Easy and Inexpensive Deck Chair Pad

 Check out our plain old deck chairs.  

Before you make fun of them you should know they were a bargain.  Four chairs, a table plus a shade umbrella were only $99.  We've had them for a few years and they work great for outdoor dining or hanging on the patio with a glass of lemonade (or a margarita ~ that sounds so good!).  The backs recline and they weather well ~ which is important here in the Pacific Northwest ~ because you never know when it's going to rain.  Well, actually, it's more like you never know when you might get some sunshine!   The woven seat was just not very comfy for lounging.  (Can you picture the lovely woven imprint they left on our thighs?  Not cool.)

How about these chair pads?  How sad is this picture with the schlumpy chair cushion?  These just won't work!!!

So, when I saw the adorable blue striped towels on sale at a department store for $2.99 each I thought, "I can do something with these!"

Let's see what I can do...

You know, for sitting around sipping lemonade (or margaritas!!!).

I am LOVING the stripes...COOL!

I took my scissors to the two old pads and cut off the covers.  I ended up with four pads that I cut down to the size of the chair seats.  No going back now!

I laid the towel down wrong side up, put the pad on top of the towel, then folded the towel back over the top of the pad.   I cut the excess towel off ~ leaving enough fabric to fit over the pad as well as about a 3/4 inch seam allowance on each side for stitching closed ~ plus extra for turning and hemming the rough-cut edges.  (Big breath after that run on sentence!)

I turned the rough edges up TWICE and pinned them that way ~

Then I sewed a new hem where I had cut the towel down to size ~

After the hems were done I folded the towel with wrong sides together, placed the pad inside and sewed the entire piece closed along the previous hems...doing this left the previous hems to resemble double "welting" ~

 First one done!  Only three more to go...  Check it out ~

These cushions are so soft and comfortable for our hineys.  No more imprints!!!

Perfect for basking in the sun...whenever that day finally comes.........................................................oh, forgive me,
I got lost in that fantasy for a minute!

And I'm playing around with some accessories to liven up the space.  I will show you the complete transformation when I'm done, but here are a few of the things I'm tossing around ~

An empty blue frame surrounding a garden art plaque...hmmm...not sure yet...

A couple of signs from Target's dollar section ~

...some .50 cent garage sale lanterns hanging from plant hangers ~ battery powered candles for ambiance.

Can't wait to show you the space when it's done!

Big HUGE thanks to Beckie Farrant for sharing our Raised Garden Bed on Roadkill Rescue...go take a look and please don't forget to tell Beckie that Sherry from P3 sent you!  

You can see her post HERE