Love vintage grain sacks? Here’s how to create your own grain sack fabric chair cushions to add vintage charm to your outdoor furniture instantly and simply with stencils! A small detail that makes a huge impact.

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Who else adores wicker chairs?

I actually had a nice set of 4 darker brown resin wicker chairs that I landed in Lowes a number of years ago. I even Buffalo Checked the plain red chair pads to dress them up a little!

However after a few years of being outdoors, the chairs and tables were starting to age getting a little tattered around the edges.

Find Hampton Bay Rosemont Stackable Woven Chair – Light Brown Finish with Putty Tan Cushion HERE

So when I spotted these natural looking resin wicker chairs at Home Depot, I didn’t delay! I snatched up a couple for the patio.

What sold me was how natural the wicker looked, while still being very outdoor durable.

Plus, this patio furniture CAME with oatmeal toned linen-like seat pads covered in outdoor fabrics too that to me resembled upholstery fabric with a european grain sacks vibe.

What a nice plus, as you normally have to purchase cushions separately.

View other wicker chair options on Amazon HERE

Resin wicker chair features:

looks like real wicker from a short distance
made from resin for outdoor durability
comes with outdoor cushions that resist mildew while offering an extra layer of comfort
timeless look to suite any decor taste
deep dimensions provide a comfy sit
comfy without cushions too
chair cushions resemble vintage fabric or feed sacks
nice classic farmhouse look
stackable for easy storage

I’ve found the wicker chairs offer quite comfortable seating for maximum comfort as they’re nice and deep. And the durability seems very high-quality which is always a plus!

They’re also actually quite comfy without the seat cushions too, allowing your entire arm to rest on the armrests. The cushions raise you up a little which is fine as well.

They can be pushed up against a patio or picnic table for dining chairs, or just as-is for a nice, casual sitting area.

However those plain chair cushions were calling for some added detail. Their oatmeal appearance seemed to mimic grain sack fabric, so that sealed the deal for adding some grain sack stripes!

Why grain sack stripes?

offers a vintage, timeless look
easy to apply
subtle and looks good against any other decor

I love a vintage twist to my home decor projects, and grain sack fabric is such a timeless way to get the look while still working with virtually any decorating or style!

Adding grain sack stripes is easily done too. You can choose to manually tape lines on your project using masking tape, then paint.

Or use grain sack stripe stencils which gets this job done accurately and quickly without long hours of endless positioning and taping!

View 6 Mix and Match Grain Sack Stripe stencil designs HERE

Where to find Grain Sack Stripe stencils

These 6 grain sack stripe stencil designs make creating grain sack stripes easy on any project, whether it’s furniture, pillows, fabric or more.

They come in two different lengths, however I do recommend the L series since they clear 20″ throw pillows without having to move the stencil to make the image longer.

So let’s make some custom seat cushions in just a few minutes!

Stencil authentic grain sack fabric chair cushions

Where else to use grain sack stripe stencils:

on furniture like THIS VINTAGE BENCH
decorative pillows, pillow cases or pillow covers
lamp shades
table runners
tablecloth
towels
curtains
on burlap sacks like THIS ORGANIC COFFEE cabinet
shower curtains
kitchen aprons
any cotton sacks or vintage sacks
on casual yards of fabric, such as painters’ drop cloth or linen fabric
lampshades
on antique grain sacks

Be sure to prewash any fabric or textiles to reduce possible shrinkage before stenciling.

Supplies you’ll need

Grain Sack Stripe stencils of choice (this tutorial showcases G2L and G4L)

Fusion Mineral Paint in Ash (10% off)

A thinner and wider paint brush that covers the total width of the grain sack stripe chosen

Water Mister by Fusion Mineral Paint (10% off)

Reg sticky masking tape (not painters’ tape)

Plain flat chair cushions of choice

Get all Fusion products at 10% off HERE

Read how to use Fusion Mineral Paint and my fav products HERE

Choosing grain sack stripes

I chose two different grain sack stripes (G2L and G4L) that complimented each other without being exactly the same.

Note how the L series clears the chair pad sizes? That in itself will offer a smoother finish using this method!

Shop Staalmeester brushes on Amazon HERE

Or find Staalmeester brushes on Fusion’s website HERE (discount not applicable)

Selecting the right size paint brush

You can of course choose a dome-tipped stencil brush to apply the grain sack stripes. However I like using a wider paint brush, for a smooth, weathered appearance. I think it offers a more authentic finish while doing a more professional job.

Choose a paint brush that’s thinner, but as wide as your chosen train sack stripes so you can cover it all in one pass.

Shown are the very high quality Staalmeester One Series I like to stock that I get through Fusion Mineral Paint. They are a must to have on hand if you paint lots of furniture since they offer such a smooth finish!

However for this tutorial, a wider, price efficient brush or even a paint chip brush like THESE on Amazon will also work. You just may have to do more passes to cover the full width.

So let’s stencil grain sack fabric!

Be sure to also catch the short video at the bottom of this post so you can see how easily it is in action.

Preparing the cushion for stenciling

1. Tape off the chair pad edges.

Using stickier regular masking tape (not painter’s tape) apply it to both the front and back sides of the cushion so the stripe stops after the top.

2. Position and masking tape the grain sack stripe stencil in the middle of your chair cushion.

3. Add a piece of masking tape to the ends of the stencils, then stick down into place around the corners of the chair cushions.

4. For extra stability, run masking tape along the entire length of the stencil on each side.

I’d also suggest to use regular masking tape, not painter’s tape. Regular sticks better to fabric. I changed mine after the pictures!

Prepping the right brush with paint

5. Pour your paint into a wider dish or lid.

6. Dip brush into the paint, then off-load the paint onto another surface. I use scraps of wood but you could also use a paper or styrofoam plate. You’ll want something that can handle water.

7. Off-load the paint onto your surface, while adding 1 or 2 squirts of misted water.

If you don’t have a water mister, I vote to get one as it helps for furniture painting as well! However you can also add a drop or two of water, then smear the paint around.

The water helps the paint to appear a little more transparent and fluid for this method.

Stenciling the grain sack stripe

8. Drag the loaded paintbrush along the chair cushion from one end to the other without stopping.

Repeat several times until you get the depth of tone you desire.

Go nice and slow so the grain sack stripes don’t move while you paint.

Rounding the cushion edges

9. Remove the masking tape ends from the cushion, then reposition where desired.

10. Align the stencil to fit around the cushion corners, then continue to stencil.

Working around corners is a little tricky with flat stencils. You can finish this part while the cushion is on a table, or while being held between your knees / legs.

Another way is to use masking tape to continue the lines around tricky corners.

I also found switching to a wider, smaller artist’s paint brush like THESE to work better. (you’ll see that in the video)

The finished chair cushion

And there you have a perfectly smooth looking grain sack stripe, that has a slightly weathered appearance! It’s perfect!

If you use a regular dome-tipped stencil brush like THIS, you’ll achieve a much newer, deeper appearance.

Both ways work! I just like the smooth flawless finish of this look.

Ready to see how cute they are on the chairs?

Grain Sack Stripe stencil G4L

Grain Sack Stripe chair cushions on wicker chairs

Oh yes… this resin wicker chair now as a punch of vintage style and personality! The grain sack stripes are subtle, but they work alongside other patterns too, such as those retro star stenciled stools you can see HERE

Grain Sack Stripe stencil G2L

And here’s the other chair, with an even more discreet grain sack stripe.

Tip: The grain sack stripe stencils are designed to overlap each other so you can create your own custom stripes too! So the more you have, the more you can create.

But I decided I wanted these stripes a little simpler so they’d shine against those stools and other patterns such as the buffalo check throw blanket I love to cuddle under.

So from the paint yet still cute resin wicker chairs before…