Created a Printed Pillow From Scratch With Transfer Paper

This is a short and easy instructable for anyone interested in how to create a pillow with custom graphic prints using transfer paper

Step 1: Supplies

1. Two pieces of cotton fabric slightly larger by width and height of your transfer paper's dimensions (I used 9" x 11.5" sheets for my 8.5" x 11" sized transfer paper).

2. Transfer Paper

3. Iron

4. Scissors

5. Cotton Balls

6. Threading Needle

7. Safety Pins

8. White Thread

9. Digital Graphic Image

10. Computer

11. Printer

Step 2: Finding a Graphic

Find a digital graphic you would like to put on your pillow (photographic, Drawing, Vector art, etc). I made this graphic myself with Adobe Illustrator but it can be anything you want.

Step 3: Printing Graphic on Transfer Paper

Once you have chosen the image you want to use. Print it on the proper side of the transfer paper.

Step 4: Ironing on Graphic to Fabric

Place the transfer paper face down on one of the sheets of cotton fabric. You may want to iron the cotton sheet before ironing on the graphic to make sure the surface is smooth and dry. Adjust your iron to the highest temperature you can use on cotton and allow it to heat up. After 5 minutes or so, begin to iron the transfer paper face down on the cotton sheet. Do this with a decent amount of pressure and for about 90 seconds. Make sure you pay close attention to the sides of the paper. After, slowly peel the transfer paper off the sheet.

Step 5: Sewing

Now you want to mark where you want you pillow to start and end on both sheets of cotton fabric. Create a border so you know where to sew.

Use safety pins to keep the sheets aligned after you have created the borders of the pillow.

Begin sewing along the border until you are almost done, but don't finish the pillow entirely.

Step 6: Stuff Pillow

Once the majority of the pillow is sewed up, leave a little hole in the last corner.

Now you want to tun the pillow cover inside out.

This now brings the graphic to the outside and we can begin stuffing the pillow with as many cotton balls as we please.

Once you have the amount you wish, sew up the rest of the pillow and then we are done!