How To Make a Letter Pillow

Part of Finnegan's room reveal {which I will hopefully get to this week} includes this DIY initial pillow.

I thought that you might like to see how I did it, so here is the SUPER EASY tutorial.

First, take your pillow cover, wash it and dry it {without fabric softener} and then iron flat.  Now, if you're super crafty {way more than I can handle} you can make your pillow cover.  I bought mine at Ikea.  Ahem.  I am not a seamstress, therefore I buy.

Then, I went to Microsoft Word and made my letter in Word Art.  My pillow cover was 20" square so I made my paper legal size and filled it with the F.  Then I cut out a piece of freezer paper {buy at the grocery store} to legal size and loaded that into my printer, making sure that I printed on the non-shiny side.

Once you have it printed, make sure the sizing is a correct fit for your pillow cover.

Then, start cutting your template.  I used an x-acto to cut the straight lines and scissors to cut the curves.  The only thing you have to be careful of is a clean line on the white parts, you will throw away anything that is printed on which is a bit counter-intiuative to cutting something out normally.

Next up is the ironing!  Per the recommendations of some of the tutorials I consulted, I ironed on a full sheet of freezer paper to the inside of the cover first, then I ironed on the cut out f to the outside of the cover.  I used a hot iron on the non-steam setting.  I used a lift and press method {rather than ironing it regularly side to side} so it didn't mess up the freezer paper where it was cut.  When the ironing was done, I slipped a cutting mat on the inside of the cover as an extra precaution against the paint bleeding through.

 

Here it is ready to go.  Paint carefully using a stamping technique rather than a swiping technique with the paintbrush.  Especially near the edges so they don't lift.

Allow to dry flat for 72 hours {or whatever the back of your paint bottle says and stuff with a pillow! 

EASY!!

This tutorial is linked to:  The Girl Creative, Made By You Monday, Making the World Cuter Monday, MMM, Get Your Craft On Tuesday, Show & Share Day