating a Pattern - 5:15
Adding Allowances to the Pattern - 10:50
Lengthening Top Plate Fabric - 14:18
Cutting Top Plate to Size - 20:18
Cutting Bottom Plates - 23:55
Adding Zippers to Bottom Plates - 27:09
Cutting Boxing to Size - 37:52
Sewing Boxing Ends Together - 50:02
Joining Boxing to Top Plate - 58:47
Sewing Bottom Plate to Assembly - 1:06:22
Sewing Center Topstitch - 1:11:44
Cutting Foam to Size
- 1:18:32
Inserting Foam in Cushion Cover - 1:26:14
Materials & Tools List - 1:29:05

Materials List:
Sailrite® Patterning Material 78" - SKU: 125402 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Pat...
Marine/Awning Grade or Upholstery Fabric from Sailrite - We used Sunbrella® Awning Stripe - SKU: 4987-0000 https://www.sailrite.com/Fabrics/Fabr...
Seamstick 1/4" Basting Tape for Canvas & Upholstery (36 yds.) - SKU: 122065 https://www.sailrite.com/Seamstick-1-...
Cushion Underlining Black 54" Fabric - SKU: 772100 https://www.sailrite.com/Cushion-Unde...
Lenzip® #5 Black Continuous Coil Zipper Chain - SKU: 124596 https://www.sailrite.com/Lenzip-5-Bla...
Lenzip® #5 Black Single Locking Metal Zipper Pull (Coil Chain) - SKU: 124600 https://www.sailrite.com/Lenzip-5-Bla...
Sailrite® Woven Sew In Tags (2 pack) - SKU: 121627 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Wov...
CushionRite® Dry Fast Antimicrobial Foam (Medium) - SKU: 124203 https://www.sailrite.com/CushionRite-...

Tools List:
Tape Measure 120" - SKU: 102986 https://www.sailrite.com/Tape-Measure...
Deluxe Tape Measure 120" - SKU: 123120 https://www.sailrite.com/Deluxe-Tape-...
Sailrite® Scratch Awl - SKU: 123270 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Scr...
Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" - SKU: 102400 https://www.sailrite.com/Clear-Acryli...
Gingher® Scissors Right Hand Lightweight 8" - SKU: 101017 https://www.sailrite.com/Gingher-Scis...
Scribe-All® Water Soluble White Marking Pencil - SKU: 120681 https://www.sailrite.com/Scribe-All-W...
Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine (110V) - SKU: 311602 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Ult...
Magnetic Sewing Guide - SKU: 102983 https://www.sailrite.com/Magnetic-Sew...
Sailrite® Ultrafeed® Industrial Sewing Table - SKU: 120934 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Ult...
Sailrite® Canvas Patterning Ruler - SKU: 107040 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Can...
Sailrite® Tempered Cutting Glass - SKU: 121915 https://www.sailrite.com/Tempered-Cut...
Sailrite® Edge Cordless Hotknife 18V Package - SKU: 122177 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Edg...
Sewing Gauge Ruler 6"- SKU: 102995
Basic Thread Snips - SKU: 123222
Seam Ripper - SKU: 123175
Sailrite® Blade Foam Saw V2 with Carrying Case (110V) - SKU: 121244 https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Bla...
Multiuse Pins 1-1/2" (250 pack) - SKU: 102985
Blue Painters Tape, Tape Measure, Marker, Straightedge

- BUILD CALCULATIONS -
CUTTING TOP PLATE TO SIZE:
Desired finished length + 1” = Cut length
Desired finished width/depth + 1/2” = Cut width/depth

CUTTING TWO BOTTOM PLATES TO SIZE:
Bottom plate is the same size as the top plate cut size. However, at the fold
position it is cut apart and a 1/2 inch is added for seam allowance to both
bottom plates.

BOXING WIDTH CUT SIZE:
CushionRite® Premium, Standard & Dry Fast: Foam thickness + 1/2” = Cut width
CushionRite® Flotation (Closed Cell): Foam thickness + 3/4” = Cut width

BOXING LENGTH CUT SIZE:
Cut boxing length should be the same length as each short edge of the
rectangular plate. But for the front and the back longer edges two pieces
each are required. Their lengths should be measured from outside corners
to the center hinge location (topstitch). But add an additional ½” past the
hinge location for each of the four pieces required.

CENTER HINGE BOXING WIDTH CUT SIZE:
Boxing cut width/height - 1” = A
(A x 2) + 1” = Cut width of center boxing

CUTTING FOAM TO SIZE:
Add 1/2” to both dimensions to the desired finished size of the cushion. (Basically that means you are adding ¼” to all sides of the foam).