All kids deserve a snuggly spot to call their own. Whether it’s for lounging, movie nights or just curling up with a good book, a pint-sized bean bag chair fits the bill. And while there are many of these available in stores, wouldn’t you rather make one as unique as your child? Complicated bean bag tutorials can be intimidating with all their sections and circle-ness. But what if I told you that with two pieces of fabric, one zipper and a straight stitch you could have an adorable kids bean bag chair in 30 minutes—would you believe me? Materials: two pieces of fabric (upholstery weight fabric is preferable), one 22″ zipper, 3.5 cubic feet of bean bag filling In the following directions, all seam allowances are 5/8″. 1. Cut two fabric pieces to 45″ x 32″. The fabrics can be identical or you can choose coordinating patterns for a two-toned look. 2. Turn right sides together. On the long raw edges, use a zigzag stitch to prevent fraying. Then straight stitch the same edges.
Due to the amount of abuse these seams will endure, I highly recommend using a small stitch length for durability. 3. Fold the fabric in half like a hot dog bun, matching up the sewn edges. 4. Starting from the folded side, round one end, removing approximately 6″ of material from the corner. 5. Open the fabric back up, and you should have a nice symmetrical curve on one side. Zigzag the raw edge, and again use your straight stitch to close. 6. Open the remaining unsewn edge. Keeping right sides together, fold in half the opposite way as shown below. 7. Sew your 22″ zipper into the center of this opening. I used an invisible zipper so it would be less noticeable when completed. 8. Finish your zipper installation by closing the zipper edge with a straight stitch on either side. 9. Turn the bean bag chair right side out and fill with beans! This kid-size chair takes exactly one bag of bean bag filling (3.5 cubic feet or 100 liters) to create the perfect plump.
There’s really no easy way to get those static cling-crazy little pellets inside without spilling a few. My best advice is to have two people holding the zipper open and a third person to pour—oh, and have your vacuum on standby! If this chair doesn’t beckon “come, relax,” I don’t know what does! Choosing to use two different fabrics means the bean bag chair is reversible too. Just flip it, and you’re rockin’ a whole new vibe—it’s two chairs in one! Whether you make one for your own child or give it as a gift, I guarantee this kids bean bag chair will become the new favorite snuggle spot. Keep in mind that bean bag filling pellets are a choking hazard! Because the zipper is accessible, please make these only for kids who are old enough to know better than to eat them. Editor’s Note: If you have any concerns about your child opening the zipper or you’re making for a young child, consider sewing the bag shut (knowing you will have to rip open the seam if you ever want to refill the “beans” and sew shut again).
It is never safe for a child to open the zipper or attempt to climb inside.Simple BeanbagsLovely BeanbagsDiy BeanbagsDiy Bean Bag Chair TutorialBean Bag Chair Diy PatternBean Bag Pattern FreeSew Bean Bag ChairBean Bag ChairsBeanbag Diy PatternForwardMost excited to make some lovely beanbags for my new house!How To Make Bean Bag ChairMake Bean BagsDiy Bean Bags ChairBean Bags KidsSew Bean BagDiy Love Sac Bean BagDiy Adult Bean Bag ChairFaux Fur Bean Bag ChairPattern For Bean Bag ChairForwardInstructions to make my girl her very own bean bag for my apartment lol. It will have the initials G.E.T. :)Summertime is nearly upon us, which, for many, means kids out of school. This is such a fun time of year – lots of activities to fill their days with. But kids need leisure and “down” time just as much as they need stimulation and exercise, which makes this super simple DIY bean bag chair a must-do in these late spring months. If you have about 45 minutes or less and can sew a zipper, you’re more than equipped to tackle this quick project that will give your kids the perfect relaxation domain.
They might even take a nap here. If you were on the fence about this DIY project before, you’re interested now, aren’t you?Note: For your reference, the child in the photos above is 3’ tall. Feel free to adjust your own bean bag’s size accordingly to best fit your child(ren).Step 1: Lay out fabric right sides together. You can choose two pieces of fabric that are the same, or you can choose to contrast the two pieces. Either way, it’s recommended that you choose an upholstery weight fabric for best results and durability.Step 2: Cut fabric to size. Each piece should be 32” x 45”. Prepare to sew both of the 45” sides together.Step 3: Sew the longer (45”) raw edges together. Make sure right sides of fabric are touching each other (facing in), and use a fairly small straight stitch at 5/8” seam line down both 45” sides. Tip: The smaller the stitch size, the more durable your seam tends to be. I went ahead and did a double seam to improve durability, but that’s not required.
Use a zigzag stitch on the raw edges of your two new seam lines (down the 45” edges) to keep the fabric from fraying over time.Step 4: Lay out and fold fabric. Fold fabric “hot dog”-style, so that your two 45” seams touch each other.Step 5: Round the corners. Beginning at the fold, cut a slow arc in your fabric toward the seam lines, aiming for a total of about 6” width off the seam edge.When you unfold your pieces, you should be left with a symmetrical curve at one end. Adjust and/or trim the curve so that it makes you happy.Step 6: Sew the curved edge closed. Using the same methods that you used previously (such as small stitch size at 5/8”, with a single or double seam, and zigzagged raw edge), sew the curved edge closed.Step 7: Prepare for zipper. At this point, you should only have one opening on your piece; the other three ends should be sewn together. Lay your fabric down on a flat surface.Roll your piece until the two 45” seam edges match up. This puts folds in the middles of your two fabric pieces.
Open your zipper most of the way and place one side (zipper should be face-down) near the edge of your fabric. (Don’t worry about the other half of your zipper at this point; we’ll get to that later.)Pin this one side of the zipper in place, from one end of the zipper to the other.Using a zipper foot on your sewing machine, carefully sew the zipper half into place.Lay your fabric back down on the flat surface and carefully pin the other half of the zipper onto the other side of your bean bag chair fabric. Sew this side into place. Tip: If your zipper foot can’t sew around the zipper pull, simply sew up to it then lift your sewing machine foot and move the zipper pull up or down the zipper, then lower your sewing machine foot and continue your zipper seam.Step 8: Close off top and bottom of zipper. Although they come with built-in stoppers, it’s helpful to secure the ends of your zipper with a seam or two so that the zipper stays intact over time. Before you finish things off, though, make sure your zipper is at least partly open so you can turn your fabric inside out when complete!
At one edge of the zipper, with the fabric folded together, sew a perpendicular seam over the edge of the zipper and then continue the seam toward the fold in your fabric. (This seam will only be about 5” long.) Repeat on the other end of your zipper. Tip: Curve the end of your seam toward the fold just a bit, only an inch or two, to soften the corner.Step 9: Finish off the raw edges by your zipper with a zigzag stitch.Step 10: Fill bean bag chair with “beans.” Turn your bean bag right-side out, fluff out the corners, and begin to fill with the foam beans. These things are static, so I found it most effective to cut a 6” hole in the plastic sack, stick the whole thing down inside my sewn bean bag chair, and work the beans out that way. Find what works for you.Step 11: Zip it up and enjoy! You have just created a cute and comfortable relaxation spot for your kids (or yourself!).I’m sure you’ll soon find them lounging and reading their favorite books in no time…I hope you enjoy this DIY kids bean bag chair project and reap the many benefits of having a designated kid-space this summer!