Wood

• Wood is the most important material needed for a blanket chest seat project, because the whole thing will be made from wood. You should choose a wood that is both nice looking and sturdy for this construction. A heavy hardwood is ideal for this because it will hold up to daily use, support the added weight of someone sitting on it, and last for a long time. Choose a wood such as cherry, oak or hickory that will look beautiful when finished. Purchase a few 1-inch thick sheets or planks of your choice of wood. Also, purchase several pieces of 2-by-4 wood for building the inner frame. If you choose planks over sheets, there will be less cutting involved, but more fastening required for the smaller pieces of wood, unless you use a plank that is wide enough to provide the height you want on your blanket chest seat.
  
  

Tools

• You will need several woodworking tools for building a blanket chest seat, including a rip saw or track saw for long cuts, a miter saw for short and angled cuts, a tape measure to measure the wood before cutting, a drill with screw driving and hole drilling bits, a jigsaw, a square, a level and a large wood clamp. If you plan to make a more intricate piece, you may need a router and a wood lathe. You will need access to a sewing machine to upholster the cushion for your seat, as well as fabric scissors.
  
  

Hardware

• There are several pieces of hardware necessary for making a functional blanket chest seat. First, you will need some hinges that are strong enough to hold the weight of the seat when swung open. You will need to purchase at least two of those, depending on what your woodworking plan calls for. Pick something that is galvanized so it is less likely to rust. Consider adding a spring-loaded lid support that will hold the lid open for you. Also, purchase several 1 1/2-inch wood screws for fastening everything together.
  
  

Plans and Other Materials

• A woodworking plan is a great thing to have for a blanket seat chest project. You can use a simple blanket chest plan and modify it to add a seat rail and cushion. Several free plans are available online, as well as more intricate plans for purchase. Some of the other materials you will need include a foam cushion, which you can purchase from a craft store, fabric to cover the cushion, matching thread for sewing, sandpaper, wood finish of your choice, and wood putty for filling any holes and covering countersunk screw heads. Have a pencil and paper on hand for writing down measurements and marking cut lines. Also make sure to gather the proper safety gear for any woodworking project, such as safety goggles and gloves.