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Pillow Ticking Covers
Pillow Ticking Covers
Whenever a cushion is stuffed with feathers or down, a ticking cover is required to keep the feathers/down from coming through the cover. You can chose from a number of different pillow ticking styles, depending upon the application and your budget. Here are some various style shown.
1. Knife Edge Ticking Cover
The simplest style of ticking cover is the knife edge style. This is basically just two pieces of ticking sewn togther, with the feathers/down inside. This it typically used for throw pillows, although it could also be used for larger pillows, such as backrest pillows on sofas and chairs.
2. Box Cushion Ticking Cover
The next ticking style is the Boxed Ticking cover. A very simple style to make, All the feathers and down are in one large compartment. This style is very easy to fluff up. However, one larger cushions specially, when sat upon, some of the filling can squeeze out from under the person to the other end of the cushion.
With time, if used in a backrest cushion, it begins to look a little "poochy"; It doesn't hold it's shape very well. In comparison, look at the picture (#3. below) of the sofa with Baffled Box Ticking backrest cushions.
3. Baffled Box Cushion Ticking Cover
The baffles are added to better control the movement of the filling, keeping it in place under the user.
When the above Baffled Box Cushion is used as a backrest cushion of a sofa or chair, it is used vertically. In this placement the cushions keep a better vertical shape. The baffles help prevent all the cushion filling from falling to the bottom of the cushion.
Here is a sofa that used the Baffled Down Ticking Covers for the backrest cushions.
Building a Firmer Down Seat Cushion
One inherent feature is down/feather cushions is the soft and luxurious feel. However, one drawback is that for all that softness, the cushions have very little "body"; the user can easily feel "unsupported". One solution, is to add more down/feather filling to the cushion to make the cushion firm.. But, in the process, the cushion bulges in the middle and, looses the fluffiness that down is known for. To keep the natural softness of the down, while adding some body to the cushion, is to add an inner core or foam or springs.
4. Box Ticking Cover with Insert
5. Baffled Ticking Cover with Foam Insert
I had a client who wanted his sofa reupholstered. The sofa had down/feather cushions,which he liked, but the cushions didn't give him enough support. So we designed and created a pillow ticking cover with a foam inner core.
We decided upon this design because the client wanted to keep his down cushions, but wanted it to be a little more substantial. Just having the down by itself just didn't have enough support. I had suggested packing the down a little tighter and we tried a sample of that, but that wasn't satisfactory. So we decided on this design.
Here is the finished sofa.
6. Baffled Down Ticking With Spring Insert
Not Pictured, but this is made very similar to the same design with the foam core. The main difference is that the springs have to have additional padded insulation to keep the springs from wearing holes in the ticking.
Great web site. I restore
Any suggestions as to whether this is the best route to go on the cushions?
thanks!
Luke
Morris chair with similar cushions (but different stitching than what I will do):
Making my own down/foam insert cushions
Hello from Houston. I'm a novice about to tackle my first slipcover project and have watched your slide shows and read your info as a brilliant source of information. Thank you. Before I tackle my two sofas for which I also plan to replace old foam and batting cushions with the down/foam envelopes like those shown on your site (I want that comfy, English country-house effect), I'm recovering and 're-stuffing' 2 ottomans as a practice project - and to see what the new cushions look like. I've made the ottoman cushion and base covers and am ready to make the envelope/down cushions, but even looking at your diagrams I'm not sure how to sew them - I mean in what order to sew the pieces together. I'm thinking I need 3 pockets (cushions are approx 23" square and 4.5" deep); do I sew both baffles to the 'top'batting, then to the bottom, then add the sides? Or will I end up not able to access certain seams - I have a simple home sewing machine, an Elna 1010 - and whereas with a simple cushion you do everything inside out, clearly that won't work once the baffles are in place. Or am I missing something obvious - perfectly possible!! Your help greatly appreciated. Janice
Making the covers
Hi Janice,
I don't have time right now to write out the full instructions, but will give you a few brief pointers.
First, let me say this, when you make something new for the first time, it is normal to make a few mistakes. I often make a prototype to see how to do it. Making a prototype saves a lot of headaches, etc.
Next, making these baffled cushion fillings are a little tricky, so make sure you get some extra fabric for practicing.
To sew the "3. Baffled Box Cushion Ticking " above:
My question -- and more on my project
Stephen, I can't thank you enough for your help. Your reply - amazingly quick, I might say - has put me on the right track to attempt my first cushion. I know you're busy so I won't waffle on (I'm a Brit, by the way, hence my quest for an 'English comfy cushion' look) but I'd like to ask a couple more questions, if that's OK. 1...Should I stretch and get the 50/50 down, or would the cheaper 75/25 be OK for the cushions, do you think? I'm sending a photo of the sofa in question via email - for which I'm converting to the down/foam box design, and using a chenille fabric with a small, regular print. ?2. Given the clean lines of the sofa (now 25 yrs old), I wasn't planning on piping the cushions and skirt - do you agree? and lastly, ?3....Do you use some special fabric to make your seam bindings? Again, I'm so grateful for your taking the time to help as I take on my biggest ever sewing project. Regards, Janice
The Foam/Down
Hi Janice,
Glad to have a Brit on board.
Now regarding the type of down. If you were using the down for a sleeping pillow, then the higher percentage down probably would be much better. But, when the down will be covered by the ticking, then the heavy upholstery fabric, then you also have the clothing between you and the down, I don't think you'd notice the difference. (Unless, of course, you are the "Princess and the pea".
A correction to those instructions, which were for #3 above. If you are going to do the foam/down, then you need some different instruction.
units, along the boxing. When you sew the boxing to the panels, the lines should be on the INSIDE of the cushion. (be sure to compensate for your seam
allowance.)There should be an aprox 2-2 1/2" distance between the seams
on the boxing
Your instructions
Gosh, Stephen, I see what you mean about being rather complex. But I'll give it a go. And good news about the feather/down mix.....I can save a lot by using the 75/25 (the loclal store I've found charges $160 for a 20lb bag. It's double that for the 50/50). I've watched your Bazooka video many times and couldn't quite figure out the velcro openings, but now I have a road-map. By the way, your 'make a prototype' link brings up a page not found message, but your kind detailed instructions should get me through my first one. Once again, I can't thank you enough for your gift of time and expertise. Regards, Janice
Keep Trying, you'll get it
Yes, it is complex, in a manner. But complex just means that you haven't done it before. Once you work it through, it no longer seems complex. It's just a multi-step process. Take it one step at a time. The first few times you may make some messes. Just accept that. Learn from your mistakes and try again. Just have plenty of cheap fabric on hand to experiment with and keep trying. Eventually you'll get it.
If you have problems, tell me where you get bogged down. It might mean that my instructions need to be improved any place you don't understand.
Eventually I'd like to have more pictorial tutorials, but it all takes time.
The "Make a Prototype" link works, I just checked it. During some parts of the day the Internet gets busy and the server for this websites gets bogged down. If you get the "Page Not Found" message, just hit the "Refresh" button on your browser a few times until the page comes up. Or come back latere.
Final request - for a while, at least
Many thanks for the above, Stephen. I'm now ready to assemble, but some quick final questions, if you have time.
Firstly, the 'practice' ottoman cushions... I've marked up my main panels for a 4-section/3baffles pillow with finished dimensions of 23"x24" per your notes. If I were to only use 3 sections would I see a marked decline in the final look/quality of the cushion? (As I have at least 6 to make - for the 2 ottomans and the 2 sofas - any time-saving steps would help, but I don't want to spoil the effect for the lack of some extra effort.)
Second, given my baffled sections are 23"x24"x1.5", could you guess about what weight of feather/down I'll need to fill each pillow ....so I don't buy too much of this expensive material.
Thirdly, concerning the sofa, a photo of which you hopefully received yesterday - and I just emailed a pic of the fabric - can you advise me on my inclination NOT to pipe the new boxed cushions, skirt etc? (That's why I thought it would help if you saw the chenille fabric I've selected.) I think it's an issue involving both the design of the sofa and the longevity/wear of my new slipcovers. I'm happy to add this step if you think it warranted.
Still on the sofas (the second one is matching but is actually a sofa-bed - I'll be tackling the plain sofa first) - I'm planning on retaining the original batting-wrapped foam filling for the new back cushions as it has held up relatively well - you can see it in the sofa photo. Do you think I'm OK doing this?
And finally, a couple of technique questions. My neighbor is an avid sewer and thinks I should cut the fabric with pinking shears to minimize fraying - before I rush out and buy a pair, is this a good idea? None of your seams look 'pinked', so I'm wondering. Perhaps it's a question of fabric weight? And, do I need to buy upholstery zippers for the down pillows, or will a regular zipper do?
This really is my last posting for a while - barring my getting stuck along the way, that is - because I need to get busy with the actual construction, and I'm conscious of imposing too much on your time. So if it goes quiet for a while, know that I'm hard at work and will update you when I have something to show. Again, in gratitude for all your help, Janice.
Answers
Hi,.
1. Don't know if it makes much difference, two dividers or three. Try out the two and see how you like it.
2. One of my supply books say to allow 4 to 5 pounds of down/feathers for a regular chair cushion. I would suggest that you just buy a small amount to start with and see how far it goes. That will give you a better idea of how much more you will need.
I'd also suggest that you just make one down-filled pillow to start with, finish it up, and try it out. Make sure it is what you want before making the rest. One rule I go by, "Make your mistakes in the minimum". Otherwise. when you have a bunch to make, make a sample first and test it out.
3. I see no problem in not piping the cushions. It's just a matter of preference. As for skirts, I much prefer skirts to have a top welt. But again, that is a matter of preference. And because the unsual style of your sofa, a cordless skirt could work.
4. There is nothing wrong about keeping the old filling in the cushions. Assuming that you put a zipper in the cushions, you can always replace the filling later.
5. About the Picking Shears. I don't think that I have ever used pinking shears on upholstery. I have used them on clothing fabric occasionally. If she is an avid sewer, then she probably has a pair. Take some samples of the upholstery fabric over to her house, or ask to borrow her pinking shears to try them out. Personally, I don't see a need for them, and question whether or not they, or your hand, would stand up to the cutting of the heavy upholstery fabrics.
6. Seam Binding: Check this newly written article on Seam Binding .
Best wishes,
Stephen
Now a question about skirt stiffener
Thank you so much, Stephen. I'll post a proper update on progress soon, with pics -- I've completed the seat cushion covers and am now working on the down cushions - with 4 panels - and my husband is going to make me one of your bazookas. (I tried the pinking shears and you were right....they didn't help, in fact given the chenille nature of the fabric they just created a pile of 'shavings' at the cut line so I reverted to my normal scissors.)
Meanwhile some questions about skirt stiffener. I don't see a mention of it on your 'how to' pics and slide shows. It looks like you just use a folded/double layer of the material to form the skirt, which is what I did on my ottomans, but I'm wondering if I need to make the sofa skirts 'crisper.' What would you advise? And if the stiffener is recommended, a)is there a special way to apply it....I mean, would I leave the skirt end open to slide it in, or do I sew it in during skirt construction? And b) do I choose the width of stiffener closest to the skirt length so it 'fills' the whole skirt?
Regards, Janice
Should you Put a Stiffener in a Skirt?
Since the question about skirts doesn't fit under Pillow ticking, I've created a new page for skirts and have move my comments to that page: Skirts on Furniture .
Progress report
First a picture of my completed ottoman pillow ready for filling:
Now, I made mistakes along the way but it works. Having attempted to stuff with 75/25 feather/down by hand (sitting in the bath with the AC turned off and the shower curtain drawn, using the contents of a pillow I bought from a discount store as a practice), I'm waiting on my husband to build me a 'Winters bazooka' this weekend so I can complete filling the ottomans.
Nest is a picture of the first of my 2 matching sofas I'm making slipcovers and new seat cushions for:
I'm keeping the old fibre-fill cushions for the back pillows but making new feather/down envelope cushions for the main seating sections - the 'wings' I'll likely fill with new foam. As noted in previous postings, I'm changing the look somewhat by boxing the cushions...4.5". Having made all the fabric cushion covers, here's a picture of a 'new' back cushion:
As you can see, I haven't exactly arranged the fibre right as yet - I had to add extra and the form isn't quite right or as smooth as it should be - especially on the left side. I'm hoping I just need to add some more and pummel a bit.
I'll post a follow-up report once we've had a go with the bazooka filler (won't be fun out in our old shed with temperatures up in the 90s currently).
Regards from Houston, Janice
How to Make the Bazooka
Janice,
Good job on posting the pictures. You are becoming pretty good at that.
Have you or your husband seen the pictures that show how to make the bazooka? The pictures are here: How to Make the Bazooka . Some day I hope to make a tutorial for that, but the pictures will help for now.
the pvc pipe is 1 1/4", 36 inches long, although those measurements can be different if needed or desired.. The hole was drilled 12 inches from the end.
Best Wishes,
Stephen
Almost there
Yes, thank you, Stephen. In fact he's at Home Depot as I type (it's 7:30am here) trying to find the air gun attachment. He borrowed a friend's compressor yesterday and we have a piece of pvc pipe we think will work. I finished the last (of 4 for now) ticking covers last night so hopefully we'll be a 'go' later today. I don't know what I'd do without your help!
I'll post pics when we've finished.
Regards, Janice
The results
The filled ottoman cushion, which Valentine thinks is just for him. (I posted the bazooka results to the 'Down feather....inserts' page.)
Here are both in finished state:
I just love them - not bad for a practice project, I'm thinking.
And here's the sofa so far (I've yet to start on construction of the frame cover):
Stephen, do the seats look over-stuffed to you?? (I fixed the back pillow problem, by the way - I took out the fibre and re-did it, this time adding the extra wads to a hole I made in the middle of the old material, which had kept its smooth outer surface, thankfully.) Now, I think I made the new boxing a tad too wide - at 4.5" - but that's not something I'm going to start over with! I've bought some soft foam to replace the seat 'wing' stuffing - the photo shows the old, thinner filler on the right side. I think the whole thing will look more in scale when the frame is done, which will include a skirt that will just brush the floor and cover the legs. But should I be removing some of the feathers, do you think?
Regards, Janice
The filling in your cushions
Hi Janice,
More than anything, I am very impressed with your determination and perseverance. You took on a very challenging project (making the ticking covers) and continue pressing on through it. You are to be commendended!!!!
As far as the amount of filling in the seat cushions goes, they do look like they have plenty. To answer the question of whether it is too much, that would be determined by how it sits (does it have the "comfort" that you want, or is it too hard) and by feeling it with your hands. I would generally spread out by hands and press down all around the cover. Down/Feather cushions should not feel hard or still, but more soft but full. This can best be determined by a hands-on inspection rather than from a picture. Generally I test (by feeling) each pocket as I'm feeling them.
Here is a rule-of-thumb to go by. Whenever you are making something new, either make a prototype AND/OR only make/fill one first. Then test and examine that one to see what might need to be done differently. In the process you will learn (as you have done) as you go. Learning upholstery is a lot of trial, experiment, error, correction. One of the Most Important skills to learn is "take it out, do it right". Even after almost 40 years, I still take out and correct mistakes, or to it a better way. So, if you wonder if something needs changing, Do It.
Here is another guideline: If you wonder if you need to do something (such as remove some of the feathers), go ahead and do it one ONE of the cushions. After comparing the one that you removed some feathers from with the other cushion, you'll have a better idea of how much fill to put/leave in.
About the boxing, going with the principle of "try one first", before cutting then all smaller, cut one boxing first and make the cushion to see what it will look like. Then you will know.
You are doing great!
Stephen
Thank you......
....for the compliment. I really appreciate it. My husband is impressed with the 'professional' look of the cushions but us half wondering what crazy bug has bitten me, taking on this project.
Actually, I did do what you suggested earlier on - I made the first cover 5.5" wide and realized it was too big, hence I remade it to the 4.5", partly because I wanted the boxing to feature a whole number of the pattern shape and thought 2 would be too small so went with 3 for the final width.
I've started on the base cover and will post progress and questions to your slipcover section as appropriate. I'll remove some of the feathers from one of the seats as you suggest, after doing the 'feel' test.
Regards, Janice
Great article....I got many
Great article....I got many useful tips from this article regarding making an pillow ticking covers and it will be very beneficial for my Living Room Ideas and will improve much to look it nicer.Lighting Ideas in it makes it look more good while in changing colours of room by the theme and it can also be useful for making and changing the style as we can can.