I Made a Sofa Out of a Fold-up Cot.
We needed a sofa for our small apartment but wanted something fairly small.
We've had a cot like this one for years. Ours had been stored over several winters in a shed at the cottage. It was still in ok shape, so I hunted around for things to use.
This is the cushion from an old three-seater outdoor swing. I was thrilled to learn that its dimensions would work out perfectly for my plan. It will serve as a back to the sofa, with bolster cushions as the arms.
Need more sleeping space? See the best air mattresses on the market.
I had a standard sized quilt set with two pillow shams. It was the perfect size to surround the swing cushion. I folded the quilt in half and sewed it shut so it was a big sleeve.
I stuffed the swing cushion into the quilt sleeve.
I folded the edges like a parcel, then basted it all down.
I folded the whole thing over once,
then tufted it with big buttons. I then covered the buttons in red fabric.
The bolsters were next! I used the pillow shams which, to my delight, were the perfect size!
I used fairly heavy weight jacket zippers (those that come completely apart when unzipped) .
and sewed them on the long edges of the pillow sham.
I stuffed a standard sized pillow into each sham. It took some trials with different weights of pillows to get the "just right" firmness I was looking for.
then I zipped them up, and they magically turned into bolsters. On the end that shows, I sewed a seam around the edge and ran a cord so I could pull it tight for a neat finish. I just tied the cord into a bow, so I can quickly and easily undo the bolsters to reveal pillows, should anyone want to use the cot as a bed.
I made the skirt out of inexpensive sheeting. The mattress needed a bit more cushion, so I added two inches of foam to it and covered the mattress with a twin size comforter, using the same method as I did for the back. This I also sewed a long zipper onto so I can take it off to clean it whenever I need to.
Now I have a nice little sofa for my mini apartment!
Comments
Join the conversation
-
Nice
-
WOW !!! That is amazing I love it ...now to find me a roll-a-way bed like that would be awesome .....I would put this in my extra bedroom and take out the twin bed I have in there because I really like this better ....
-
You may get lucky and find a cot like mine at a garage or yard sale... in the summertime, that is!
-
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Very attractive. You have a good eye. Question. Is the back pad just leaning against the wall??