Crazy about DIY designs? If the answer is “yes”, the best product you could start with is, without a doubt, a
puff
.
If you follow our blog, you probably already know many different styles and have shared new ideas that have come up with the products you like the most. That said, have you ever thought about the challenge of making them with your own hands? In Fiaka we are known for being manufacturers of puffs in Spain and we want to share with you our experience in making them. We want you to be able to make a high quality product in an easy and simple way. So, if you read on you can get many useful tips on how to make a puff step by step.
It is a great accessory to give character to any corner of a house, a business or even a terrace. This, together with the fact that handmade designs are becoming more and more prominent, can become an explosive boom of taste and color.
So, how to make a puff? We are going to tell you the manufacturing process step by step with all the materials needed for it.
To start with the process, it is necessary to know that there are many types of puffs. There are larger, smaller, round, square and pear-shaped. The shape you choose should depend on the space you have available and the use you want to make of it. The latter will be discussed later.
Let’s start by making the puff, let’s get to work!
GENERAL STEPS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF POUFS
- PATTERN
Every handyman knows that everything starts with a pattern. It is usually made with cardboard and the shape of the part cut and sewn later. It is very important to take into account the measurements and that it is a comfortable and accurate pattern.
Tip: to speed up the process of making a puff you can incorporate the one and a half centimeter seam allowance into the pattern. This will allow you to cut the fabric directly by copying the pattern lines.
- MATERIALS
Another important step when making any puff is to choose the material. This will depend on the intended use of this decorative accessory. The outdoor fabric has to be more resistant and easy to clean, while if you choose one for the interior you have an infinite number of other options, such as leatherette or a fabric with a Miami or Amazon style print. In any case, select high quality material that matches the rest of the design of your room.
- CUT
A simple and fairly quick process. The fabric is cut according to the pattern prepared in advance.
- SEWING
This is the manufacturing part itself. Depending on the model of puff we are making, the parts of the puff will be sewn in one way or another.
- FILLING
The filling of a soft pouff is made of
fire-retardant polystyrene beads.
. They are beads of 3-5 mm in size that provide comfort to the seat and are distributed inside the pouff, giving it an ergonomic shape that adapts to any person.
As for rigid puffs, the padding changes. The inside of these are usually composed of a cork base wrapped in a layer of foam rubber.
HOW TO MAKE A PEAR PUFF.
It’s easy! To prepare everything, you need: the fabric (dimensions to choose from), scissors, thread to match the chosen material, needle, sewing machine, a piece of lining fabric (non-woven fabric), a zipper and stuffing.
Step 1: We make the pear puff pattern.
First, all the pieces of the pouf are drawn on the cardboard. In this case the puff is composed of six equal parts and, therefore, we would draw only one of them. In addition, a circumference is also drawn, divided into two parts that would constitute the base part and another smaller whole (approx. 11 cm in diameter) that would be the cover of the puff.
It is important to follow the advice given above to incorporate a centimeter or a centimeter and a half of seam allowance into the pattern itself to make it go faster.
Step 2: Cutting the pear puff.
The next step is to transfer the pattern to the fabric you have chosen for your puff. We copy the six segments on the inverted part of the fabric with a pencil and the two strips.
Cutting tip 1: if the fabric or material you have chosen to make your pouf has a pattern, try to draw the pieces to match. This will make it look more beautiful and uniform when it is sewn.
Cutting tip 2: take into account the width of the fabric. A lot of it is often wasted, so try to place the pieces in such a way that you can take advantage of the whole piece you have.
Step 3: Making the pear puff.
The core of the manufacturing process is the stitching of the puff. Once all the pieces have been cut, prepare them and go to the sewing machine (or prepare the thread with needle in case you want to do it completely by hand).
The pieces are sewn together at the sides. It is very important to keep in mind that the puff is sewn upside down and when it is finished, it is turned inside out. First, the pear-shaped segments of the puff are sewn together, then the top flap of the top cover is added and finally the two halves of the base flap are sewn together. We do not sew the whole puff because between it we add the zipper that will allow us to have a hole through which the puff can be stuffed.
Tip: To make the next step easier, when sewing the pieces together, we will add a small piece of the lining fabric around the base.
Step 4: Filling the pear puff.
To fill the puff, simply remove the bag with polystyrene and carefully pour it into the previously sewn lining, turning it to the outside. This filling is usually sold in different formats, since its quantity depends on the size of the puff or its hardness.
Tip for filling the pouf: fill in the bathtub with the cap on to take advantage of the pearls.
Close the zipper and voila! In 4 steps you have made yourself a decorative element that is a classic.
HOW TO MAKE A LARGE ROUND PUFF.
It is the most versatile puff that exists. It goes with absolutely everything and is the easiest to make.
To make this puff the steps will be the same as in the previous one. The difference will lie in the pattern and the way the fabric is cut.
Let’s take a look at it:
Step 1: The pattern of the round puff.
The pattern of this puff is going to be rectangular. Yes, yes, we have not made a mistake.
Pattern 1:
It is to make a drawing of the rectangle whose length of the base has the measure of the size of the desired circumference and the height is equal to the diameter of the circumference of the puff. This is so that when it is sewn there is only one side seam.
Pattern 2:
In addition to the rectangle, a round pattern is made, which will be the two strips of the puff.
Step 2: Cut to the round.
Simply place the pattern on top of the back of the fabric and cut out the rectangle with the two circles. Don’t forget to be efficient in distributing the cut.
Step 3: Making the round puff.
As in the pouf pera, it joins all the pieces together. The rectangle is joined at the top and bottom to the two strips.
In this case the zipper is added between the seam of the center piece and the top plate.
Step 4: Filling.
Fill your puff as indicated above. You can regulate its hardness by adding more or less pellets.
Don’t forget to play with colors or fabrics, creating your own style, customizing it as much as possible to express your character through decoration. What better than something made with your own hands to define you and your environment?