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craftgrrlThe first thing that you need is a piece of muslin or other light colored cotton fabric. I would suggest using a piece 12-inches square. Depending on the artistic ability of your child, you can either let them go free hand now, or using a pencil and a sunny window, trace a picture onto the muslin using a page from a coloring book. Now copy over your tracing with a permanent fabric marker. These come in a variety of colors and ink widths. (You may have to experiment a bit to find one that won’t “run” on your fabric. I generally use “Sharpie” markers) Either dark brown or black will work for this step. If your child is doing his/her own drawing just let them draw the picture first with the permanent marker. Now let your child color the picture using regular crayons. This next step you may either want to do for your child, or closely supervise older children. Take a piece of brown paper bag, or freezer paper. (If using freezer paper, put the shiny side down, paper side up) that is large enough to cover the artwork. Now using a hot iron, iron over the paper which has been placed over the picture. This will “set” the wax from the crayons into your fabric. Something else you may want to do here, is put a piece of paper on your ironing surface just in case the wax runs through the fabric. After your wax is “set”, you are now ready to make your project.
these can either be made into a pillow or a wall hanging.
For the pillow, choose a printed or another plain color fabric that will compliment your child’s artwork. Or that will match the decor of the gift recipient. Add a 2-inch fabric border around the picture. The best way to do this is to cut a 2-inch strip of your fabric, using a 1/4-inch seam, sew the strip to one side of your picture. Trim the “tail” of the strip even with your picture. Go to the opposite side of your picture and repeat this step. Keep repeating this step until your border is complete. You will have to cut more than one 2-inch fabric strip for this step, particularly if your picture is larger than 12-inches. Now using the picture, complete with borders as a pattern, cut another piece of fabric the same size as the picture. (This will be the back to your pillow) Put the two pieces, right sides together, and using a 1/4-inch seam sew around three sides of your project. (You are leaving one side open to insert a pillow form) I generally just use purchased pillow forms inside of my pillows. They can be purchased fairly inexpensively in 12, 14, 16 or 18 inch squares. If desired you can also just stuff your pillow with polyester stuffing. After inserting your pillow form or stuffing into your pillow, hand sew the opening shut.
For a wall hanging, add your borders in the same manner as with a pillow, but you can vary the width’s here. Depending on the size strips that you use you can make your wall hanging either square or rectangular. You will want to add a back to this by taking another piece of muslin (you will want to use the muslin or light colored fabric here again, if you use a dark fabric for your backing, you may be able to see the “backing” through your picture) and again using the front of your project for a pattern, cut out the back. Place your project and the backing together, right sides facing. Sew around all sides, leaving a small opening to “turn” your project. Turn your project right side out and carefully press the edges to make your project lay flat. (Be very careful here not to hit your picture with the iron, unless covering it with paper again!) And finally hand sew your opening shut. There are several ways to “hang” your wall hanging. You can actually just use push pins to hang this. But if you would rather add small fabric “tabs” to the upper back of your wall hanging, you can use these “tabs” to either use your push pins or if making circular “tabs” you can run a stick or dowel rod through the tabs. After your project is completed, have your child sign and date the artwork, using the permanent marking pen. Doesn’t any good artist sign their work?
these can either be made into a pillow or a wall hanging.
For the pillow, choose a printed or another plain color fabric that will compliment your child’s artwork. Or that will match the decor of the gift recipient. Add a 2-inch fabric border around the picture. The best way to do this is to cut a 2-inch strip of your fabric, using a 1/4-inch seam, sew the strip to one side of your picture. Trim the “tail” of the strip even with your picture. Go to the opposite side of your picture and repeat this step. Keep repeating this step until your border is complete. You will have to cut more than one 2-inch fabric strip for this step, particularly if your picture is larger than 12-inches. Now using the picture, complete with borders as a pattern, cut another piece of fabric the same size as the picture. (This will be the back to your pillow) Put the two pieces, right sides together, and using a 1/4-inch seam sew around three sides of your project. (You are leaving one side open to insert a pillow form) I generally just use purchased pillow forms inside of my pillows. They can be purchased fairly inexpensively in 12, 14, 16 or 18 inch squares. If desired you can also just stuff your pillow with polyester stuffing. After inserting your pillow form or stuffing into your pillow, hand sew the opening shut.
For a wall hanging, add your borders in the same manner as with a pillow, but you can vary the width’s here. Depending on the size strips that you use you can make your wall hanging either square or rectangular. You will want to add a back to this by taking another piece of muslin (you will want to use the muslin or light colored fabric here again, if you use a dark fabric for your backing, you may be able to see the “backing” through your picture) and again using the front of your project for a pattern, cut out the back. Place your project and the backing together, right sides facing. Sew around all sides, leaving a small opening to “turn” your project. Turn your project right side out and carefully press the edges to make your project lay flat. (Be very careful here not to hit your picture with the iron, unless covering it with paper again!) And finally hand sew your opening shut. There are several ways to “hang” your wall hanging. You can actually just use push pins to hang this. But if you would rather add small fabric “tabs” to the upper back of your wall hanging, you can use these “tabs” to either use your push pins or if making circular “tabs” you can run a stick or dowel rod through the tabs. After your project is completed, have your child sign and date the artwork, using the permanent marking pen. Doesn’t any good artist sign their work?
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