Bean bags are one of the most fun, comfortable, and versatile pieces of furniture you can own. They can add a pop of color to almost any room, be it your living room, bedroom, or playroom.
Bean bags, with their perfect shape, almost invite you to lounge and take a break but, most importantly, they are super easy to make!
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a bean bag chair that is fun, easy, and cheap, for all your lounging needs.
DIY Bean Bag Chair Materials
Fabric
For a sturdy bean bag, the amount of fabric you will need will depend on your desired bean bag size.
A bean bag large enough for adults is about 50 inches in diameter. To create a smaller bean bag for children and toddlers, you could lessen this to about 30 inches.
Since a bean bag is composed of a top, bottom, and side, you will need roughly 5 feet by 18 feet in fabric for an adult-sized bean bag.
You may also opt to double the covers of a bean bag. One would be an inner layer for the bean bag filling, and another would be for the outer cover of the bean bag.
If your bean bag will be mainly used by toddlers, this can be a good idea to make sure that the bean bag doesn’t rip, especially if you are using a filling that may be harmful if ingested.
If you opt to create an inner and outer covering for your bean bag, simply create this pattern twice, adding about three inches more to the edges of all your fabric cut-outs.
Additionally, you would need twice the amount of fabric, with a few more inches added.
Zipper
Your zipper should be about 48 inches long for a 50-inch diameter bean bag.
If you are creating a bean bag for children, you could opt to use a zipper that can be hidden to avoid any mishaps.
Bean Bag Filling
There are many bean bag fillings that you can easily buy online and in craft stores.
To save money, you could also use alternatives, such as packaging peanuts. Just make sure that it’s not the type that shrinks in water, just in case someone spills a drink on the bean bag.
As an extra precaution, make sure that the pellets aren’t toxic, especially if children will be around.
How to Make a Bean Bag
The steps on how to make a bean bag are quick and easy.
The following directions are for a basic bean bag pattern, but you could easily modify them to make them simpler or craftier.
Creating Your Bag
To create a bean bag chair pattern, first measure the radius that you want for your bean bag.
As previously mentioned, you would need to make it at least 50 inches in diameter, or 30 inches in radius for a child-sized bean bag.
To find the radius of your bean bag, simply divide the diameter in half. Then, create a circle and cut out two of these circles. You would need four of these circles if you are creating an inner covering for your bean bag.
The second thing you would need to cut out is the rectangular pattern that you would need for the side of the beanbag. To create these rectangles, measure at least 87 inches by 52 inches, and create two cutouts of this pattern (four if you have an inner sleeve.)
Assembling the First Half of the Bag
To assemble the bean bag, first, attach the rectangle to one of the circles, and then attach the bottom rectangle.
To stitch these pieces, it is a good idea to use a zig-zag stitch (to create added flexibility) and go through it again with a straight stitch.
To make sure that your bean bag stays intact, try to make your stitches small and regular, so as to ensure they don’t rip easily.
Adding the Zipper
Before fully closing the stitch, make sure that you’re working on the wrong side of the fabric. Then, sew in the zipper on one end of the bean bag.
Making sure that the zipper is open at least 3/4th of the way, turn your bean bag upside down. Then, add in your bean bag filling. If you’re working with the type that expands, make sure to work fast.
Sew the Other Half
With the zipper intact, add the other circle pattern and attach the remaining sides. Again, use a zig-zag stitch and a straight stitch to attach these pieces.
Here’s a video showing more details on how to make a bean bag.
Conclusion
And you’re done! This basic step-by-step guide to creating your own bean bags can be easily modified.
You could use it to create bean bags that resemble fun shapes, like one resembling a pyramid or a cube!
You could even add handles to the side of your bean bag, which is very handy for ones with a larger shapes!