This no sew heart pillow was made for Valentine’s Day using photo transfer medium! You can adapt this technique for any holiday. There’s a free printable; get it by scrolling down to the supply list.
Skills Required: Intermediate. I would have prior experience with photo transfer medium before attempting this project. Try it on wood first, since you only have one shot on fabric.
Okay, here’s the deal. I have heard all about Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium before, but I have never used it. In my experience, it was for wood (not fabric) and just for photos. I had no idea that you could transfer any print to a fabric surface using a laserjet printer and printouts!
What?? So cool.
I love the idea of having pillows that I rotate out for holidays, but I don’t want to spend a fortune to make them. I think Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium is just the way to accomplish the home decor I’m looking for.
Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I thought a heart pillow might be appropriate. I designed a heart that would work for the holiday, but I felt could also be suitable to keep out all year.
You just need a few basic supplies that you can see in the image above. You’ll want to select a cotton pillow form. I like the canvas type the best.
Pillow covers are so inexpensive to purchase, and you can find them at most craft stores or online. Sewing your own pillow cover is super easy too! Let’s jump into the tutorial so that you can get started.
To make this festive pillow, here’s what you need:
- Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
- Laser printer
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- 16-18” square pillow form
- Free geometric heart printable HERE
I just LOVE how my Valentine’s Day decor turned out, and I can’t wait to make more for upcoming holidays. I think I might do a collage with favorite family photos for my next attempt.
Get the printable how to below.
No Sew Heart Pillow
Equipment
- Laser printer
Materials
- Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
- Square pillow form
- Geometric heart printable
Instructions
- Print out the heart pattern to size. Trim off the excess paper around the edges using the scissors.
- Apply a thin coat of transfer medium to the printed side of your paper. Be sure to cover the entire image with an even coat. You want to completely obscure the image so it can't be seen clearly.
- Flip the heart image onto the pillow cover – with the Mod Podge photo transfer facing down. Lightly smooth out the image to get rid of any wrinkles or bubbles.
- Carefully wipe away any excess photo transfer medium that comes out the sides. After the design is smoothed down, wait at least twenty four hours for the image to fully dry.
- Take a clean cloth and water and apply it to the paper on the back of the heart. Soak the back so you can see through the paper to the design.
- Rub the paper in a circular motion until it starts to come off the image. If the paper isn’t rubbing away, use a little bit more water on your cloth. Apply light to medium pressure.
- Let the image dry, and reapply water with a clean cloth if there are any additional areas that still have paper residue.
- Let the pillowcase dry completely. Add an insert to the pillowcase to finish.
Notes
Happy crafting friends, and let me know what you try in the comments.
If you’d like to check out some other Valentine’s Day crafts for adults, here are some suggestions:
Willa
Thursday 12th of March 2020
can I buy a pillowcase to try this? will it still work the same? one can put wax paper in the middle of the pillowcase.
Amy
Friday 13th of March 2020
Hi Willa! Yes you can and it will work the same! And yes to the wax paper, you would want to do that :)
Linsey
Friday 29th of January 2016
Super cool pillow and process! Thanks so much for sharing!
Paige
Wednesday 27th of January 2016
I'm so obsessed with this idea! I've actually been wanting to make a really simple pillow for my son that I saw online for $100 and now I know how to make it for significantly cheaper! Thanks for the great tutorial!
Paige https://www.thehappyflammily.com/