Handmade Holiday Ticking Pillow Covers with Vintage Images

Who doesn't love changing throw pillows for each season?   It's such an easy way to change up a room. They can quickly add pops of color or seasonal accents.   I'm loving the way a few throw pillow covers I made this week turned out!  



 

These pillow covers are super easy to make. They have envelope closures on the back. No zippers and basic sewing. I'll post more about how to make the covers later, but for now...

    ... I have a tutorial ready on how I printed these vintage images directly onto fabric, using freezer paper and my home printer.      I chose a creamy white piece of cotton that has a natural duck cloth look with flecks of tan in it. The images show up great on it and it matches the ticking fabric that the covers are made from.

 

 

    1st step - cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than a piece of printer paper. (I used a 8.5 x 11 piece)  

     2nd step - cut a piece of freezer paper the same size as your cut piece of fabric - slightly larger than your printer paper.  

    3rd step - lay the side of the fabric that you want the image printed on facing down. Lay the shiny side of the freezer paper onto the fabric and iron over it until it adheres to the fabric, making it one piece.  

    4th step - trim your fabric paper exactly to the printer paper size     5th step - lay your fabric paper in your printer tray. Make sure the fabric side is facing the correct way for your printer to print on it and not the freezer paper side. Now you are ready to print the image of your choice onto your fabric.  

  I found that the fabric fed into the printer better without additional paper in the tray.    I did have some trouble with the fabric feeding through. It jammed, didn't feed through quick enough and only printed 1/2 of the image and sometimes it just wouldn't feed at all.   Obviously, I did have successes too!

 

I have printed six different images and plan to sew them onto pillow covers this upcoming week to add to my Etsy shop.   I purchased most of my images from this great Etsy shop.     6th step - once your image is printed successfully just peel the freezer paper off of the back  

  Your image is ready to be sewn onto a pillow cover, a tote bag or just framed in an embroidery hoop or picture frame. You could even create smaller images to use as fabric tags to tie onto gifts or baskets.   I'm sure I'll be trying other projects using this printing method.   I'm super pleased with how detailed the images printed and what they add to the pillow covers!  

  I did try to wash one and most of the color washed out leaving just black outlines of the image. (these covers will have to be spot washed) I'd love to figure out how to make the images permanent. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.     I'm anxious to finish the rest of the covers!       'til next time,     Linking to: Funky Junk Interiors A Night Owl Blog Between Naps on the Porch By Stephanie Lynn Confessions of a Plate Addict My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia The DIY Dreamer The Vintage Farmhouse Savvy Southern Style Ivy and Elephants The Newlywed Pilgrimage Snap Creativity 52 Mantels Design Dining and Diapers The Pin Junkie Nifty Thrifty Things Love Grows Wild Knick of Time Interiors Not Just a Housewife My Repurposed Life Common Ground