Hand Stenciled French Pillow

  

I finished project #2 with my new custom made stencil from Maison de Stencils.  I made a pillow cover for a pillow that I found at Goodwill for $2.50.  It was in perfect shape and it passed two of the most important test.  The first was the “Sniff Test”.  No smell what so ever.  You have to be careful when you are dealing with second hand items.  I did not want to find out after I got home that my new pillow had once been in the home of a smoker.  :(   And the second test was the price.   Brand new pillow forms usually cost around 10 to 15 dollars so I liked the $2.50 price I found at Goodwill. 

 

I can tell you briefly how I made the case but I am not that good of a seamstress.  I know just enough to be dangerous and I get by. I made the pillow case out of a Canvas Drop Cloth that I found at Lowe’s.  I laid the pillow out on the canvas drop cloth and cut out on strip of canvas that was about 2 inches wider than the pillow and it was long enough so that I could pull it around the pillow and have it meet in the back. 

I cut out the strip of drop cloth and then ironed it.  I folded in each of the short edges about 1/2 inch and ironed in place and then folded it over itself one more time, ironed it, and then sewed the hem.  I placed my pillow back on the drop cloth and pulled it up around the pillow to get an idea of where I wanted to sew my side seam.  Be sure to pull your back opening up over part of the other side to make the “envelope” that you are going to slip the pillow into when you are finished.  Pin he edges and sew up the side seams.  Turn it right side out and you should be able to slip you pillow inside. 

Here you can see how the pillow case was pinned in place so that it overlapped on both side seams.  Doing this helps form the “envelope” on the back that you are going to slip your pillow into when you are finished. 

And if you want to read another tutorial that is much easier to understand than mine, you can check out Ink Blots and Polka Dots and see how Kristen made a beautiful Drop Cloth Pillow Case With Ruffles.  It’s really nice!

When you are ready to stencil, take the pillow out of the case so that you can work on a flat surface.  I placed a magazine inside so that the paint didn’t seep through to the other side of the fabric when I was stenciling. 

Be sure to tape your stencil in place to keep it secure from moving when you are stenciling.  I used black fabric paint.  For clean edges be sure to not use too much paint on your stencil brush.  You don’t want it too wet or goopy.  And I pounce the brush in an up and down motion. 

   

And here it is.  I am very happy!  Now to decide where to put it.  Here in the sun room or….

in the bedroom? 

And I had some extra drop cloth that I decided to make a couple more pillow covers.  I can take my time deciding what to stencil if anything on them.  :)