Today I have a sewing project to share with you and one that is recycling an old piece of clothing. I will show you how to make a DIY jumper cushion which can also double as a memory cushion.

Do you have a favourite jumper that might be slightly past its best or not quite fitting? Well, you can keep this jumper and turn it into a cushion to carry on enjoying it. As well as creating some cosy décor for the colder months of the year.

In today’s post, I will show you how you can make your DIY jumper cushion to add to your décor. It is an easy project, so perfect for those of you starting on your sewing journey. It will allow you to test your skills in turning an item into something new as well as sewing with knit-type fabric (without the extra cost of purchasing it). Knits can be a bit stretchy to sew, and using an old jumper is a great way to practice and get a lovely DIY jumper cushion from it.

If you are a bit more adventurous with knits, check out this DIY cardigan project!

This project is also a great way for remembering loved ones who have sadly passed away by making it into a memory cushion. That is what I did for my lovely neighbour who sadly lost his wife last year and this was a great way of taking something of hers and making it feel like she was still around at Christmas time.

So, if you would like to see how to make a DIY Jumper cushion, then let’s get sewing!

DIY Jumper Cushion

To make the DIY jumper cushion you will need the following items. Please note some items on this list are affiliate links and will be marked with an asterisk (*).

• Old jumper
• Sewing Machine* – this is the one I use
• Erasable fabric marker*
• Fabric Scissors*
• Sewing pins* or Sewing clips*
• 18” X 18” cushion insert*

Step 1 – Prep Jumper

Before we can begin sewing, we need to prepare the jumper to become the cushion cover it is destined to be. Now, I did make some mistakes with this, but they are easily rectifiable if you do too.

Start by cutting down the two side seams. This will split the jumper into the front and back to provide the fabric for the cushion. Continue this along the sleeve side seam as well. Don’t cut the sleeve away from the jumper at the armhole part as I did. The jumper will remain attached at the should seam/neckline.

If you have cut the sleeves away, then you can re-attach these to the front piece by lining up the armhole edges with the sleeve edges. You will have to do this again after cutting the front piece of the cushion out on the back piece.

If your jumper is big enough, you may not need the sleeve parts. It all depends on the size of your cushion.

Step 2 – Cut out Cushion Pieces

Now it is time to cut out the front and back pieces to make up the cushion. We will start with the front piece. If you have any embellishments on the front of the jumper as I did, then you need to think about how this will be placed on the cushion. Then, you need to work your measurements around this. Luckily the embellishment on this jumper is fairly central, so it makes it easier to place.

My cushion insert is 18” X 18” which equates to approximately 46cm X 46cm. We are going to use a seam allowance of approximately 1cm, therefore we need to adjust the measurement to make it fit the cushion insert.

Mark on the front piece of the jumper 47cm X 47cm square.
For the back pieces, as this is an envelope-style closing, we will need to cut the back into two pieces. Mark at 47cm X 59cm for the overall square. Then mark up from the bottom or top 29cm. This will be the cut line to split into two.

Before cutting these out, head to the sewing machine and complete a straight stitch inside the lines marked. This will help stop the jumper from unravelling once it is cut.
Then use the sewing scissors to cut the marked lines, keeping the stitching to the inside of this.

Step 3 – Create the DIY Jumper Cushion

Before we attach the pieces to create the DIY jumper cushion, we need to make sure the back pieces are ready.
As this is an envelope back, we need to make sure the ends are sealed and look nice. Hopefully, you should have the ribbing from the bottom of the front jumper left over. Place this onto the back piece that doesn’t have the ribbed bottom already attached, right sides touching.

Sew the two together using a zig-zag stitch or stretch stitch, whichever your machine has. Make sure this isn’t too long or short of a stitch, to allow for a stretch without it being too loose. You should now have two back pieces with two ends neatly finished.
If you didn’t have any of the ribbing left, simply fold the bottom raw end in 0.5cm and fold again another 0.5cm and sew along the folded edge to create a nice finish.

Connect the three pieces

Now it is time to connect all the pieces Start by placing the front piece down right side up. Then place the top part of the back piece on top of this, right side down. Line up the top raw edges, so the ribbing piece is in the middle of the cushion. Mine has the shoulder seam parts still attached, so I used this as a guide to line up the top part.

Then place the remaining back piece, again, right side down, lining up the raw edges once again. Make sure the ribbing part is in the middle like the other back piece.
Pin or clip all the way around to secure them all together.

Then head to the sewing machine and sew a 1cm seam around the edges of the pieces. Place the needle down into the fabric when reaching the corner, lift the sewing foot and turn the fabric in the direction of sewing. Replace the foot down and continue sewing. This should give you better corners. Remember to backstitch at the start and end of sewing to give the seam strength.

Step 4 – Turn Right Side Out

Once everything is sewn, we can then turn the cushion right side out and check out your handy work. Use the envelope opening to turn the right side out, pushing out the corners as you go. You can press the cushion cover once right-side out, however, make sure this is on low heat. You can also finger press this by rolling the seam in between your fingers to help them lay flat.

Test out that your cover fits your insert and then the DIY jumper cushion is complete.
I added extra pieces to my cushion, including jingle bells to the corners and a little vinyl sticker patch to the back with whose memory cushion it is.

What do you think of this DIY jumper cushion? Will you be turning your old jumpers into cosy décor pieces? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Jumper Cushion Video

Here is the video version of this post. It may be easier to follow along with the tutorial through the video. Don’t forget to like the video if you have enjoyed it, and why not subscribe to my channel to keep up with all of my creative and crafty antics on YouTube.

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