Three Little Birds Pillow

Making An Impression

Posted by GMC Group

About

Get ready to paint! The stamps themselves utilize simple shapes for making the impressions. But you’ll add the details—the eyes, beaks, and feet—using black fabric paint.

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You Will Need (12 things)

  • Tracing Paper
  • Soft-lead Pencil
  • Bone folder or small Spoon
  • Rubber Carving Material
  • Linoleum Cutter with No. 1 and No. 5 tips
  • Craft Knife or utility cutter
  • Fabric Ink Pad s in different colors and white
  • Neutral color Fabric , enough for the front and back of the pillow
  • Black Fabric Paint
  • Fine round Brush
  • Sewing Machine
  • Pillow insert

Steps (8 steps, 240 minutes)

  1. 1

    Use the templates. Trace the designs using the soft-lead pencil, and then use the bone folder or small spoon to transfer the images onto the rubber carving blocks. You will have two bird bodies, two wings, and a tail.

  2. 2

    Carve the stamps from the rubber carving blocks using the linoleum cutter. Use the No. 1 tip to carve the lines in the wings and the tail. Once you’ve carved the stamps, give them a light wash with warm water and a pH neutral soap, and let them air dry.

  3. 3

    Test out the stamps on a scrap piece of fabric similar to the one you will be using for the pillow.

  4. 4

    On the fabric for the front of the pillow, use a different color fabric ink to stamp each bird body. Alternate directions with one bird on top of the other; two will be facing right and one facing left (or vice versa). Use the white ink to stamp the wing on each bird. Use a contrasting color of ink for each of the tails. Allow the ink to dry completely.

  5. 5

    Use black fabric paint with a very fine round brush to paint each of the bird’s eyes, beaks, and feet. Paint the feet to make the birds look as if they’re standing on top of each other. Let the paint dry for at least 20 minutes.

  6. 6

    Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for heat setting the ink. Tip: When you heat set, make sure to iron the design on the reverse side of the fabric, placing a piece of scrap fabric underneath to prevent ruining your ironing board cover.

  7. 7

    Cut the fabric for the back of the pillow as wide as the front piece and slightly longer. Cut the back fabric into two rectangles, one slightly longer than the other. Hem one of the long edges on each rectangle.

  8. 8

    Lay the stamped front on your work surface with the impression side facing up. Lay the rectangles with right sides down on the front, and pin all the way around. The hemmed edges will overlap to create an envelope back. Sew the front to the back, and turn right side out. Stuff the pillow with the pillow insert.