Cut Out + Keep | How To » Let's Go To Bed Pillowcase

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Let's Go To Bed Pillowcase

Let me take your hand, I'm shaking like milk.

I've had these black pillowcases lying around for awhile, intending to do this. I'm moving in 2 months and the less I have a reason to throw away, the better, so it's time to get craftin'!

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My blank pillowcase and my workstation.

(Note the purple table- I FOUND that in the TRASH. Who would throw away a perfectly good table? Oh well, now it's mine and now it's purple.)

Um, I have 5 bottles of white paint because I'm indecisive, but I just went with regular White.
For my pattern, I taped 4 pieces of regular computer paper together. Then, since my image was square, I squared it off- the paper was just shy of 17 inches tall, so I measured 17 inches across.

I then divided the image into quarters, so I would have reference points as I drew my image.

My original image, the album cover of The Cure's 1983 single "Let's Go To Bed." Fitting for a pillowcase, I thought.
I desaturated the image, and then posterized it to get it down to simple colors.

Once it was on the screen, I overlaid a grid on top in quarters and made it red so it's easier to see. This matched up with the grid I had drawn on my pattern.

I did a rough sketch of the pattern freehand, then got irritated and traced the laptop screen. Hey, whatever works! Anyway, here I have my pattern.
I then used transfer paper to get the pattern onto my pillowcase.

Hard to see? Yeah, me too.
I traced over the lines with a white sewing pencil to make it easier to see, and less likely to rub off with my hand while I was painting.

Um, that's better? A little bit.
Now we're ready to paint! Slide cardboard inside the pillowcase so the paint won't dry and make it stick together- I used the top of a pizza box. I had to keep sliding it around under the part of the pattern I was painting, but it worked out ok.
I just used ordinary craft paint, but you can use screen printing ink if you want. I considered screen printing it, but I wanted a more hand-painted look.
If you use regular paint, make sure and mix it with equal parts Textile Medium. This will make it softer and less "crunchy" when it dries.
Paint away! Pull the wet parts of the pillowcase off of the cardboard every now and then as you work to make sure it doesn't stick to the cardboard.
Yogurt break while it dries! This is the best snack ever. Also try it with strawberries.
I free-handed the logo after the picture dried a little.

What's that, Robert? Let's go to bed? Oh, if you insist.

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People who love this project (12)

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Cat Morley

Jul 12, 2008 10:04am

Those looks awesome, I want cool pillows now!

Impybat

Jul 12, 2008 12:11pm

Awesome!

Knittin' Kitten

Jul 12, 2008 6:14pm

Oh wow it's really well done, I thought you'd stencilled it!

Yum, The Cure <3

xXx Holly xXx

Jul 12, 2008 8:49pm

They Are A Very Weird Item But Quite Stylish I Think. :D

Kalli

Jul 13, 2008 4:04am

I'm quite jealous, I absolutely love The Cure.

Christina Q.

Jul 15, 2008 8:16pm

Lucky you! Every night you get to sleep with Robert Smith!

carleigh anne.

Jul 16, 2008 4:00am

"turning turning blue all over the windows and the floors"
Ahhh. robert smith. so very sexy in the 80's.
my all time favorite band in the WORLD!!!!
love it.
amazing.