Boler cushion update - super helpful tip!

[AoifeNY]

Hi all, I've been lurking here for a while but this is my first post. Thanks for all the tips that have helped me think about all the things I need to do for my (new to me) 1975 Boler. Before getting into the fun stuff like sanding and repairing fiberglass I spent some time this winter sewing new cushion covers to replace the dirty and terribly outdate 1990s fabric it came with. Well the sewing was not nearly as hard as trying to wrestle those damn cushions into the covers so I thought I would share what saved me from a complete mental breakdown: cushion wrap silk film. People do not forget those words: CUSHION WRAP SILK FILM.

Seriously its like magic. Basically, before putting them in the covers, you wrap the cushions in the film and use a vacuum to suck all the air out. They shrink like those infomercial storage container things. When shrunk, you quickly put them in the covers and they soon expand back to full size. This allowed me to use a fairly thick batting that I otherwise would never have been able to keep smooth around the cushions, and now the cushions look full and professionally done. Next project: new birch plywood cabinet doors!

[David Tilston]

Aoife, that really does look professional!

The method I use to get the foam into the cussions is to fold the cushion length wise and let it unfold when it reaches the end of the cover. Though I think yours look better.

[bobdobqb]

That's a super cool idea! Thanks. We're going to tackle recovering the cushions on our boler this season.

[fofobraselio]

That's a great idea!



We used xtra large garbage bags and sucked the air out, slid them in and jostled around in there pulling the bag out (came out in pieces)



Nice tip!

[AoifeNY]

I saw that you can also use garbage bags! I seriously was nearly in tears after I had spent so much time on the covers but the zipper I made was too small. This method saved the day!

[AoifeNY]

Originally Posted by bobdobqb

That's a super cool idea! Thanks. We're going to tackle recovering the cushions on our boler this season.

One resource I found really useful was the sailrite.com website and all the tutorials on that site. I also used seam tape as they recommend rather than pins which made the job 100x easier, especially with heavy weight upholstery fabric and when you don't want anything shifting given the curves. I went without piping as I felt that would just add an extra complication I wasn't ready for (and another layer of fabric to struggle with on the machine)! I don't think I really miss it.