Say Goodbye To Old Patio Cushions: Grab Some Placemats To Make Your Own

Between strong sun, sudden downpours, and a summer of barbecues, it's normal for your patio cushions to take a beating. Harsh UV rays dull the color and wear down the cushion covers, while rain and humidity leave fabrics damp and prone to mold growth and musty odors. The good news is that you don't have to buy new ones every time that happens. If you have some placemats lying around, you can turn them into fresh, custom cushion covers for a fraction of the price. And you don't even need a sewing machine (brownie points if you have one, though).

Placemats are already sturdy, easy to clean, and sold in every pattern and color you can think of, which makes them a smart stand-in for outdoor fabric. You'll be spoiled for choices when it comes to finding the right placemats, meaning you can use them as decor for any type of outdoor patio furniture. Plus, you don't have to splurge for new ones; you can get one for as little as $1.50 from Dollar Tree, such as this Home Collection Colored Placemat. Beyond placemats, you will need polyester fiberfill — get some from your old cushions or pillows. But if you don't have fiberfill or don't want to ruin a perfectly good cushion or pillow, you can use crumpled plastic grocery bags (like the ones you got from Walmart). Besides this, you'll also need a seam ripper or a sharp pair of scissors as well as glue.

First, pick your placemats. Double layered ones work best so there's already a front and back for the pillow. When you have them, take a pair of scissors or a seam ripper and undo an existing seam along one side of the placemat. Don't undo the entire seam, just an opening wide enough for your hand to slide in and insert the fill.

However, if you don't have double layered placemats, stick two regular ones together. For fabric placemats, use fusion tape or fabric glue and run a hot iron over the edges to seal them. For polyester ones, skip the iron and glue them together directly. You can also sew them together if you're comfortable, but make sure the printed sides face outward. Whichever way you go, don't glue or sew them all the way through, though; leave an opening for the filling.

With the opening ready, take some stuffing or fiberfill and work it into the placemat until the cushion feels plump. Tease the clumps apart by hand and push them down into corners using a wooden serving spoon, so you can stuff this pillow with no lumps. Or, you can roll some plastic grocery bags together, line them up, and stuff in the placemats. Though you might be weary using shopping plastic shopping bags, they won't grow fungus if you forget them outside in the rain (unlike regular stuffing). Just make sure to roll the bags to prevent lumpiness. Once the cushion is full enough, stitch the opening closed with a sewing machine. And if you'd rather not sew, seal it with a fusion tape, hot or fabric glue (this will give it a more permanent bond), or steam-a-seam.