Summer is here and today I want to show you what I made this past week for my pallet chairs, while cooling off inside to beat the heat; we created hand painted pillows. I wanted to change out the old pillows for new ones, and you know me, "save money". So, I made my own. I'm not an expert nor a craft guru. It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.Items needed to make these pillows are:
- Craft paint
- Fabric Medium
- Paint brush
- Frog tape
- Scissors
- Small bowl
- Fabric (4) 20 x 20 squares
- Sewing machine or hand sew
- Thread/ needle for hand sewing if no machine is available
- or use fabric glue--heat bond for no sew project
- Card board about 18 x 18 to fit in the pillow case
- Pillow stuffing
I had ivory fabric stored in my craft closet, but you can use any fabric that you like. I cut four squares 20 x 20 inches each.
Take two squares and sew three sides closed leaving one side open. Do the same for the other two squares.
Turn pillow case inside out so that the seam in on the inside.
Place a cardboard 18 x 18 inside the opening, this will help prevent paint from seeping through the fabric.
You may tape down your pillow case to hold it firmly in place with painter's tape while you paint. (optional) I did not have painter's tape so I used packing tape-- (painters' tape is better).
Use the painter's tape to form your design. I made a chevron design.
Take your favorite color of craft paint
and one bottle of fabric medium
which is available in craft stores or online and mix according to the direction on the fabric medium bottle.Mix the paint in the small bowl and begin to paint your design on the pillow case. You can even have your little one's help.
Once it is all painted, let it dry. After it is dry, remove the tape and stuff your pillows, then sew them closed or heat glue them closed.
You should then have your decorative pillow(s) to enjoy! I love how ours turned out and I'm happy with the results. Now I'm thinking about making more for our sofa.
Note: You may want to protect your fabric from moisture, spills and other things, if they are for outdoor use. There are products available for sealing your outdoor fabrics, which you may find in your local hardware stores, these are basically called fabric sealers. ( I do not vouch for this particular product, since I have not used it before, but I will give it a try.)
Give your outdoor furniture a new look with this little project. I had a great time making these and my son loves the painting process. Your kids will enjoy it too this summer. Happy Crafting!