A toilet cushion is a pillow, either crocheted, knitted, embroidered or decorated with some sort of needlework. In the 19th century, the word toilet referred the act of dressing or grooming oneself. It also referred to a dressing table, which was a small table with drawers and a mirror, at which one would brush their hair and groom themselves. Perhaps the toilet cushions were used on the dressing table chair.