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Photo Transfer Pillow

by Nancy Bandzuch · 11 Comments

There are certain pictures that are just so sweet I want to look at them all the time. 

One of those pictures is this one, of a rather proper-looking man and woman holding hands as they swing around on one of those swing rides. 

How sweet! 

The guy looks so calm and the woman looks like she is having the time of her life! Love it.

Now, I love looking at this picture…but it was hidden in a National Geographic book. 

Well, I couldn’t let that continue, so I tore the picture out…but now what to do with it? Photo Transfer!

I have done several photo transfers (here, here, here, and here), but I wanted to do something a bit different, so I made this lovely swinging couple into a pillow.

Here’s the how-to:

Supplies:

  • Photo (printed in any way other than inkjet)
  • Fabric
  • Omni-Gel 8-Ounce Transfer Medium
  • Paint Brush
  • Wet Rag
  • Mod Podge, Matte Finish
  • Sewing Machine
  • Batting to fill pillow
  • Black Fabric

First of all, cover the original picture with a generous coat of transfer gel and place it face down onto the fabric (sorry, no photo of this).

  • After the transfer medium has dried completely, place a wet rag on top and allow to dry completely.
  • Once the paper is soaked, begin to run at the paper with the pads of your fingers.  the paper will begin to roll off, and the image will remain.
  • Keep rubbing until all the paper is removed.  Be warned, the transfer will not be perfect.  Parts of the image will come off with the paper leaving an “aged” look.
  • With all of the paper removed, apply a coat of Mod Podge to seal the image.
  • Then, trim the fabric to prepare for making the pillow.
  • Head to the sewing machine and sew a strip of back fabric to all four edges.  Iron flat the seams, being careful not to melt the mod podge sections!
  • Place face down on another piece of black fabric.  Sew all four sides, leaving a gap to flip right side out and fill with batting.
  • Stuff, hand sew shut the opening…and done!

Ah, how romantic!

I hope your romance is as sweet as this!

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Comments

  2. Virginia Megin Gallagher says

    Great project, Nancy! I love this!
    I’m visiting you today from Sugar Bee. I co-host a Linky Party Tuesday (open thru Sat) and I’d love for you to link up! I hope you get a chance to stop by, link up and leave a comment, too!
    ~ Megin of VMG206
    Join me each Tuesday for Brag About It Link Up Party

    Reply

  4. Tara @ Suburble says

    That is so crazy awesome! I don’t know anything about transfer medium – but I think I’m going to have to learn!

    Reply

  5. Krista Low says

    I love this cute pillow! I keep toying with different ideas for photo transfers. I tried doing it to fabric twice but it washed off… I love the idea of a pillow because it won’t be washed frequently! Love it 🙂 Krista @ A Handful of Everything

    Reply

Trackbacks

  4. […] Steps:1:  Coat the piece of wood with transfer gel. 2. place photo-copied picture face-down into the gel.  Press down and make sure that all air bubble are out.  Allow to dry for several hours. 3. Once gel is completely dry, place a wet wash cloth over the paper and allow it to soak through.  Then, using the pads of your fingers, start rubbing off the paper.  And keep rubbing!  It takes a while to get all the paper off.  In the end I used a toothbrush to get the last scraps of paper off. 4.  Finally when all the paper is removed, seal with modge podge and embellish as you choose. Easy, right?!? And now, more importantly, a word or two about my parents.  The fact that they have endured each other for 34 years alone stands as a testament to their relationship.  But, beyond that, what I have always known about my parents is that they live their relationship out in the open.  They love, fight, pray, laugh and struggle out loud.  As a kid I never doubted that my parents passionately cared about each other…and that sometimes it was hard to be around the other person.  What they presented to us growing up was a very real image of what marriage is.     Now that I am married I am very thankful for that example.  Marriage is fun…but it is also a struggle, especially when you start throwing in kids and job-stress and all the other things we deal with as adults.  Most importantly, my parents taught through example that it is okay to fight, as along as there is forgiveness and comprise at the end of each fight.  That is how they have lived their lives together, and how they continue to live today.  I truly have had a wonderful example.  Thanks mom and dad! My parents this summer with all of their grandchildren Also, my mom had a blog she is very devoted to: Family Soul Story. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week, Nancy   PS–Check out these other photo transfer projects: Photo Transfer Pillow […]

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