How to Make a Bean Bag Chair for Kids & Adults? (DIY Method)

Want a customized bean bag that oozes personality and warmth? Why not make one at home? Making a bean bag chair is easy if you have some patience and some light sewing experience. 

These chairs provide great comfort while watching TV or reading books because they’re soft yet supportive due to their wide body design that cradles our backside when sitting down all day long.

The process is simple and easily executed if done right and this article will deliver just that. So get your sewing pins and fabric ready because your bean bag dreams are about to come true.

Simple Steps to Make Your Own DIY Bean Bag Chair at Home

Making a giant bean bag at home is super simple. We will show you the easiest way to make a bean bag chair! All you have to do is find the right kind of fabrics for your bags, rectangles, middle circles, and a reliable zipper.

Sewing is the essential factor that will make or break your bean bag. After creating the structure of your beanbag with the inner and outer bag, fill the inner bag with filling and close it shut quickly after adding a zipper to hold everything in place.

Tools and Materials Required

• Fabric
• Filling material
• Measuring tape
• Needle
• Pencil
• Sewing machine
• Pins
• Zipper lock
• Scissors
• Chalk

Continue going through the in-depth tutorial to enrich yourself with the complete process in detail:

The Fabric

Let’s start with the fabric which will be the vessel for your filling. To make your bean bag chair, start by buying two fabrics. Why? A second bag will provide structure and support, while the inner bag will hold the filling.

For best results, we recommend choosing white cotton quilting fabric (inner bag) as it’s simple and also affordable. This way you will save more money on this part. Filling the inside of these comfortable fabrics just might be what makes them so great – after all who wants boring furniture?

Outer Cover Requirements

You can choose to have a comfy and stylish chair cover or you could go with something more practical. The choice is yours. Pick an equal length and width of fabric for the outer cover, since this will be on top so it needs to reflect your personal taste.

Think about both the visual appeal and how the fabric feels since different fabrics behave differently based on their type. In contrast, cotton allows air to flow through, which means less irritation to the neck. You can choose from Corduroy, Denim, Velour, etc.

A bean bag made up of a duvet cover is also one of the most comfortable chairs out there. You can also pick this fabric for the process.

The Right Filler

For maximum durability, choose the right filler that suits your purposes. There are numerous choices to pick from which include EPS, memory foam, expanding foam, etc. However, make sure to seal it properly with a Ziplock for that extra security. Make sure to remove static from the filling before putting it in the bean bag.

For a normal-sized bean bag, you will need around 14kg of foam so that you won’t accidentally run out while filling for the first time. 

Making the Cuts

This is the tricky yet crucial part which consists of laying out your fabric (both pieces).

• Start with the first fabric and draw a circumference of 170 inches on the cloth. The diameter of the circle will be 54 inches.
• You can use a measuring tape and pencil to accurately draw your circle onto the cloth. Once you are satisfied with the measurements it is time to do the chopping.
• Cut out your first circle with fabric scissors. Using the same material, unroll another 54 inches (1.37 m) or so and cut a second, equal-sized outline using the first one as a guide. 
• Now undergo the same procedure with the second fabric so that by the end of this activity, you will be left with four circles. Two from each cloth. 

Pro Tip:

No worries if you are nervous because remember practice makes perfect. You can even practice on paper beforehand. 

Get Your Rectangles Straight

The next step invites you to create duplicate rectangles from your four identical pieces. All you have to do is:

• Unroll the fabric flat and use chalk or pen to outline 80 inches long and 30 inches wide rectangle on a circle. 
• Next, take those handy successors and cut out the outline in a neat and clean manner
• Once done, take the initial rectangles, place them on the next cloth, draw the outline and cut it out.
• Repeat the process with the other two and you will have four identical rectangles, ready to mingle. 

The Sewing Process

Now it’s time to create two long rectangles using the fabric. Line the rectangles on top of each other (facing right sides to each other) and line them correctly.

Use a sewing machine to sew the bean bag fabric pieces together to create an uninterrupted piece. You will sew the small side of the clothes to create a long rectangle from the four smaller pieces.

From the fabric, create a circle using the previous dimensions of the rectangle. Keeping their right sides together, pin the edges of a circle with the same fabric as your rectangle on its long sides.

Then stitch the two to one another offering a seam allowance between a quarter- and half-inch. The rectangle’s short ends should be sewn together after you have sewed the circle along its long side.

Making the Bottom Circle

You are now going to sew your bottom circle to the bottom of the fabric. Take your bottom circle and stitch it around your rectangle. Using the same fabric, take the second circle and pin it along the rectangle’s long side, like the upper circle. 

But make sure to not stitch all the way, leave space on one side for the zipper. Add your zipper to the lining between the rectangle and bottom circle so that you can access your beanbag easily. 

Add Your Filling Material

Now that your structure is complete simply add your choice of filler. Use whatever you’ve got – but make sure it can fit through an open zipper on its own before placing it inside the inner bag.

In case of any confusion, you can watch the tutorial in the following video and clear all of your doubts:

Enjoy Your DIY Bean Bag Chair!

Making a bean bag chair is a fun and easy project that can be done in a day. You’ll need to gather some supplies, like fabric, stuffing, and a sewing machine, but the result will be worth it.

These chairs are comfortable and perfect for lounging around. Plus, they make great gifts for friends and family. So grab your materials and get started today.