DIY Vintage Transfer Pillows

For a few months I have been wanting to make DIY Vintage Transfer Pillows. I turned muslin fabric craft totes into vintage pillows w/ black/white copies, wax paper, heat and stuffing! Whole project cost $10 for 4 pillows!

This project can be done a variety of ways.Instead of wax paper, you can use stencils, stencil brush and black paint. Try a black and white photocopy, transfer paper, stylus and a black sharpie. Iron on transfer paper works as well.

Materials:

Wax paper
Printer paper
Ink jet printer
Image or lettering of choice
Bone folder or painting scrapper
Muslin fabric craft tote
Pillow stuffing
Paper spray adhesive of choice
Fabri-Tac-Beacon Adhesives
Tools: scissors, sewing needle, sewing thread, heat tool

Directions:

Choose a few images or lettering labels you want to print. (visit my flickr gallery for a bunch of free collage images)
Cut a few pieces of wax paper to 8.5 x 11 inch sheets. Attach the cut wax paper to the same size computer paper using spray adhesive. Load into your computer printer. Make sure the wax paper part is the area that gets printed on when it comes out of the printer. (Doing this makes printing the wax paper easier)
Before you begin printing, make sure you switch your printer settings to mirror images, so that the wording or images print in reverse.
Carefully remove the printed sheets from the printer, making sure to hold the ends, away from the ink, as the ink stays very wet.
Place the wet side of the wax paper onto one side of the muslin fabric craft tote, then using a bone folder or painting scraper, press/rub down onto the paper until the ink has transferred to the fabric.
Remove the paper and using a heat tool or blow dryer, add some heat to set.
Cut the tote straps off. Then fill them with pillow stuffing.
Then stitch closed with needle and thread or glue closed with Fabri-Tac.

Iron on Paper Transfers:

Replace the wax paper and printer paper with iron on transfer paper and print. (remember to click on the mirror settings on the computer before printing)
Then iron onto the fabric, stuff, stitch.

For Transfer Paper and Sharpie:

Print your image on regular printer paper. No need to mirror image.
Place a piece of transfer paper onto the fabric and layer the printed image onto it, with printed side facing you (Blank side down against the transfer paper).
Trace the image onto the fabric using a stylus or pencil. Remove both papers.
Fill in the transfer with a black paint pen or sharpie.

Stencil and Paint Transfers:

Buy paint stencil online or at craft store.
Using a stencil brush and black fabric paint, stencil on the fabric.

Tips/Tricks:

Try color images
Photocopy ticket stubs such as a first movie date, wedding table number, broadway or sport tickets for a fun memory pillow.
Create fabric banners, or print on wood.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, so many possibilities, Love to see what you make. I have my pillows on the couch and sitting chairs. I've even used them to showcase my jewelry wares. Now onto the next crafting adventure.

xoxo
Lisa

DIY Vintage Transfer Pillows

Lisa Kettell

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