Padded Bucket Seat Tutorial

Padded Seat Cushion** 
Supplies:

• 1 Gamma lid (Lowe's and Winco) to fit a 5-gallon bucket*
• fabric or bandana, 20"-22" inches wide
• wooden circle, 10"-11" (I found thin craft rounds at Hobby Lobby, $3.99 for a 3 pack)
• foam, 2" thick (I found a 2-pack of 1" foam (12"x12") and put them together)
• staple gun
• Adhesive Velcro strips

1. Gather your materials. (Not pictured is the staple gun and Velcro.)

2. Measure your fabric or bandana to create a 20"-22" circle. I folded a bandana into quarters and measured an 11" arc from the center and then cut.

3. Trace your wooden circle onto your foam. Cut out circle.

4. Place foam circle onto wooden circle. Place fabric circle on a hard surface. Turn foam and wooden circle upside down onto fabric. 

5. Sew a wide basting stitch around your fabric so it can be gathered easier and more evenly.

5. While pulling the fabric taut (but not too tightly) around the foam side and into the center of the wooden side, staple the gathered fabric onto the wooden circle.

6. With both sides of the Velcro strips together, cut 4 Velcro strips to match up on Gamma lid (about 2 3/4" long) and adhere one side of the Velcro pieces to the lid.

7. With other sides of Velcro placed on the 4 secure strips, remove backing to reveal adhesive. Then center padded seat onto the lid, pressing firmly. 

The next part might be a little tricky especially if you have strong Velcro:

8. CAREFULLY pull padded seat off of the lid, making sure (with your fingers) to take the Velcro with it. If the Velcro moves a bit just reposition as best you can to get it to match up with Velcro on the lid.

9. Staplegun the Velcro onto the padded seat. 

Test out your seat (and Velcro placement) by placing it on the lid. If the Velcro matches up, you're done!

*You will need to use a rubber mallet to secure the adapter ring (the part that allows you to screw the lid on and off) onto the bucket. 

**This is for a removable padded seat. If you don't care to take the cushion off, you can just secure the padded seat by hot gluing the wooden base to the lid.