How to Design Your Own Bleacher Seat or Stadium Chair

Many parents and sports spectators have felt the bitter cold or burning heat of aluminum bleacher seating while watching their child or favorite team fight for victory. Uncomfortable spectator seating can detract from viewer enjoyment and cause a lack of focus on the game. Design and create your own bleacher cushions from a few craft materials that will withstand the inclement weather of any sport season. Custom stadium seats can be expensive, so when you create your own, you not only cushion your seat but keep some cushion in your wallet.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 yard vinyl fabric
  • Iron (optional)
  • Towel (optional)
  • Measuring tape
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Sewing pins
  • Vinyl thread
  • Sewing machine
  • Heavy-duty sewing needle
  • 2-inch foam piece (1)
  • Fabric paints (optional)
  • Paint Brush (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a soft, waterproof vinyl fabric that matches your team colors. Lay the fabric on your work surface and smooth with your hands. If the fabric is wrinkled, place a towel over the vinyl and iron on low heat.

    • 2

      Measure and mark two 20-1/2-by-20-1/2-inch squares of fabric. Carefully cut them out. Measure, mark and cut two 40-1/2-inch long and 2-1/2-inch wide strips of the same vinyl fabric. Before you cut, measure twice to ensure accuracy.

    • 3

      Match two of the long strip ends, right sides together. Sew along the 2-1/2-inch wide side. Straighten the new 80-inch strip and match the sewed seam with any corner of one of the squares. Pin the seam to the corner, right sides together. Continue to pin the strip along the edges of the square until each strip-end meets at the corner diagonal from where you began to pin.

    • 4

      Thread the sewing machine with the vinyl thread in a color to match the vinyl cloth. Use a scrap of fabric to test the machine's stitching. Adjust as necessary, according to the machine's manual.

    • 5

      Sew the 80-inch strip to the square with a quarter-inch seam allowance. Trim the excess thread. Pin strip ends, right sides together. Sew across the 2-1/2-inch width. Trim hanging thread.

    • 6

      Pin the second square, right sides together, to the strip attached to the first vinyl square. Sew three sides of the second square to the 80-inch strip, leaving one square edge open to insert cushion foam.

    • 7

      Measure and mark the two-inch high section of foam to a 20-by-20-inch square. Trim excess foam with scissors. Turn the vinyl cushion cover right-side-out. Insert the foam square, ensuring that corners are aligned with the cover corners.

    • 8

      Match the open seams together. Fold in a quarter inch on both the strip fabric and the square fabric. Pin the two folded, open fabric pieces together and hand sew with vinyl thread and a heavy-duty needle. Inspect the seams to ensure accurate machine sewing. Hand sew where necessary.

    • 9

      Paint the school logo or name of your favorite team with fabric paints as a decor option. Dry untouched for at least 72 hours.