Advantages of making your own Bean Bag
You can choose whichever fabric, colour and pattern that best suits your home décor and reflect personal style. Bean bags are very comfortable as they mould to your body, providing excellent support. Making your own can be very cost effective as pre-made can be quite expensive. A great fun project and an activity that can be shared with family or friends.
A simple guide on how to make a bean bag that’s a fun and rewarding DIY project
What you will need
- Heavyweight Fabric
- Sewing machine or needle and thread
- Zipper (optional)
- Polystyrene beads or bean bag filling
- Scissors
- Pins
- Measuring Tape
Cut the Fabric
Cut two large circles or rectangles from your chosen fabric to required size which depends on how large you want it. Instructions below for and envelope enclosure as this differs.
Sew the Fabric
Place the two pieces of fabrics together, right sided facing each other.
Pin around the edges to hold them in place
Sew around the edges leaving a small opening (around 6 inches/15 centimetres (this is to allow you to fill it).
Turn the sewn fabric right side out through the small opening.
Fill the Bean Bag
Use a funnel to fill the bean bag with your chosen filling to the desired firmness.
Close the opening
Close it by the zipper, hand-sew or follow instruction on an envelope closing to secure.
Envelope Enclosure Instructions
Measure and cut the fabric making sure you have enough fabric to cover the bean bag with an overlap for the envelope enclosure. The back piece should be around 1.5 times the height of the bean bag.
Hem the edges of the overlapping pieces to prevent fraying and give a neat finish.
Lay the fabric pieces with the right sides facing each other and overlap the back piece by around 6 inches/15 centimetres to ensure it stays closed and forms the envelope closure.
Pin the fabric in place and sew around the edges, leaving the overlap open.
Adjust the fabric to make sure the envelope closure lies flat, and the bean bag looks neat.
Insert the inner through the envelope opening and adjust as needed for even distribution.
Tips
It is a good idea to double stitch as this will give it extra durability.
If you choose high quality fabrics for the outer it will withstand regular use and last for years to come.
Using an inner liner to fill the polystyrene beads is a great way to protect the outer bag as it will extend the life of your bean bag and allow you to remove easily for washing. You can also update frequently to match new décor. An Inner lining helps contain the filling, so the beads don’t spill everywhere. No need to use expensive fabric for this as it won’t be seen.
An envelope closing on a bean bag allows for easy access to the inner lining and there is no risk of the zipper being broken which can be a common issue. Also great for safety as it eliminates the risk of children and pets getting hurt by a zipper.
Check out a great range of fabrics on our website and get sewing.
