Even a novice on the sewing machine can make this DIY ottoman! It’s a simple floor pouf that elevates the look of any room, and is extra comfy for putting up your feet at the end of the day.

This DIY ottoman project is so satisfying! I love projects that are simple but have a huge payoff.

If you’ve never sewn before or are a beginner, this is a perfect project for you! It’s as easy as creating a DIY simple no-zipper throw pillow and way simpler than mini crib sheets! All it takes is sewing a few straight lines to create this sturdy, beautiful floor pouf.

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DIY Ottoman

I think at this point we have an ottoman or a floor pouf in every room of our house. They’re so versatile and useful!

The kids love to lounge or sit on them, we use them to put our feet up, and they’re great for styling a room too. Read on for some of my DIY ottoman styling tips to try.

More Home Projects that Go Perfectly With a DIY Floor Pouf

We have so many home projects that I’ve created over the years in our archives! Lots of them would complement the DIY floor pouf perfectly.

I took a second to compile some of our most popular for you to browse. If you find one you love, be sure to pin it so that you can always come back to it easily!

Supplies You’ll Need

Fabric or Blanket. I’ll share more about this below, but the most important material for the project is the fabric that you see on the outside of the ottoman! You can get this from a fabric store or try my hack and use a blanket.

Stuffing or Batting. You’ll need something to stuff inside the pouf to give it shape, softness, and give. This can be pillow batting, stuffing, or even a batch of throw pillows if you have extra throw pillow bodies around the house.

Sewing Machine + Notions. A basic sewing machine will suffice as long as your fabric is not extremely thick or stiff. A standard machine and needle is what I used to work with this faux sheepskin fabric.

Using a Blanket Vs. Fabric to Create a DIY Pouf

I love the idea of using what you have or upcycling something that you don’t use into something that you love! And this DIY ottoman is a perfect opportunity to do that.

You can absolutely choose some new fabric for this project, just as you would for any sewing project. But! You can also do what I did and use a blanket.

I had a beautiful faux sheepskin blanket that had never been used and just sat, folded and new, in a closet. So I simply cut away the backing and used it as fabric to create the ottoman.

You can do this with pretty much any large piece of fabric or blanket, as long as there’s enough surface space to the piece. See below for measurements and instructions!

How to Make a DIY Ottoman

Start by cutting your fabric. You’ll need 6 squares of fabric, each 18″x18″. You can use regular fabric or cut a blanket to upcycle the fabric. Use your rotary tool and a cutting mat to measure the squares as you cut.
Set your sewing machine to a strong stitch — I used a tight zigzag because an ottoman will probably get a little more everyday use than a standard home project. Place two squares with right sides facing, and sew along one edge, leaving a 1/2″ seam allowance.
You’ll sew two more squares onto these two in the same way, so that you have four squares sewn together in a long strip.Next, take your fifth square and sew it perpendicular to the 2nd square in the strip of four.
Finally, sew the 6th square and sew it on the opposite side of the one you just added. This should result in six squares sewn together in a lowercase “t” shape.
Now you’ll start creating a box shape by sewing up the sides of the “t.” The upper 5 squares of the “t” will create a box, and the lowest square will remain an open flap. Start by pinning right sides together, so that you have an inside out box with the right side of the fabric facing inward on all sides. Sew up all of the sides.
Next, fold and pin the open flap over to close the box. Only pin on two sides; sew these sides so that you have one open seam on your box.
Flip your box right side out; this is how your ottoman will start to take shape! Fill the inside with stuffing, batting, or a few throw pillows. It can be helpful to put pillows along the bottom and side walls, then fill the center with batting.
Finally, you’ll hand-sew the open seam. Fold the fabric in on itself and close with a hidden stitch all the way across.

Styling A Room with An Ottoman

Place your DIY floor pouf in just about any room to add some coziness and comfort!

I love using ottomans to encourage a feeling of freedom in the seating of a space, especially for entertaining. You can easily pick them up and move them, you can plop down on or next to one, or you can put your feet up.

You could even use it as a coffee table!

Try your DIY ottoman in a bedroom, living space, or even a seating area in an office or studio.

And if you create this DIY, be sure to rate it below! xoxo

DIY Ottoman Floor Pouf

Yield: Ottoman Floor Pouf

Active Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours

Difficulty: Intermediate

Estimated Cost: $50

Even a novice on the sewing machine can make this DIY ottoman! It's a simple floor pouf that elevates the look of any room, and is extra comfy for putting up your feet at the end of the day.

Materials

Fabric or blanket
Stuffing or batting
Cutting mat

Tools

Sewing machine
Scissors
Notions
Rotary Cutter

Instructions

Start by cutting your fabric. You'll need 6 squares of fabric, each 18"x18". You can use regular fabric or cut a blanket to upcycle the fabric. Use your rotary tool and a cutting mat to measure the squares as you cut.
Set your sewing machine to a strong stitch -- I used a tight zigzag because an ottoman will probably get a little more everyday use than a standard home project. Place two squares with right sides facing, and sew along one edge, leaving a 1/2" seam allowance.
You'll sew two more squares onto these two in the same way, so that you have four squares sewn together in a long strip.
Next, take your fifth square and sew it perpendicular to the 2nd square in the strip of four.
Finally, sew the 6th square and sew it on the opposite side of the one you just added. This should result in six squares sewn together in a lowercase "t" shape.
Now you'll start creating a box shape by sewing up the sides of the "t." The upper 5 squares of the "t" will create a box, and the lowest square will remain an open flap. Start by pinning right sides together, so that you have an inside out box with the right side of the fabric facing inward on all sides. Sew up all of the sides.
Next, fold and pin the open flap over to close the box. Only pin on two sides; sew these sides so that you have one open seam on your box.
Flip your box right side out; this is how your ottoman will start to take shape! Fill the inside with stuffing, batting, or a few throw pillows. It can be helpful to put pillows along the bottom and side walls, then fill the center with batting.
Finally, you'll hand-sew the open seam. Fold the fabric in on itself and close with a hidden stitch all the way across.

Notes

I love the idea of using what you have or upcycling something that you don't use into something that you love! And this DIY ottoman is a perfect opportunity to do that.